DeeDee Jonrowe collects $3000 prize at Iditarod halfway point

DeeDee Jonrowe collected $3000 this afternoon by being the first musher to Cripple, the official halfway point of the Iditarod sled dog race.

On her way towards Cripple, Jonrowe apparently passed race leader Paul Gebhardt – going the other direction:

Somehow he got turned around, thinking he had passed Cripple. So he turned around and DeeDee held on. DeeDee had no idea she was the first to Cripple.

Apparently Gebhardt’s mistake was an easy one to make, as many of the checkpoints are placed where it is most convenient for the trail breakers, so there is no knowing exactly where a checkpoint is going to be located from year to year.