Contact: Darla Worden 307-752-4026
Shirilla Wins Stage Three of International Pedigree® Stage Stop Sled Dog Race; Gatt Leads in Overall
Cora, Wyoming January 29, 2001 - Melanie Shirilla of Lincoln, Montana, posted the fastest time of 4:41:39 in stage three of the International Pedigree® Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR), a 58-mile-run from Dubois Snow Oval to Elk Ridge Lodge. Shirilla ran 11 dogs and averaged 12.3 miles per hour.
Hans Gatt, of Atlin, British Columbia, placed second with 4:45:00; Ken Anderson of Fairbanks, Alaska, came in third with 4:54:45.
In cumulative times, Gatt leads after day three with 8:24:30; Shirilla is second with 8:31:24; and Bruce Lee of Denali Park, Alaska, is third with 8:50:56.
Tonight at Elk Ridge Lodge, mushers experience their first of three campouts during the race. Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., teams will depart for Pinedale, a 33-mile stage of rolling hills and straightaways. Following the finish in Pinedale, a reception will be held from 5:00
- 7:00 p.m. at Pinedale Community Church. The 2001 race began in Jackson Hole on January 27 and travels through Moran, Dubois, Pinedale, Lander, Atlantic City, Mountain View, Lyman, Evanston, Kemmerer/Diamondville, Smoot/Afton and Alpine before returning to Jackson Hole on February 7.
During the 11-day race, Pedigree will host a daily web cast on www.mypetstop.com, that will feature video footage of the race. A donation will be made by Pedigree/Homeward Bound, a national pet adoption support program, for each visitor to the site during the race.
The International Pedigree® Stage Stop Sled Dog Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public. Race organizers are working to link the race to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games as an exhibition. For more information, visit the race website at
www.wyomingstagestop.org, contact the race via e-mail at dworden@fiberpipe.net or visit www.pedigree.com.
International Pedigree® Stage Stop Sled Dog Race
Dubois Snow Oval to Elk Ridge Lodge
1/29/01 Day 3 58 Miles
| Start Order | Finish Position | Bib # | Musher | Clock Start Time | Finished Time | Elapsed Time | Average MPH |
| 20 | 1 | 3 | Melanie Shirilla | 0:57:00 | 5:38:39 | 4:41:39 | 12.3 |
| 22 | 2 | 2 | Hans Gatt | 1:03:00 | 5:48:00 | 4:45:00 | 12.2 |
| 15 | 3 | 13 | Ken Anderson | 0:42:00 | 5:36:45 | 4:54:45 | 11.8 |
| 19 | 4 | 6 | Bruce Lee | 0:54:00 | 5:50:19 | 4:56:19 | 11.7 |
| 17 | 5 | 17 | Sam Perrino | 0:48:00 | 5:46:03 | 4:58:03 | 11.7 |
| 18 | 6 | 18 | June Davies | 0:51:00 | 5:58:16 | 5:07:16 | 11.3 |
| 14 | 7 | 11 | Michael Wolcott | 0:39:00 | 5:46:45 | 5:07:45 | 11.3 |
| 21 | 8 | 10 | Jacques Philip | 1:00:00 | 6:11:05 | 5:11:05 | 11.2 |
| 10 | 9 | 22 | Tim Robb | 0:27:00 | 5:41:12 | 5:14:12 | 10.2 |
| 16 | 10 | 12 | Grant Beck | 0:45:00 | 6:10:31 | 5:25:31 | 10.7 |
| 6 | 11 | 9 | Will Van Randen | 0:15:00 | 5:44:48 | 5:29:48 | 10.5 |
| 11 | 12 | 8 | Erick La Force | 0:30:00 | 6:01:36 | 5:31:36 | 10.5 |
| 7 | 13 | 14 | Debbie Moderow | 0:18:00 | 5:54:34 | 5:36:34 | 10.3 |
| 13 | 14 | 21 | Gwen Holdman | 0:36:00 | 6:13:14 | 5:37:14 | 10.3 |
| 9 | 15 | 16 | Braden Bennett | 0:24:00 | 6:08:30 | 5:44:30 | 10.1 |
| 12 | 16 | 15 | Susan Whiton | 0:33:00 | 6:21:28 | 5:48:28 | 9.9 |
| 4 | 17 | 1 | Leslie Martin | 0:09:00 | 6:13:01 | 6:04:01 | 9.5 |
| 3 | 18 | 20 | Amanda Yust | 0:06:00 | 6:11:25 | 6:05:25 | 9.5 |
| 2 | 19 | 7 | Karin Land | 0:03:00 | 6:16:09 | 6:13:09 | 9.3 |
| 5 | 20 | 5 | Rachael Scdoris | 0:12:00 | 6:30:24 | 6:18:24 | 9.2 |
| 8 | 21 | 4 | Martin Koenig | 0:21:00 | 7:04:55 | 6:43:55 | 8.6 |
| 1 | 22 | 19 | Barrie Raper | 0:00:00 | 7:04:54 | 7:04:54 | 8.2 |