Contact: Darla Worden 307-752-4026

NOTE: On Thursday, February 1, 2001 the teams will race from Blucher Creek to Bruce’s Landing in Sinks Canyon. (Sinks Canyon is reached by heading west on Main, south on 9th St, turning right at Fremont and continuing approximately 8 miles to Bruce’s Landing.

**The race and cumulative time charts are partial due to the distance and communication constraints of Blucher Creek. 

For Immediate Release

SHIRILLA WINS STAGE FIVE IN INTERNATIONAL PEDIGREE STAGE STOP SLED DOG RACE

Lander, Wyoming - January 31, 2001- Melanie Shirilla of Lincoln, Montana, finished the 30-mile stage from Irish Canyon to Blucher Creek with the fastest time of 1:58:39. Hans Gatt of Atlin, British Columbia, was second with 1:59:44 followed by Ken Anderson of Fairbanks, Alaska, with 2:01:16.

In cumulative times, Gatt maintains his lead with 12:48:01; Shirilla remains in second with 13:06:52; Anderson is third with 13:19:21.

Teams left Irish Canyon, 17 miles south of Pinedale, and traveled 30 miles to Blucher Creek where they will camp out tonight. The Rock Springs snowmobile club and Lander Sled Dog Committee prepared camp for the teams and provided a home-cooked dinner. 

Stage Six starts February 1 at 9:00 a.m. at Blucher Creek traveling to Sinks Canyon eight miles south of Lander. At 6:00 p.m., teams will be treated to the Lander Banquet and a performance by the Eagle Spirit Dancers at the Lander Community Center. 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 
Pinedale-Irish Canyon (17 miles south of Pinedale) to Blucher Creek,  
1/31/01 Day 5 30 Miles 

Accumulative Overall Time