2023 Junior Kobuk 440 Recap and Results!

Left to Right: Steven Downey-Kameroff of Kotzebue, Bristol Huffman of Kotzebue, Herbert Thomas of Buckland, Dezzi Stewart of Shungnak, James Bourquin of Kotzebue. Not Pictured: Ben Marcus of Kotzebue. Photo by Viva Teal.

The Junior 440 took place Saturday, April 22nd, 2023! The start of the race was at 1:00pm in Kotzebue, on the ice in front of Nullaġvik Hotel. Youth mushers took off on a 50-mile journey via a tandem sled set-up with up to 10 dogs per two youth mushers. After their day one run, they overnighted at a camp northeast of Kotzebue and came back to the finish the next day. The Kobuk 440 Board held an awards ceremony following the finishes at the Northwest Arctic Borough assembly chambers in Kotzebue.

Awesome weather, fast trail, great hospitality and food at the checkpoint. Thank you to Ed and Ruth Iten for hosting us at camp! Wonderful people, good company, enjoyed telling stories and being around the campfire. We hope to have more kids from the villages, and whole region in the future.

​- Paul Hansen, Kobuk 440 President

Bristol Huffman, left, and Steven Downey-Kameroff, right. 2023 Junior 440 Winners. Photo by Viva Teal.

2023 Junior Kobuk 440 Results

First Place
Mushers: Bristol Huffman, Kotzebue / Steven Downey-Kameroff, Kotzebue
Team: Hansen Kennel dogs Prize Money: $500
Time Day One / 2hr 33min Day Two / 2hr 10 min Total / 4hr 43min

Second Place
Mushers: Ben Marcus, Kotzebue / Herbert Thomas, Buckland
Team: Combination of Marcus & Iten dogs Prize Money: $400
Time: Day One / 2hr 41min Day Two / 2hr 10min Total / 4hr 51min

Third Place
Mushers: James Bourquin, Kotzebue & Dezzi Stewart, Shungnak
Team: Jim Bourquin's dogs Prize Money:  $150
Time: Day One / 2hr 43 min Day Two / 2hr 20 min Total / 5hr 3min

Steven Downey-Kameroff, Ben Marcus and Herbert Thomas on the Front Street ice in Kotzebue

Bristol Huffman and Steven Downey-Kameroff on tandem sled with Hansen Kennel dogs

Thank you to all participants, volunteers, and spectators for a great race! Thank you to our sponsors for supporting young mushers in the Northwest Arctic Region, including Teck, Ambler Metals, ConocoPhillips, Alaska Airlines and more!