Maquieira Wins Day Six of International  Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race; Continues Lead Overall

February 3, 2005— Hernan Maquieira Ostermundigen, Argentina, drove the fastest team in Day Six of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR), completing the 53-mile course in 3:56:58.  Maquiera averaged 13.4 miles per hour on the Lake Viva Naughton stage outside Kemmerer.

Melanie Shirilla from Lincoln, Montana was second in 4:02:19.  Jacques Philip from Nenana, Alaska, came in third with 4:10:36.

In overall times, Maquieira leads with 16:48:14.  Philip is second with 17:08:06.  Shirilla is third with 17:30:32.

Day Seven begins at 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 4, 30 miles south of Evanston on the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway and finishes at the Deadhorse Trailhead, 16 miles south of Mountain View on Highway 410.  At 4:00 p.m. Mountain View will host “Musher Mania” at the Mountain View Town Hall.

Eighteen teams are competing in the 2005 IPSSSDR—the largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states. With its unique “Stage Stop” racing format, the race stops in a different community each night from January 28 through February 5, 2005, beginning in Jackson, then on to Lander, Pinedale, Alpine, Kemmerer/Diamondville, Evanston, and Lyman/Mountain View before arriving in Park City, Utah for the final stage and award ceremony on Feb. 5^th.

Pedigree® Food for Dogs is the title sponsor of the IPSSSDR. The Pedigree® brand actively supports a wide range of programs that promote responsible pet ownership and highlight the contributions dogs make to society.