ANCHORAGE — Reigning champion Dallas Seavey held the lead Wednesday morning in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
The 28-year-old musher spent two and a half hours on the trail from Takotna, reached Ophir at 2:16 a.m., and after a five-minute stop, departed again at 2:21 a.m.
That was about three and a half hours ahead of Noah Burmeister, who left Ophir just before 6 a.m. after a 15-minute rest.
John Baker was 10 minutes behind Burmeister. Brent Sass, Nicolas Petit, Ken Anderson and other mushers were taking longer breaks in Ophir before a 90-mile run to Iditarod.
Wednesday is the fourth day of the 1,000-mile race to Nome.
The winner is expected to reach the finish line about nine days after the start of the race.
