Cali McTavish

Michelle Phillips and her dog team crossed the finish line in Teslin, Yukon, at 9 p.m. Wednesday, marking her second Yukon Quest 450 victory in a row.&nbsp;

As soon as her sled stopped, the veteran musher walked down her line of dogs — giving each a cuddle. She said she's grateful for them.

"It was challenging for sure, but it was good. They did really good," she said.&nbsp;

Her husband and business partner, Ed Hopkins, was the first to greet her at the finish line. Together, they own Tagish Lake Kennels just outside Carcross.&nbsp;

Veteran musher Michelle Phillips wins Yukon Quest

Michelle Phillips says "everything clicked" for her on the trail of this year's Yukon Quest. The veteran Yukon musher was the first to reach Dawson City, Yukon, early Wednesday morning, winning the sled dog race this year.

A smiling woman in a headlamp and a parka stands outside in the dark.

Musher Michelle Phillips in Dawson City, Yukon, after winning the Yukon Quest 450 race on Feb. 15, 2023.

Michelle Phillips

Musher Michelle Phillips in Dawson City, Yukon, early Wednesday morning after winning the Yukon Quest 450 race. 'Just a really solid run,' she said.

He said he's proud of his wife for her work ethic.&nbsp;

"She's trained really hard this year," said Hopkins.

Hopkins said Phillips and Ben Simard, another musher, spent six weeks on the Canol Road training for the event.&nbsp;

Annie Johnston, a member of the Teslin Tlingit Council, is another one of the winner's cheerleaders.&nbsp;

"She's almost like a champion of ours. It makes me proud it's someone from the Yukon."&nbsp;

A woman crouched down with a dog outside in the dark.

As soon as her sled stopped, Phillips walked down her line of dogs – giving each a cuddle. 

Michelle Phillips 2025

Johnston said she's glad to see the race happening in her backyard.&nbsp;

"It's just amazing that it happened here, there's quite a few people here from Teslin."&nbsp;

Phillips held on to the lead for a good chunk of the race, at times leap-frogging with other competitors.&nbsp;

Jessie Royer from Seeley Lake, Montana, came in second place and Jesse Terry from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, arrived shortly after midnight, claiming third.&nbsp;

The route started and ended in Teslin for the first time this year. Race organizer Sarah Tomlin said she's happy the way everything turned out.

Yukon Quest starts this weekend in Teslin, for 1st time ever

The annual sled dog race kicks off on Sunday afternoon in Teslin, Yukon, and follows an entirely new route

A musher is seen on a sled with eight dogs, people are cheering around him. 

A musher runs his dogs at the starting line of the Yukon Quest, in Whitehorse, on Feb. 11, 2023. The Yukon Quest race starts regardless of weather and lasts from 10 to 16 days until the final dog team arrives at the finish line.

Musher start line Yukon Quest 2023

A musher runs his dog at the starting line of the Yukon Quest in Whitehorse in 2023. This year's race starts on Sunday in Teslin, Yukon, and also ends in Teslin by way of Johnsons Crossing, Ross River, and Faro.

"There were some times that I was like, I didn't see how it was going to come together, but the team of volunteers, when everybody starts showing up, it just flows."&nbsp;

After three and a half days on the trail and covering more than 659 kilometres, Phillips said all she was thinking about at the end of the race was eating a hot meal.&nbsp;

Her next race, the Iditarod, will take place in less than a month and cover twice the distance. It kicks off March 2.

Michelle Phillips at the finish line of the Yukon Quest 450 on Wednesday evening. The veteran musher won the race in 2024 as well. 

Veteran Yukon musher wins 2nd Yukon Quest in a row

Thinking of a hot meal

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