Mike Williams Jr.

This is a forum for general discussion of dogsled racing, with a special focus on Alaska, and is open to all. It is expected that this area will see the most activity during the months leading up to, and during the annual Iditarod sled dog race. Pictures from races can be posted here. Hosting is provided by the Bering Strait School District (BSSD), and the area is open all year. Care to be one of our volunteer moderators? Contact us!

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Mike Williams Jr.

Postby mamamia » Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:33 pm

I love this guy! What a fabulous race he had.

He lives in the same town (Bethel) as Peter Kaiser and the Kaisers have included him in their webpage. Click on contacts then drop down to Mike Williams to find a whole page of info, pics & video.

Since I started a thread on him I thought I would copy a post of mine from before the race that gives a little background.

When I started this thread I asked (among other things) "Who's hot this year". Well last night I was mining the internet for gossip and ran across something interesting. It is in an ADN article about the Kusko 300. It seems that Paul Gebhardt came in first by only 60 seconds over Mike Williams Jr.
This is what I find so interesting (From the Fairbanks Daily News)

Williams Jr. led Gebhardt by one minute into the halfway mark of Aniak, but the younger musher departed the checkpoint 14 minutes behind Gebhardt, who expanded his lead as the race progressed.

As the finish line approached, Gebhart, a two-time Iditarod runner-up, saw his lead over the up-and-coming Williams diminish from 26 minutes in Kalskag, the third-to-last checkpoint, to five minutes in Kwethluk, the final checkpoint.


Paul said,
"I was ahead the whole time coming back (from the midway point in Akiak)," Gebhardt said by phone from Bethel Sunday night. "He was catching up to me. I knew he was back there. His team probably just ran out of time."

Also from the ADN article
In post-race interviews in English and Yup'ik on KYUK, Williams said he realized how strong his dogs were once he finished his six-hour layover in Kalskag. His dogs included some his father, Mike Williams Sr., had used in previous Iditarods as well as animals purchased from Rick Swenson, the five-time Iditarod champion; defending Kusko champion John Baker, who was seventh Sunday; and Iditarod veteran Jason Barron.

Angstman credited Mike Williams Sr., who has finished 14 Iditarods and was 18th among the 20 Kusko starters, with building a strong kennel.

"His son is driving the same dogs we always knew were good, but that's a big guy they were towing around," Angstman said. "We always wondered what would be like if the young kid took over. I'm not surprised the team has moved up just by switching over to a younger, lighter fellow."


Mike is 26 years old and the 2010 race was his rookie year. He placed 26th.
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