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Yukon Quest: Mackey first into Dawson

February 14, 2007
Editor and/or Contributors

DAWSON CITY, YUKON (11:45 p.m.) – Reigning Yukon Quest Champion Lance Mackey was the first musher to reach Dawson City, Yukon – the midway point in the race – a mere 14 hours and twenty minutes and an arduous 100 miles (159 kilometres) after leaving Scroggie Creek Dog Drop this morning at 9:15 a.m.Upon arriving at the checkpoint, the Fairbanks, Alaska musher was all smiles as he spent a moment with each of his dogs after their impressive, and as some speculate, record run.Asked if he’d seen anyone else on the trail, Mackey reported that while musher Hugh Neff left just behind him he had not seen his team during the run. Mackey also added that he followed fellow front-runner William Kleedehn out of Scroggie for about five hours of his journey, but he passed him when William stopped to camp.As the first musher to Dawson City, Mackey becomes the winner of the Dawson City Award. If he continues on to finish the 1,000-mile race, he will be awarded with four-ounces of placer gold valued at well over two thousand dollars (CDN).”The dogs were having a good time,” said Mackey of his energetic team. Addressing what he will do during the mandatory 36-hour-layover all teams serve in Dawson City to rest their dogs, Mackey added, “I’m going to sleep and eat as much as I possibly can.”Mackey’s official time to Dawson City was 11:35 p.m. He is eligible to depart the checkpoint on Thursday, February 15 at 12:23 p.m. on the trail toward 40 Mile River, Eagle, Alaska and the infamous Eagle Summit.Mackey is vying for his third consecutive Yukon Quest win. The only other musher to win three straight Yukon Quest races is musher, and 2007 Yukon Quest contender, Hans Gatt of Atlin, B.C.