Running on snow made soft by 35-degree temperatures, Michael Tetzner mushed to victory in two races Sunday in the Norma Rasmussen Memorial Challenge, the season's first sprint race at Tozier Track.
Tetzner and his team of 10 sled dogs forged a three-minute victory in the 12-mile race, and his team of eight dogs took a 47-second win in the eight-mile race.
In the 12-miler, for teams of 12 or fewer dogs, Tetzner finished in 35 minutes, 4 seconds to beat James Wheeler's 12-dog team, which placed second in 38:12.
In the eight-miler, for eight or fewer dogs, Tetzner's time of 25:03 beat Karough Partow's second-place effort of 25:50.
In the six-dog, six-mile race, Doreen Hadeler triumphed in 18:28, with Partow second in 18:44. In the 2.3-mile race for four dogs, Pam Schamber prevailed in 7:35, six seconds ahead of Hadeler.
Scant snow forced the cancellation of every race on the Alaskan Sled Dog & Racing Association schedule until Saturday's junior races and Sunday's limited-class races.
Norma Rasmussen Memorial Challenge
Tozier Track
4 dogs, 2.3 miles -- 1) Pam Schamber 7:35, 2) Doreen Hadeler 7:41, 3) Kathy Faryniarz 7:52, 4) Scott Maruskie 8:04, 5) Susan Cantor 8:12, 6) Lois Rockcastle 9:15, 7) Heather Forbs 9:29, 8) Jane Heisel 11:47, 9) Helena Wisniewski 13:30.
6 dogs, 6 miles -- 1) Doreen Hadeler 18:28, 2) Karoush Partow 18:44, 3) Norm Hayashi 19:02, 4) Kim Wells 19:10, 5) Eddie Duque 19:39. 6) Steve Cole 19:43, 7) tie, Amy Engeberg and Amy Maclean 20:25; 9) Clifford Sampson 24:13.
8 dogs, 8 miles -- 1) Michael Tetzner 25:03, 2) Karoush Partow 25:50, 3) Dalton Baines 27:29, 4) Bev Stevens 27:31, 5) Mike Gavillot 30:40, 6) Scott Maruskie 32:19, 7) Josh Schlosser 32:35.
12 dogs, 12 miles -- 1) Michael Tetzner 35:04, 2) James Wheeler 38:12, 3) Jack Berry 38:47, 4) Tory Rockefeller 40:47, 5) Eddie Dayton 41:47, 6) Luke Sampson 42:50, 7) JP Norris 43:19, 8) Bob Chlupach 44:43, 9) Kari Skogen 46:08.