Jessie Royer of Seeley Lake claimed the first place title for the 300-mile Race to the Sky in Lincoln when she crossed the finish line with 11 dogs at 9:22 p.m. on Feb. 10.
Royer is no stranger to Race to the Sky getting her first win in the 500-mile event in 1994. Royer is also an avid Alaskan Iditarod Sled Dog Race competitor with seven top-10 finishes, and a third-place finish at the event in 2019.
Race to the Sky is Montana’s premier winter sporting event and is recognized as one of the most challenging sled dog races in the world, according to the race’s website.
The races were organized first as Montana’s Governor’s Cup Sled Dog Race in 1986 and they ran the first 500-mile race in February of that year. Since that year, Race to the Sky has been an Iditarod qualifier.
