Ken Chezik of Fife Lake, Mich., blitzed the 16-mile course on the Beach Lake Trails in Chugiak on Saturday to take the first-day lead in the ExxonMobil sled-dog race.Willow’s Bill Kornmuller was second, 30 seconds behind Chezik, while Eddie Dayton of Salcha was 52 seconds back. Kornmuller was second last year in the Rondy race.Left in the wake of Chezik’s speedy 14 dogs was defending champion Arleigh Reynolds of Salcha, who finished seventh in 52:49, and four-time Fur Rendezvous world champion Egil Ellis of Willow, fourth in 51:18.The ExxonMobil is usually held at the Alaska Sled Dog Racing Association track in downtown Anchorage but was relocated this year to the Chugiak trails because of construction near the downtown area.Saturday’s ResultsOpen 16 miles — 1) Ken Chezik, 50:12; 2) Bill Kornmuller, 50:42; 3) Eddie Dayton, 51:04; 4) Egil Ellis, 51:18; 5) Curtis Erhart, 51:33; 6) Ed Wood, 52:08; 7) Arleigh Reynolds, 52:49; 8) Mike Cox, 52:51; 9) Israel Silas, 53:35; 10) Jason Dunlap, 53:51; 11) Courtney Moore, 53:51; 12) Heather Hardy, 54:04; 13) Marvin Kokrine, 55:29; 14) Gary Markley, 55:30; 15) John Wood, 55:39; 16) John Erhart, 56:35; 17) Gary Frank, 58:35; 18) Jo Wood, 62:53.4-dog 4 miles — 1) Jennifer Probert, 16:15; 2) Kim Wells, 16:53; 3) Kris Rasey, 17:11; 4) Jennifer Sterling, 18:33; 5) Susan Cantor, 18:45; 6) Deborah Baines, 21:09.6-dog 6 miles — 1) Beverly Stevens, 22:40; 2) Heather Hardy, 22:56; 3) Stacy Lanser, 23:34; 4) Jennifer Probert, 23:38; 5) Evelyn Beeter, 23:32; 6) Kathie Barnhart, 24:50; 7) Steve Cole, 25:02; 8) Dori Hollingsworth, 26:19; 9) Gail Hoekman, 26:55; 10) Fran Pekar, 30:09; Mike Cox, Scratch.8-dog 8 miles — 1) Stacy Lanser, 25:41; Nathan Sterling, 25:41; 3) Dori Hollingsworth, 26:10; 4) Ken Chezik, 27:20; 5) Wendy Callis, 27:29; 6) Jennifer Sterling, 27:41; 7) Evelyn Beeter, 27:42; 8) Gail Hoekman, 28:38; 9) Carey Erhart, 30:56; 10) Beth Callis, 30:59.John Gomes images from Saturday: http://johngomes.smugmug.com/gallery/4310694_m7BTM
