The 2009 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race started off with Alaskan musher Jon Little leading the way into Pelly Crossing, where the first musher dropped out. This brought the number of mushers to 29 overall, as the race continued on to Scroggie Creek.

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, Little was still leading the pack, followed by Whitehorse's Sebastian Schnuelle and William Kleedehn of Carcross.

Kleedehn was the first musher to arrive in Dawson late Tuesday night. His arrival saw him win the traditional four-ounce gold nugget as the rest of the dog teams pulled in for the mandatory 36-hour layover. Little was still the leader of the race despite being beaten to Dawson by Kleedehn.

It was in Dawson that Whitehorse's Hans Gatt, three time Quest champion decided to scratch from the race, in an effort, he said to save his dogs for the up coming Iditarod. He became the third scratch of the race.

Crispin Struder became the winner of the 2009 Yukon Quest 300 in Dawson as well.

Twenty-five mushers remained in the race as they headed out of Dawson, where the race began to space out along the trail as it began to get closer to Alaska.

The scratches as of the Dawson check stop were David Dalton, Josh Cadzow, Jerry Joinson, Yukoners Gatt and Jean-Denise Britton.

Kleedehn led the group in the Fortymile River hospitality spot, and into Eagle, Alaska, but he would soon fall behind as Schnuelle and Neff started their push for the finish.

Eagle was well past the half-way point for the Quest, and the lead runners had spaced themselves out enough to make a win impossible for some of the further-back mushers.

It was also reported in the Star Feb. 23 that the McCabe Creek Farm had burnt down. The farm had been a dog drop for the Yukon Quest every year.

Coming into Central, Alaska, Hugh Neff was assessed a two hour penalty after he left the trail. the penalty would cost Neff the race, as at that point he was the leader followed by Little, Schnuelle and Kleedehn.

On Feb. 24 before noon, Schnuelle pulled into Fairbanks as the first musher to cross the finish line.

He was followed four minutes later by Neff, who due to his time penalty was out of contention for the win, despite technically winning the race. This fact was acknowledged by Schnuelle as he spoke to the media after the race.

Schnuelle set a new record for the Yukon Quest, finishing in nine days, 23 hours and 20 minutes, breaking famous Alaskan musher Lance Mackey's time of 10 days, two hours and 37 minutes set in 2007.

Mackey's record broke Frank Turner, of Whitehorse's record of 10 days 16 hours and two minutes set in 1995.

Schnuelle became the first Yukon resident to win the Yukon Quest since Turner set the record.

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Musher, total time, experience

1. Sebastian Schnuelle, 9d 23h 20m, veteran.

2. Hugh Neff, 9d 23h 24m, veteran.

3. Jon Little, 10d 0h 28m, veteran.

4. Martin Buser, 10d 9h 40m, rookie.

5. Michelle Phillips, 10d 9h 41m, veteran.

6. William Kleedehn, 10d 11h 16m, veteran.

7. Brent Sass, 10d 11h 54m, veteran.

8. Dan Kaduce, 10d 12h 14m, veteran.

9. Warren Palfrey, 10d 22h 26m, rookie.

10. Normand Casavant, 11d 15h 2m, rookie.

11. Mark Sleightholme, 11d 17h 34m, rookie.

12. Colleen Robertia, 11d 17h 47m, rookie.

13. Newton Marshall, 11d 19h 2m, rookie.

14. Luc Tweddell, 12d 4h 35m, rookie.

15. Wayne Hall, 12d 15h 9m, veteran.

16. William Pinkha, 12d 18h 16m, veteran.

17. Becca Moore, 13d 22h 49m, rookie.

18. Iris Wood Sutton, 13d 23h 17m, rookie.