AR-News: "Dog on Iditarod musher's team dies" (No cause of death given!)

[Glickman37 at aol.com]

Dog on Iditarod musher's team dies 
Lance Mackey reports death on Farewell Burn

The Associated Press

March 10, 2004

Lance Mackey of Kasilof takes a load off in his sled as he makes his way to 
the Iditarod start line. Today Mackey's dog Wolf died on the trail. 

A 5-year-old dog in the team of Lance Mackey of Kasilof died Tuesday, the 
first animal to perish in this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race. 

Race marshal Mark Nordman said the dog, named Wolf, died about 20 miles into 
the 80-mile-long trip mushers make across the desolate Farewell Burn from a 
cabin in Rohn to the town of Nikolai. Mackey arrived in Nikolai at 10:03 p.m. 
Tuesday. "I have had an opportunity to discuss and evaluate the circumstances 
surrounding the death," Nordman said in a press release. "I have found no signs 
that should prohibit Lance from continuing." 

Mackey arrived in McGrath, the checkpoint that follows Nikolai on the trail, 
at 8:43 this morning in 44th place. Eleven dogs remained in his team. 

In two previous Iditarod starts, Mackey's best finish was 36th in 2001. The 
son of 1978 Iditarod champion Dick Mackey, Lance was diagnosed with cancer 
after the 2001 race. Surgery and radiation treatment followed and he is now 
considered cancer free. 

Last year, one dog died during the Iditarod. A 7-year-old male in the team of 
musher Jim Gallea died between White Mountain and Safety, the last checkpoint 
before Nome. 


http://www.adn.com/iditarod/news/story/4835185p-4773405c.html 




    
    
    

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