Whitehorse Star, March, 1986

B.C.'S BRUCE JOHNSON WINS THE QUEST

Bruce Johnson of Atlin, B.C. became the first Canadian to win the Yukon Quest International Dog Sled Race, crossing the finish line at 9:17 p.m. Saturday. Fourteen days, nine hours and 17 minutes after leaving Fairbanks, Alaska on Feb. 22.

Reports from checkpoints along the Yukon River between Lake Laberge and Whitehorse indicating Johnson was leading were frequently passed by loudspeaker to the thousand spectators gathered to watch the finish. His wife Jeaneil Johnson, however, refused to get excited.

Jeff King of Denali Park, Alaska was at the same time reported to be closing on Johnson, so there was no sense in raising what could be shattered hopes, she said.

But shortly after Johnson and his 10 remaining dogs crossed under the large bright yellow banner marking the finish line, tears were in Jeaneil's eyes as she stood patiently back from Bruce, who was engulfed by officials checking his equipment and media straining for the winning comment.

'My dogs were ready to go. They still had it in them to come to town,' said Johnson, a half hour after victory of the final eight-hour push from the far end of Lake Laberge to the finish and the $15,000 U.S first-place purse.

'I really don't know why it worked out that way ... teams are up and down.

Johnson said a snowstorm on Lake Laberge turned out to be a break for him. He had been travelling with five other mushers before he turned his sled onto the frozen lake, 80 kilometres from the finish line.

The mushers had been taking turns breaking trail through a foot of snow. When they reached the lake, it was Johnson's turn, he said.

'I started out in a total whiteout,' Johnson said. 'I couldn't see but I knew my dogs could take it.' Johnson's dogs train on Atlin Lake in B.C.

'We took the lead and held it,' Johnson said. 'I called it the Lake Laberge charge.'

'This has been my toughest and ugliest race.

'We were just freezing the whole time. It was 30 or 40 below. My nose is peeling and my lips feel like they just got hit by a hot iron. Every time I tried to sleep, the first thing that froze up was my beard.'

He said mushers averaged about one hour of sleep per day after leaving Dawson City last Monday afternoon.

'I didn't have any plan, I just knew I was going to win,' said the 39-year-old three-time Quest veteran who finished sixth in 1984 and eighth in 1985.

When did you know you were going to win?

'Three years ago,' fired back Johnson, adding he knew then he was going to win but he didn't know when.

'God told me I was going to win.'