The Races - New England Sled Dog Club

The Races
Most sprint mushing events take place close to
the host town or city's central village, in order
to maximize the publicity and crowds that the
sport attracts. Towns like Laconia, NH, haul
snow in by dump truck to cover village streets
where the races start. Once out of town, the
teams usually access the wooded trails nearby.
Before each event can take place there is a
significant amount of work that must be
performed in order for that race to be a
success. One of the most important is trail
maintenance. In order for each team to have
a safe, clear run, the trail must be groomed to
a smooth hard packed surface, and all
adjoining trails fenced off or manned to
ensure that racers don't take a wrong turn. At
sprint speeds, a team can easily be 100 yards
down a wrong trail before the driver can stop
and get the team turned around.
Sprint sled dog racing features both limited
(4, 6, & 8 dog teams), and unlimited (any
number of dogs allowed on team)
classifications.
© 2007, New England Sled Dog Club – www.NESDC.org
There are also 1 and 3 dog Junior classes that
are always crowd favorites. The lowest
cumulative elapsed time over two days of
racing determines the winner in each class.
The teams each start at a specified time with
one or two minute intervals between teams.
Because of the interval or "staggered" start
format, the race is very spectator friendly with
teams starting and finishing continuously in
the same area.
Once a team is called to the starting line, the
driver takes one last look over his/her dogs
and although they are usually jumping up and
down with excitement to start, offers them a
few last more. Often it takes four or five
hearty volunteers to hold back the sled at the
starting line as these enthusiastic huskies
charge into their harnesses awaiting the run.
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The Drivers
Sled dog drivers or "mushers" are a unique
and varied bunch. The sport is rich in diverse
personalities. In addition to the time
consuming job of caring for and training their
dogs, mushers are also known to have careers
as doctors, artists, engineers, veterinarians,
teachers, farmers, attorneys, forest rangers,
dentists, professors along with a multitude of
other professions. Although they come from
very diverse backgrounds, and parts of the
world, they all share a love for dogs and a
passion for the sport of mushing.
Though there are some professional racers on
the circuit, most consider it a hobby. And as
hobbies go, it is one of the more addictive.
Once a person has felt the power and energy
of a well trained dog team, few other sports
can provide the same rush.
The amount of energy and time spent
preparing a sled dog team for competition is
enormous. Aside from being an expert dog
trainer, the musher must also be incredibly
well versed in canine nutritional needs,
physiology, psychology, genetics, and
veterinary medicine. The role of musher can
be compared to that of combined owner,
manager, coach, team doctor, equipment
person etc. of a professional sports team.
The International Federation of Sled Dog
Sports (IFSS) hosts the world championships
every two years, alternating between the
North American and the European continents.
Sprint mushing is truly a fast growing
international sport.
But in this sport when the competition starts,
the "coach" is out there playing with the
team! Although most spectators think of
mushing as an Alaskan sport, competitive
racing has been alive and well· in the "lower
48" since the 1940's. Races are held from the
West Coast to the East Coast and just about
anywhere there is snow across the U.S. In
Europe and Scandinavia the sport has grown
exponentially in the last few years. Routinely
well trained European teams travel to the U.S.
to compete at the highest levels.
© 2007, New England Sled Dog Club – www.NESDC.org
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The Dogs
Alaskan Huskies are a specially evolved breed
of racing dog that has been developed since
the early 1900's specifically for their speed,
power and endurance.
Most competitive sled dogs today are derived
from mixing northern type dogs such as
Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes with
hounds. The northern dogs are desired for
their temperament and innate desire to pull,
and the hounds for their ability to run really,
really fast These resultant crosses pull a sled
as naturally as a retriever chases a tennis ball.
indoors with their owners as pets. This close
contact increases the bond with the dogs and
ultimately can lead to a better trained and
more responsive team.
