Catching up with Erin Aili following Beargrease win

Erin Aili of Ray, MN won the 2025 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. This was Aili’s second Beargrease win. She first won in 2021. One week after the race, Aili spoke with WTIP about the race this year.

“Every time you go out with the dogs, it’s always a new adventure, a different challenge,” Aili said.

The past few winters have been challenging for mushers in the region, and Aili said that she has had to adapt some of her training strategies to prepare for the race. Her team this year included several yearling dogs, and some older dogs who were not able to race at all during the 2023-2024 season.

Aili won the marathon distance race, and was followed closely by Cook County musher Erin Altemus. Several of the major sled dog races in 2024 and 2025 were won by women or saw record numbers of women mushers in the top finishers.

“Sled dog racing is unlike any other sport, where, you know, men and women compete against each other,” Aili said, “It’s just exciting that anybody can do well and excel at it, as long as you’re putting the time and effort and energy into it, and, you know, wanting to try to improve your team and everything.”

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Erin Aili. Audio of that conversation is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski March 14, 2025