With a snowstorm hampering mushers and officials alike, the sled-dog race came to a compelling, confusing end, with the victory going to Berkowitz and the explanation for the outcome taking a number of twists and turns before officials said Berkowitz won for the purest of reasons -- he had the fastest run time.
About an hour or so after Mackey and Berkowitz dueled to the finish, race officials said no winner had been declared.
Then when Berkowitz was proclaimed the winner, the initial explanation for his victory -- a three-minute penalty issued to Mackey for not checking out of the Skwentna checkpoint -- proved incorrect.
More time passed before the correct explanation came -- Mackey had not been penalized; Berkowitz simply had the fastest time.
The race began Saturday with mushers leaving Knik Lake in two-minute increments, a typical format for sled-dog racing. The time differences are generally adjusted somewhere down the trail during a mandatory layover.
That didn't happen exactly as planned this time, though, and hence the confusion.
Race organizers first announced on Facebook that the outcome was being held up because of the adjusted started times:
"The official winner has not yet been declared. The issue is adjusted start times. The delay is being caused by the snow storm at Skwentna. Communication with that check point at this time is extremely difficult because of the storm. They are also working very hard to get the teams safely out of there that have been stuck due to the conditions. I've been told to expect an update on the official winner within half an hour."
A short time later, organizers said on Facebook that Berkowitz placed first, Mackey second and Ray Redington Jr. third.
Awhile after that came another Facebook posting:
"Though Lance crossed the line first, the Race Marshall penalized him 3 minutes for not signing out of the Skwentna checkpoint. Jake was about 20 yards behind Lance at the finish. Because it was such a close race, the time penalty is what made the difference."
And then after some more time, this:
"I've just received clarification on the determination of the winners. The first place winner was determined by time run, not by who crossed the finish line first. Jake was 6 minutes faster than Lance and that is why he was declared the winner. Lance did NOT receive a penalty. As mentioned earlier, communication with the Race Marshall in Skwenta has been complicated by the storm so we apologize for the confusion."
It wasn't an easy race for mushers or officials. Heavy snow slowed teams and took an even greater toll on some. Christine Roalofs took a wrong turn amid all the snow and was camped out somewhere off the trail hours after the Mackey-Berkowitz finish.
"Word is she's fine," organizers reported on Facebook.
Reach Beth Bragg at bbragg@adn.com or 257-4335.
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