It's turning out to be a neck and neck race with both teams from Ryan Redington's kennels in the lead pack.

Redington, the 2020 Beargrease Marathon winner, and Sarah Keefer were first teams to leave the Skyport Checkpoint Tuesday morning heading into the last day of racing in the 2021 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon.

The mushers are seeing slower times this year due to warmer conditions and less snow on the trail compared to recent years.

Erin Letzring, Erin Altemus, Blake Freking, and Ero Wallin, a first time marathon racer and at 18 years old the race's youngest competitor, round out the top six mushers in the 300-mile race up Minnesota's North Shore.

They are all heading to the final checkpoint in Mineral Center, where they will all have a mandatory four-hour rest period.  The final stretch takes them up to Grand Portage and back down to Mineral Center's finish line.  The winner is expected to cross the finish line after sunset. 

Two teams have dropped out of the Beargrease Marathon: Bailey Vitello and Peter McClelland.

Race Leaderboard as of Tuesday 8am

1. Ryan Redington
2. Sarah Keefer - 409 yards behind leader
3. Erin Letzring - 1.1 miles behind leader
4. Erin Altemus - 6.2 miles behind leader
5. Ero Wallin - 7.6 miles behind leader
6. Blake Freking - 7.6 miles behind leader
7. Josi Thyr - 16.8 miles behind leader
8. Kevin Mathis - 22.1 miles behind leader
9. Jennifer Freking - 22.6 miles behind leader
10. Colleen Wallin  - Stopped at Skyport checkpoint, 23.7 miles behind leader
11. Charmayne Morrison - Stopped at Skyport checkpoint, 23.7 miles behind leader
12. John Fisher - Stopped at Skyport checkpoint, 23.7 miles behind leader
13. Mary Manning - 30.1 miles behind leader
14. Gregg Vitello - 31.8 miles behind leader
15. Alice White - 34.2 miles behind leader
16. Bailey Vitello (out)
17. Peter McClelland (out)