VETERAN MUSHER COMES IN FIRST
Wins Second Heat of Alaskan Derby Despite Loss of One Dog.
FAIRBANKS. Alaska, March 13. (/P)—Hastily removing an injured dog from the hrrness and giving him a free ride in the sled, a veteran Alaskan musher, Bergman Kokrines, drove a team of nine Malemutes over the 16-mile ice carnival race course here today to win the second of three heats in the far north's famed dog derby.
Kokrines' time was 1:12.21, compared with Bob Buzby's winning time yesterday of 1:12.45. The course record, set in 1931, is 1:11.
Record-Breaker Second.
Johnny Allen's team of 10 crossbred Malemute-Irish setter wolves, which set a world record last year for the 90-mile Chena river course,
placed second in 1:12.18. Ed Mayo's eight dogs raced the course in 1:17.22 for third. Buzby's team of 10 Siberian huskies placed fourth
in 1:18.19.
Standings of the leaders, with combined totals for the two heats: Kokrines, 32 miles in 2:25.38; Allen, 32 miles in 2:27.4; Buzby, 32 miles in 2:31.4; Mayo, 32 miles in 2:32.35.
Women Far Behind.
The feminine touch in the dog derby turned out to be just a "touch," sourdoughs said, when two women mushers placed eighth and
Glaring sunlight and a temperature of 10 degrees above zero hampered the racing. Two teams dropped out of the race because of
ragged ice. Sourdoughs pointed jout that Malemutes could race better over a ragged course than huskies.
The musher with the best time for the three heats wins a $1000 prize. The last heat will be run tomorrow, shortly after daybreak because of better snow conditions.