La Grande Odyssée
Encyclopedia
La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is, since its first edition in January 2005, the toughest international sled dog race in the world because of the topography of the mountain it covers.
The race brings together each year 20 of the best mushers in the world. Together with their Alaskan Huskies and Siberian Huskies, they stride 900 km (about 560 miles) in Savoie and Haute Savoie and mount over 25 000 m.
Through Savoie and Haute Savoie, France and Switzerland, 25 mushers from around the world from a dozen different countries, pit themselves against each other for two weeks of racing over more than 900 km and more than 25,000m of height difference in total.
Day and night, the course takes the teams to 24 ski resorts (20 French and four Swiss), where numerous events happen. For each of the 10 stages, time-trialed (every two minutes) or mass (in parallel) starts bring thousands of people out into the snowy town center streets or the most beautiful natural sites of the Savoie-Mont-Blanc region.
The race includes three completely independent encampments (one in the first week and two in the second week).
The Haute-Maurienne-Vanoise Trophy also includes a compulsory encampment on open mountain.
2002 : Henry has sold his company two years before. Nicolas is preparing for the Yukon Quest, the legendary 1000-mile race linking the Yukon Territory to Alaska.
“These races are extraordinary,” says Nicolas.
“Why don’t they have this in Europe?” asks Henry.
“Because no one organizes it.”
“This is exactly the kind of thing I want to do,” says Henry.
Together they leave for the Yukon Quest, Henry as a voluntary worker for the organization. This is a “learning” experience. These races are extraordinary sporting events in which man and animal develop in perfect harmony in an authentic environment. The decision is made: La Grande Odyssée will be the greatest race Europe will ever have known.
Nicolas and Henry set to work. Dominique Grandjean, a well-known veterinary surgeon and a specialist in huskies who has experience in organizing races, joins the founder team. Three complementary expertises therefore come together: - the champion’s expertise - expertise of running races and knowledge of animals - marketing and organizational expertise
Partnerships are signed for the organization of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 editions.
This first event is a great sporting, media and popular success, despite the numerous problems with organizing any first event. It is confirmed: La Grande Odyssée, this great sporting event, matches the objectives of the Portes du Soleil and the Haute Maurienne Vanoise in terms of image, notoriety, values.
This technology is a valuable tool for the organization in terms of security for the competitors but it also allows our passionate public to follow the race live from La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc’s website.
Each sled is equipped with a box including a GPS tracking system, a calculator and a phone GPRS.
This virtual walk around is an animated movie realized with the help of a camera positioned to follow a precise path along a track or sled trail.
To enter the Iditarod, a musher has to finish 500 miles in qualifying races: one of 200 miles and one of 300 miles. La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc now gives 200 of qualifying miles to the mushers getting the finisher status.
By giving this qualifying race status to La grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc, the Iditarod recognizes the professionalism of the organisation and the toughness of the race. This is one more element that shows how well LGO isrespected in the mushing world.
La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc stands now as one the four greatest races in the world.
in Norway and La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc in France have together decided to create a new championship in this growing sport: the Arctic Alps Cup.
The race brings together each year 20 of the best mushers in the world. Together with their Alaskan Huskies and Siberian Huskies, they stride 900 km (about 560 miles) in Savoie and Haute Savoie and mount over 25 000 m.
The Race
La Grande Odyssée Savoie-Mont-Blanc is the most important stage race in the world and is intended for mushers experienced in long- and middle-distance, who can line up 14 dogs at the start of the race.Through Savoie and Haute Savoie, France and Switzerland, 25 mushers from around the world from a dozen different countries, pit themselves against each other for two weeks of racing over more than 900 km and more than 25,000m of height difference in total.
Day and night, the course takes the teams to 24 ski resorts (20 French and four Swiss), where numerous events happen. For each of the 10 stages, time-trialed (every two minutes) or mass (in parallel) starts bring thousands of people out into the snowy town center streets or the most beautiful natural sites of the Savoie-Mont-Blanc region.
