Husky News

Caccavo wins 100-mile sled race, 200-milers near final checkpoint

Seventeen hours and 33 minutes after leaving Lake Wallowa toward Ollokot Thursday morning, Whitworth University biology professor Frank Caccavo returned as the champion of the 8-dog portion of the Eagle Cap Sled Dog Race.

Racing for only three years, Caccavo had already claimed titles in four races in 2007.

Caccavo, who resides in Deer Park, Wash., learned to race with a team of rescued Siberian huskies. In 2006, a conversation with a friend caused him to miss his start at the Green River Ronby by six minutes. He came in second by two minutes.

Caccavo was followed 39 minutes later by Soda Springs, Idaho’s Jon Bunderson and his team of eight Alaskan huskies. Bunderson is a 27-year veteran police officer and took up mushing 11 years ago when he was looking for a winter hobby.

Bunderson hopes to compete in the Iditarod in 2010.

Boise software engineer Dee Ogden took third in 18 hours, 48 minutes. Ogden has been mushing 12 years and was consistently about 40 minutes behind Bunderson the entire race.

Butch Austin (19:11, Fruita, Colo.), Rick Katuki (20:15, Eagle, Idaho), Laura Crocker (20:33, Trail) and Tim Curly (22:37, Sandy) rounded out the field.

While the eight-dog teams were finishing up, the 12-dog teams were just hitting half-way point.

With two racers already out of the race due to sickness and inexperience among the ranks, and three running without members of their team, the three racers with full teams led coming out of the second stopping point.

Jerry Joinson left the halfway point at 9:48 a.m., followed closely by Rob Greger at 10:06. Greger had reached the checkpoint before Joinson but took a 21-minute longer break.

That may end up being a crucial decision in the race as Joinson came into the last checkpoint at 5:11 p.m. — 23 minutes ahead of Greger.

With the racers expected to stay at least five hours at the last stop in Ollokot – though they are not required to stop – the race is projected to finish at about 5 a.m. today.

Source:The East Oregonian