ELY – Ryan Anderson, of Ray, and South African native Al-Jo Thiart were the winners of this year's WolfTrack Classic, run this year through a fresh blanket of snow Sunday morning.

Race conditions were much improved from a year ago when the race was cancelled due to lack of snow cover and warm temperatures. The new unpacked snowfall and warming temperatures resulted in slower than normal race times.

This year’s format was similar to years past as it featured both a six- and eight-dog race. The six-dog race was 30 miles in distance while the eight-dog race totaled 50 miles.

All teams started in two-minute splits with the larger teams taking off first and the six-dog teams following.

The race made use of the Taconite Trail between Ely and Tower. The six-dog course turned around just short of Bear Head Lake State Park using open logging roads before getting back on the Taconite for its return trip to Ely. The eight-dog teams continued on to Bear Head Lake State Park and made a loop throughout the park before returning to Ely.

There were 22 teams that participated this year in the six-dog class, and the eight-dog race featured 10 teams.

Ryan Anderson, who competed in the 2017 Iditarod, won in the eight-dog race. Al-Jo Thiart took the top spot in the six-dog event.

Anderson has been racing for 28 years and still enjoys it, he says. He prefers racing his young dogs at the WolfTrack. After racing for over five hours Anderson edged out Brian Berger by less than three minutes for the win.

Al-Jo Thiart is originally from Cape Town, but has been handling and racing for the Michigan-based Magnusson Racing LLC since September 2010.

“We saw her compete at the Apostle Islands race earlier in the month and invited her to our WolfTrack Classic,” said organizer Ellen Cashman. “This was her first time in Ely.”

Thiart beat out second-place finisher Liz Van Dentoorn by just over five minutes.

8 – DOG RACE RESULTS

Place, Musher, Finish Time

1. Ryan Anderson, 5:07:51

2. Brian Bergen, 5:10:32

3. Jim Ward, 5:33:41

4. Dusty Klaven, 5:41:59

5. Melvin Mickelson, 5:44:59

6. Frank Moe, 6:11:41

7. Colleen Wallin, 6:25:14

8. Ero Wallin, 6:32:43

9. Neil Seeger, 7:08:22

10. Adam Treeful, 7:08:51

6 – DOG RACE RESULTS

Place, Musher, Finish Time

1. Al-Jo Thiart, 2:47:39

2. Liz Van Dentoorn, 2:53:21

3. Darcy Staney-Nord, 3:23:37

4. John Ward, 3:27:08

5. Rhonda Heerschap, 3:28:17

6. Morgan McClelland, 3:32:54

7. Billie Diver, 3:33:06

8. Curt Craig, 3:33:07

9. Jen Freking, 3:35:03

10. Linus Meyer, 3:40:56

11. Chelsea Trucano, 3:46:51

12. Robin Sue Fisher, 3:50:46

13. Andy Heerschap, 3:52:32

14. Scott Edgett, 3:52:50

15. Liz Graves, 3:56:59

16. Brian Wiese, 3:59:46

17. Angelie Menicucci, 4:07:21

18. Julie Schmelzer, 4:14:26

19. Mathew Klesser, 4:19:40

20. Tim Chisolm, 4:22:41

21. Steve Bergermann, 4:25:54

22. Alice White, 5:04:34