The race includes three completely independent encampments (one in the first week and two in the second week).
The Haute-Maurienne-Vanoise Trophy
This year the Haute-Maurienne-Vanoise Trophy will take place during stages 7 (shortened), 8 and 9 of La Grande Odyssée Savoie-Mont-Blanc in Haute-Maurienne-Vanoise. It is open to a maximum of 10 middle-distance mushers, who must cover nearly 200 km/effort and climb up 5000m of height difference in total.The Haute-Maurienne-Vanoise Trophy also includes a compulsory encampment on open mountain.
First they were two…
1998 : Henry Kam runs KTT, a hi-tech company. For many years he has been supporting nature-adventure sporting events. Nicolas Vanier is preparing to cross Canada with his dogs. KTT is one of his partners. They become friends.2002 : Henry has sold his company two years before. Nicolas is preparing for the Yukon Quest, the legendary 1000-mile race linking the Yukon Territory to Alaska.
“These races are extraordinary,” says Nicolas.
“Why don’t they have this in Europe?” asks Henry.
“Because no one organizes it.”
“This is exactly the kind of thing I want to do,” says Henry.
Together they leave for the Yukon Quest, Henry as a voluntary worker for the organization. This is a “learning” experience. These races are extraordinary sporting events in which man and animal develop in perfect harmony in an authentic environment. The decision is made: La Grande Odyssée will be the greatest race Europe will ever have known.
Nicolas and Henry set to work. Dominique Grandjean, a well-known veterinary surgeon and a specialist in huskies who has experience in organizing races, joins the founder team. Three complementary expertises therefore come together: - the champion’s expertise - expertise of running races and knowledge of animals - marketing and organizational expertise
Then they were three…
2003 : La Grande Odyssée is to take place in the Portes du Soleil region (Haute Savoie, France, and Switzerland) and Haute Maurienne Vanoise (Savoie).Partnerships are signed for the organization of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 editions.
Then they were 20…
2004 : There are 16 French ski resorts and four Swiss ski resorts involved in creating 1000 km of routes, 90% located outside the skiable areas. Iver a 110 meetings are required to set up this first event.Then they were 500…
January 7, 2005: 4 pm, the 18 best mushers in the world, representing 10 nations and accompanied by their 300 dogs, exceptional sports dogs and men, are in Avoriaz for the start of the first event. For organizational purposes, a team of 50 people has been created – more than 200 professionals and 250 Alpine huntsmen are involved. Some 20 partners have offered their support, including Pierre & Vacances, the Ademe (French agency for the environment and energy management) and Eco-emballages. All consider that the values communicated by La Grande Odyssée match their own.This first event is a great sporting, media and popular success, despite the numerous problems with organizing any first event. It is confirmed: La Grande Odyssée, this great sporting event, matches the objectives of the Portes du Soleil and the Haute Maurienne Vanoise in terms of image, notoriety, values.
Then they were 1000…
January 8, 2006: This second event has become the main theme for the winter communications strategy of an entire region. It enables people to discover that the mountain is beautiful, that it can be used in a gentle and non-aggressive way, and that the values of authenticity, courage, and respect for the environment have a high educational value. La Grande Odyssée attracts more than 70,000 spectators, news on the major TV channels devote 29 minutes to it, the local daily press more than 600 articles, and the radio 16 hours. 1000 people are involved in this second edition. The Pays de Savoie assembly (regional councils of Savoie and Haute Savoie), the Rhone-Alpes region and the Véolia Environment group join the partners’ club. La Grande Odyssée is the medium for many “edu-tainment” campaigns: 1000 primary school children from Savoie are invited to take part in an educational project, conferences are organized to promote eco-citizen initiatives, a partnership is signed with the Nicolas Hulot foundation’s “Défi pour la Terre” project.Then they were 1000 and 1!
