Anchorage Daily News

Six winter endurance racers have decided a 350-mile race to McGrath isn't quite enough -- and have pulled out of the checkpoint at the confluence of the Kuskokwim and Takotna rivers, bound for Nome.

Five racers in the Iditarod Trail Invitational left Friday morning, with a sixth departing 23 hours later.

The pack of five that all left at 10 a.m. Friday included Wyoming cyclist Jay Petervary, who won the race to McGrath in 3 days, 14 hours and 20 minutes.

With him were Rocky Reifenstuhl of Fairbanks, Peter Basinger of Anchorage, Carl Hutchings and Philip Hofstetter.

Dario Valsesia left Saturday morning.

Iditarod Trail Invitational

Times to McGrath

1) Jay Petervary, bike, 3 days, 14 hours, 20 minutes; 2) Dave Hart, bike, 3d, 20h, 50m; 3) Jacques Boutet, bike, 3d, 20h, 50m; 4) Carl Hutchings, bike, 3d, 22h, 6m; 5) Rocky Reifenstuhl, bike, 3d, 23h, 15m; 6) Jeff Oatley, bike, 3d, 23h, 30m; 7) Tim Stern, bike, 3d, 23h, 30m; 8) James Leavesley, bike, 3d, 23h, 54m; 9) Peter Basinger, bike, 3d, 23h, 54m; 10) Brij Potnis, bike, 4d, 2 h, 27m; 11) Dario Valsesia, bike, 4d, 2h, 54m; 12) Philip Hofstetter, 4d, 5h, 12m; 13) Rok Kovac, bike, 5d, 9h, 0m; 14) Bill Merchant, bike, 5d, 9h, 30m; 15) Kathi Hirzinger-Merchant, bike, 5d, 9h, 30m; 16) Antonio Frezza, bike, 5d, 13h, 0m; 17) Jill Homer, bike, 6d, 2h, 20m.

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