Skrevet av: Ingrid Pedersen/Anne-Mette Bjøru
Dato: 10.03.2005 22:06
Robert Sørlie was the first musher to arrive at the old mining town Iditarod, at 11:41 Norwegian time. Sørlie has raced 900 km and arrived with his whole team. Arriving first he won gold worth NOK 25 000. This half-way result is a good foundation for the musher from Hurdal to celebrate a new Iditarod-triumph.
Robert Sørlie has not yet left the checkpoint in Iditarod. He arrived Iditarod 1 hour and 10 minutes ahead of Ramy Brooks. Four-time winner Martin Buser arrived third, 1 hour and 25 minutes behind Sørlie with 14 dogs in his team. It seems as if Robert is going to have his 24-hour rest here. Nine other mushers are now at the checkpoint in Iditarod. It is 100 km to the next checkpoint Shageluk.
- Sørlie is racing as he planned, says head of information Nina Skramstad to Dagbladet.
Robert Sørlie has raced almost 900 m and has rested almost 30 hours, while his closest competitors, Brooks and Buser, have rested only app 15 hours. This means that Robert keeps the highest speed and rests the most.
The other musher in Team Norway, his nephew Bjørnar Andersen, is now doing his 24-hour rest in Takotna. He is in 18th position.
79 competitors started this years' Iditarod. Half-way to Nome there is no doubt that Robert Sørlie has made a good foundation to bring the main trophy home to Norway - a car and half a million kroner.