Yukon Quest musher William Kleedehn leads the pack

Carcross Road musher William Kleedehn moved into first place in the 1,600-kilometre Yukon Quest sled dog race as he passed through the Stewart River dog drop Tuesday morning on his way to Dawson City.

The 47-year-old veteran was followed through the Stewart stop byWhitehorse musher Gerry Willomitzer.

Defending Yukon Quest championLance Mackey and another Alaskan musher, Huff Neff, who had both arrived at Stewart River earlier, left within minutes of the front-runners.

The Stewart River stop is about halfway between Pelly Crossing and Dawson City, a distance of 300 kilometres.

Teams were expected to begin arriving in Dawsonon Wednesday, where they willstay for a mandatory 36-hour rest before heading off on the second half of the race to Fairbanks, Alaska.

One of the 28 teams in the race withdrew after reaching Pelly Crossingon Monday.

Whitehorse-area musher Catherine Pinard saidshe did not have enough to continue the race, after dropping six of her 14 dogs.

Tetz takes Quest 300

Tagish musher Thomas Tetzwon the shorter Yukon Quest 300, edging out Roland Waldipuel, in the last few kilometres beforereaching the finish line in Pelly Crossing on Tuesday.

Tetz was running the team of dogsfor Quest competitor Hans Gatt, who is planning to take them on to Alaska'sIditarod race in March.

The Yukon Quest 300, which runs almost 500 kilometres,began in Whitehorse on Saturday, a few hours after the longer race.