Rita Wehseler wins 2026 Gunflint Mail Run

Kalli Hawkins | February 7, 2026

Rita Wehseler has been named the winner of the 2026 Gunflint Mail Run after a thrilling finish at Trail Center.

Spectators and race officials watched a tight race as Wehseler and Sean de Wolski completed the final leg of the 65-mile sled dog race.

Wehseler crossed the finish line first with a time of 4 hours, 48 minutes, and 54 seconds. De Wolski followed less than a minute later, finishing in 4 hours, 49 minutes, and 27 seconds.

The victory marks Wehseler’s second consecutive win, as she also claimed first place in the 2025 Gunflint Mail Run. Wehseler owns Stoney Creek Kennels in Tofte and has been mushing for nearly 30 years.

Rita Wehseler at 2026 Gunflint Mail Run | Photo by Kalli Hawkins

Wehseler and De Wolski faced off in the John Beargrease 120 race in late January. De Wolski, who is from Alaska, won the Beargrease 120, while Wehseler finished third. Wehseler also entered a second team in the race, driven by musher Joanna Oberg, who placed second.