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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

Most mushers today keep a small kennel of 6-20 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

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

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

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.

© 2007, New England Sled Dog Club – www.NESDC.org 5