Defending champion Lance Mackey pulled out of Ruby this afternoon to begin his run down the ice-covered Yukon River in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, hoping to put some distance between him and Jeff King’s team of 16 energetic dogs.
Mackey pulled out at 3:32 p.m. after an eight-hour rest at Ruby.
Race rules stipulate that every musher must take one eight-hour race during their time on the Yukon River between Ruby and Kaltag.
King of Denali Park arrived in Ruby at 10:08 a.m. If he intends to take his eight-hour break in Ruby as well, he can hit the trail at 6:08 p.m.
At this point in the 1,100-mile race across Alaska, King may have the faster team. He made the run from Cripple to Ruby 45 minutes faster than Mackey.
By late this afternoon, five other mushers had arrived in Ruby:
– Kjetil Backen of Norway pulled in at 1:37 p.m.
– Mitch Seavey, the 2004 champion, arrived at 1:57 p.m., and his average speed from Cripple was even faster than King’s.
– Hans Gatt of Whitehorse, Yukon, arrived at 2:09 p.m.
– John Baker of Kotzebue made a run up to the leaders with a fast run from Cripple, arriving at 3:49 p.m.
– Five-time champion Rick Swenson of Two Rivers checked in at 3:57 p.m.
Source: Anchorage Daily News
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