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'A record breaking run earns Mackey third Quest' Genesee Keevil, Yukon News - February 21, 2007 [Story excerpt - Second-place finisher Hans Gatt runs dogs who have been nursing injuries from race start] Gatt arrived in Fairbanks 6.5 hours after Mackey with eight dogs and was surprised to learn he'd also beaten Turner's previous record. His second-place finish pays US$30,000. "My dog team was falling apart right from the start," he said, mentioning the hard, fast trail. Gatt's dogs were used to training on soft snow, and some injuries started to show up as early as Braeburn. By the time he'd reached Pelly, Gatt was considering scratching in Dawson. "But we talked it over and I decided to finish what I started," he said. Gatt agreed with Mackey that the race starts in Whitehorse, he just didn't have the dog team this year, he said. And there might not be a next year. Gatt is running the Iditarod in nine days, and it could be his last race. "I am thinking of retiring," he said. "There are lots of other things to do in the world. But I love the dogs." Willomitzer arrived in Fairbanks at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, in third place. He was only three minutes ahead of Kleedehn. It was minus 38 degrees Celsius, and both mushers were cold and frosty when they pulled in. "Where's the trail to Nome?," said Willomitzer, joking about the upcoming Iditarod. Kleedehn arrived with his veteran dogs in the back of the team and his young rookies up front. "They didn't know this is the finish," he said. "For them the trail goes on forever." Michelle Phillips and Iditarod musher Aaron Burmeister are racing to the finish after leaving Chena Hot Springs only 10 minutes apart. Burmeister headed out first. The pair was expected by lunchtime Wednesday. |