Hello Pedigree Stage Stop Race Fans,
here a video recap, of today’s first Stage in Pinedale:
and below, what Jake Robinson is analyzing from afar:
A Shot Across The Bow-
It is no surprise that Anny Malo won today’s stage, especially as tougher conditions have seemed to favor this hard charging, steady running dog team over the years. What is a surprise is that despite the cold wind and fresh snow, Malo ran a time that is not terribly far off of a ‘typical’ (if there is such a thing in Wyoming) Pinedale stage.
Speaking of surprises, rookie musher Stephane Roy finished second for the day and announced himself as a contender for the podium in this dog race, a bit over 6 minutes off of the winning pace. Behind him is where things really start getting crowded and interesting, with 3rd-5th falling within close to 2 minutes of each other! Fan favorite, Alix Crittenden, leads this pack of veterans, leading Cathy Rivest by a little over a minute. Hot in the hunt for a spot on the podium is Bruce Magnusson, whose experience proved valuable in today’s tough weather. When things get tough, the tough keep their heads on straight, and that is exactly what this group did today. There is not an inch to be given in this tight pack, and any mistakes will be immediately capitalized on. Another noteworthy performance was Liam Connor! This young, indigenous dog musher from Saskatchewan impressed mushers, race officials and fans alike by pedaling hard, abs helping his team and was rewarded with an impressive top 6 performance! At only 15 years old, Liam is running with (and beating!) some of the top mushers in the sport! He also ran a team of just 9 dogs, meaning that he has up to 7 fresh dogs in his pool to use for tomorrow, a bold strategy reminiscent of last year’s dominant performance by Remy Coste.
Trail reports indicated tough conditions and high winds in spots, with more than a few competitors finding themselves off trail and in deep snow along the way. With more snow expected overnight, it will be interesting to see how mushers adapt their strategies for tomorrow’s race. As is typical in any other year in recent history other than 2024, Malo is squarely in the drivers seat with a talented group of dog teams doing whatever they can to prove that they have what it takes to unseat the 5 time champion.
Teams will allegedly race the same trail tomorrow is presumably similar conditions. Who’s still got gas in the tank or an ace up their sleeve? Tune in to Pedigree Stage Stop Race to find out!
