Winter 1999-2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Darla Worden, Media Relations (307)
672-3818, (307)730-2029
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
World –Class Teams Vie for 2000 International Rocky
Mountain Stage Stop Sled Dog Race Title
Jackson Hole, Wyoming January 29, 2000 Despite the 3
temperature, a bundled-up crowd lined the streets of Jackson Hole to watch
23 world-class sled dog teams at the start of the fifth International Rocky
Mountain Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) presented by Pedigree ®. The
IPSSSDR, with its $120,000 purse, is the largest sled dog race in the lower
48 states, and a qualifying event for the Iditarod.
Wyoming State Representative Clarene Law drove the
first team out of town along a 3-mile course from Jackson’s Town Square to
Cache Creek parking lot, followed by Steve McCauley, of Pedigree.
Dog sledding champions from Austria, France, Czech
Republic, Japan, Alaska, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Hampshire left
the starting line in three-minute intervals with starting positions
determined by a drawing held the previous evening. Bib #10 Melanie Shirilla
from Lincoln, Montana, drew lucky number one to drive the first IPSSSDR team
out of town. Shirilla’s handler Doug Swingley won the 1999 Iditarod, and
Shirilla is running Swingley’s dogs in the race.
Keizo Funatsu, Two Rivers, Alaska came in first with a
time of 8 minutes, 16 seconds. I didn’t go real fast, says Funatsu. I just
made the dogs take it easy.
Clint Hallam, Lyman, Wyoming came in second with a time
of 8:18 and two-time IPSSSDR champion Hans Gatt was third with 8:22.
The race, with its unique stage stop racing format
traverses through 14 Wyoming communities from January 29-February 9,
stopping in a different town each night. Stage two begins Sunday, January
30 in Grand Teton National Park traveling 40 miles to Dubois. During the
next 11 days, teams will continue on to Pinedale, Lander, Atlantic City,
Evanston, Mountain View/Lyman, Kemmerer/Diamondville, Smoot/Afton, and
Alpine 425 miles before returning to Teton Village in Jackson Hole.
The 2000 race is sponsored by Pedigree ® food for
dogs. The Pedigree brand actively supports a wide range of programs
including animal shelters' efforts to promote responsible pet ownership, the
National Association for Search and Rescue, police canine units, and
non-profit organizations that train and place service dogs for people with
disabilities. Pedigree Food for Dogs is 100% complete and balanced for the
intended lifestage and also highly palatable. Developed with veterinarians
and recommended by breeders of champion dogs, Pedigree products contain the
Champion Skin & Coat System that provides all the nutrition required to give
dogs the healthiest skin and shiniest coat.
The International Rocky Mountain Stage Stop Sled Dog
Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley with the assistance of co-founder
Jayne Ottman, RN MS, to promote childhood immunizations, and to make sled
dog racing more accessible to the public. Also known as Wyoming Pulling
Together, The Race to Immunize, the event promotes awareness of the need for
children, especially those under age two, to be vaccinated against
preventable diseases. Race organizers are working to link the race to the
2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games as an exhibition or event. For more
information on the race, visit the race Website at www.wyomingstagestop.org
or call (307) 734-1163.
For individual times, refer to elapsed time below.
Racers are listed in order of finish position.
