EAGLE — Lance Mackey and Hugh Neff are a little poorer after Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race marshal Mike McCowan fined them $500 each for blocking the trail Tuesday from competitors William Kleedehn and Gerry Willomitzer.
The offenders obstructed the trail by camping on it at the Stewart River checkpoint, McCowan said.
Mackey offered his version of the story Friday in Eagle: Very early Tuesday morning, he accidentally missed the turn into the checkpoint’s parking area and parked directly on the trail because he believed he’d depart before anyone else wanted to go by. Neff followed a bit later and did the same.
“But just as I was pulling hook, basically, (Kleedehn and Willomitzer) came up. They couldn’t get by immediately,” Mackey said.
Mackey thought everything was OK until he learned Kleedehn filed a protest, resulting in McCowan’s fines.
“I stopped and apologized to them after it happened,” Mackey said. “It wasn’t a big deal then.”
Willomitzer thought the fine was appropriate.
“It’s a rule infraction. I thought it was inconsiderate,” said Willomitzer. “They did really get an advantage for their teams. I had a hard time to speed my team up (after that).”
Willomitzer then jokingly asked McCowan at the Eagle checkpoint about the disbursement of the fines.
“Who get’s the 500 bucks? William and I each 500,” Willomitzer said.
Mackey, who had departed Eagle hours before the conversation with Willomitzer, was hardly amused. And McCowan didn’t help matters by telling Mackey he had the option of a $500 fine or a four-hour penalty.
“I just wanted to see the look on his face,” McCowan said.
Mackey’s lead over Kleedehn at Dawson City was 4 hours and 3 minutes.
“It damn sure didn’t cost them no four hours, me sittin’ there. We pulled them right by,” said Mackey, apparently unaware that McCowan wasn’t serious about a potential time penalty. “I had to go with the fine. Now I’m a little bit pissed.”
The fines will be deducted from any winnings earned by Mackey and Neff, McCowan said.
“It wasn’t a serious, serious situation where people got tangled and dog fights and anything like that, but it was an obstruction and the moving driver did have a right to the trail,” McCowan said.
Mackey is in position to win his third straight Quest. Late Saturday night, Kleedehn, Willomitzer and Neff were running in third, fourth and sixth places, respectively.
Contact staff writer Matias Saari at msaari@newsminer.com.
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