JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Pedigree Stage Stop Race enters day 3 in Pinedale where the weather warmed up some but wind became a factor.
The leader board changed little with the exception of Erick Laforce’s withdrawal from the event. Laforce was running 4th overall after the first two legs before he pulled out this morning without offering further details.
Defending champion Anny Malo just keeps keeping on but two-time champ Lina Streeper is right with her just waiting for any kind of a slip up. The two mushers turned in nearly identical runs in Pinedale today.
Cathy Rivest, Dave Torgerson, and JR Anderson round out the top 5. Local fan favorite Alix Crittenden is within striking distance in 7th overall just a half-hour behind the leaders.
For the second straight day teams took off from the Upper Green Valley Parking. Yesterday’s stage was run in the same place due to poor snow conditions in Lander. The first part of the trail in the flats was identical to Sunday’s, but from there mushers climbed their teams above 9,000 feet.
Mushers stories varied from being clear blown off the trail, to missing the odd turn, to only being able to see their last two pairs of dogs.
The biggest question remains: is Streeper saving her dogs? She is running right on the heels of Malo with faster second half split times. That would indicate she is holding back to start and letting the dogs run a bit in the second half of each leg. Or, is Malo reining in her dogs on the homestretch?
Cathy Rivest ran just 2:22 slower than Lina, with Hans Gatt just 30 seconds behind her. Austin Forney rounded out the Top 5 finishers today. Mushers have been busy, most electing to run without booties and foot care is paramount at these high travel speeds.
