WBRZ - Baton Rouge

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Four-time champion Martin Buser of Big Lake, Alaska, kept his lead in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

At 2:08 a.m. Friday, he reached the village of Anvik, the first checkpoint on the Yukon River, which will be the trail for mushers for the next 238 miles of the 1,000-mile race.

By being first into Anvik, Buser qualified for a seven-course meal cooked by an Anchorage chef.

Running in second place is Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, Alaska. Last-year's runner-up left Shageluk at 4:05 a.m. Friday. Shageluk is about 25 miles from Anvik.

Nicolas Petit of Girdwood followed Zirkle four minutes later and rookie Joar Leifseth Ulsom of Roros, Norway, left within a half hour in fourth place.

IMAGE: Frank Kovalchek