As with human athletes, nutrition is a key
concern. Most mushers feed a base of high
quality dry dog food supplemented with
animal meat or fat. Active dogs derive most of
their energy from the fat in their diet, unlike
their human counterparts. Each musher also
usually has a unique blend of vitamins and
minerals he or she adds to the dog's training
diet. Factors such as hydration, muscle
recovery and weight are very closely
monitored by the mushers. Ask any racer
what one of their dogs weighs and they will
be able to tell you, accurately, to the pound!
Recent advancements in animal nutrition
technology have led to several canine sports
drinks and high energy supplements that work
similarly to human products such as Gatorade,
and energy bars.
These and other dietary advancements have
allowed racers to maintain the health and
general well being of their dogs at the highest
levels, while reaching new athletic heights.
Generally speaking, competitive sled dogs are
the healthiest, fittest and most cared for
animals in the world.
Most mushers today keep a small kennel of 620 dogs, although some of the larger teams.
have more dogs. In some racer's homes,
some or all of their dogs are allowed to live
© 2007, New England Sled Dog Club – www.NESDC.org
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Sprint Sled Dog Racing
What is the first image that comes to mind
when you hear the word "mushing "? If
pictures of large furry dogs pulling a fully
loaded sled and human through the frozen
arctic tundra are what you think of, well,
you're half correct. Although this type of
mushing has been made immensely popular
by the world famous Iditarod sled dog race,
and other long distance competitions,
mushing also has another side to it. An
exciting, fast paced side which is accessible to
many enthusiasts who just don't happen to
live in Alaska. MODERN SPRINT SLED DOG
RACING is to long distance sled dog racing
what a 5K running race is to the Boston
Marathon.
Today's competitive sprint mushers use
lightweight sleds (14Ibs) made from both
traditional and high-tech materials, and a
highly specialized breed of dog called an
Alaskan Husky, which more closely resembles
a Greyhound than a traditional Husky, to
achieve speeds maxing out around 30 mph
and averaging 20mph.
Although the dogs are definitely the stars of
the team, the human athletes on the sled
must not be overlooked. The driver must run
up the steep hills, help the team out on the
flats, and have the physical strength to
control a hard charging dog team. The best
teams almost always have the combination of
physically fit drivers and excellently trained
and conditioned dogs.
Step on the runners of a lightweight sled
being pulled by eight streamlined sprint
racing huskies, and the sensation you get is
similar to downhill skiing. Gliding over the
snow on a scenic trail, carving the sled
around sharp corners, sending up rooster
tails of snow, makes this one of the most
exciting winter sports to participate in or
watch.
© 2007, New England Sled Dog Club – www.NESDC.org
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Once out of the chute, the sound of excited
barking dogs and cheering spectators is
contrasted sharply with the peace and
tranquility of dogs breathing and runners
swooshing along the trail. During the run, the
driver can help maintain the pace by'" using
a striding technique (similar to that of a cross
country skier) of standing on one runner of
the sled and pedaling with the other. These
races are often decided by hundredths of a
second and the competitive driver tries to
help the dogs out whenever possible. It is
not uncommon for the driver to be as out of
breath s dogs after run! At the finish Ii~e
the team and driver are directed back to their
truck where the driver can take the dogs out
of harness and reward them with water and
treats for a job well done.
our publicity director will call all media to
ensure coverage. In the past all events have
received local and regional newspaper
coverage before and after the race, and some
have enjoyed TV coverage also.
The NESDC fully organizes and runs the
race through our extensive volunteer
network. Help is sometimes enlisted from
the local snowmobile clubs and other
organizations.
Hosting a NESDC sled dog race creates a
unique opportunity to offer an exciting
spectator sport in your community. Many local
businesses such as restaurants, hotels, etc.
will benefit from this infusion of tourist money.
The participants including helpers and family
traveling to the event usually number around
300, without even counting the spectators!
In order to assure the public knows about the
race, NESDC will provide promotional
materials such as finalized press kits with
photos, posters and information packages to
the proper media in advance of the event. And
© 2007, New England Sled Dog Club – www.NESDC.org
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