October 2006: The Savoie Mont Blanc brand name is revealed. The same day La Grande Odyssée partnership is announced. This brand name is chosen for the national and international promotion of all the tourist destinations of Savoie and Haute Savoie in summer as well as winter: 110 ski resorts, as well as the lakes, open spaces and national parks.GPS tracking system
Thanks to the GPS system, we are able to follow in real time the mushers’ progress on their itinerary from LGO headquarters on a high definition map visual.This technology is a valuable tool for the organization in terms of security for the competitors but it also allows our passionate public to follow the race live from La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc’s website.
Each sled is equipped with a box including a GPS tracking system, a calculator and a phone GPRS.
Stages 3D simulation
Each itinerary is simulated in 3D as a “virtual walk around”.This virtual walk around is an animated movie realized with the help of a camera positioned to follow a precise path along a track or sled trail.
List of winners
| Year | 1st Musher | Time (h Hour The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds... :min Minute A minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units... :s Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
2nd Musher | 3ds Mucher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 |  Jessie Royer |
35:59:14 |  Jacques Philip |
 Grant Beck |
| 2006 | Jacques Philip |
40:55:59 | Ken Anderson |
 Timothy Hunt |
| 2007 | Race shortened | due to snow conditions | ||
| 2008 |  Petter KarlssonPetter Karlsson Petter Karlsson is a multi instrumentalist and singer of Holocoaster and was a member of Swedish symphonic metal band Therion , lead vocalist and guitarist of Argento, member of other several bands: Master Massive, Kajarr, Conspiracy.He had a big impact on Therion's 13:th album Gothic Kabbalah,... |
36:03:51 |  Emil Inauen |
 Ketil Reitan |
| 2009 |  Radek Havrda |
40:12:17 | Robert Sorlie |
Sigrid Ekran |
| 2010 | Emil Inauen |
40:17:48 | Radek Havrda |
Jiri Vondrak |
"2011 Edition"
For the 1st time in 2011, the teams will discover the trails of the Espace Diamant that joins as territory partner the Frenco-Swiss massifs called Portes du Soleil, the Haute Maurienne Vanoise and Megève.To enter the Iditarod, a musher has to finish 500 miles in qualifying races: one of 200 miles and one of 300 miles. La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc now gives 200 of qualifying miles to the mushers getting the finisher status.
By giving this qualifying race status to La grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc, the Iditarod recognizes the professionalism of the organisation and the toughness of the race. This is one more element that shows how well LGO isrespected in the mushing world.
La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc stands now as one the four greatest races in the world.
Artic Alps Cup
The two greatest European sleddogs races, FinnmarksløpetFinnmarksløpet
Finnmarksløpet is the worlds northernmost sled dog race. The race starts on saturday of week 10 every year and goes across Finnmark in Norway. The race was first time run in 1981.- See also :* Iditarod* La Grande Odyssée...
in Norway and La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc in France have together decided to create a new championship in this growing sport: the Arctic Alps Cup.
See also
- IditarodIditarodIditarod may refer to:*Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, an annual sled dog race in the Alaskan Interior and western coast*Iditarod Trail, a historical trail across the Alaskan Interior*Iditarod, Alaska, a town for which the trail and races are named...
(Alaska) - Yukon QuestYukon QuestThe Yukon Quest 1,000-mile International Sled Dog Race, or simply Yukon Quest, is a sled dog race run every February between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon...
(From Alaska to Yukon) - FinnmarksløpetFinnmarksløpetFinnmarksløpet is the worlds northernmost sled dog race. The race starts on saturday of week 10 every year and goes across Finnmark in Norway. The race was first time run in 1981.- See also :* Iditarod* La Grande Odyssée...
(Norway) - American Dog DerbyAmerican Dog DerbyThe American Dog Derby is a dogsled race held in Ashton, Idaho on the third weekend of February. It is the oldest dogsled race in the United States. The first race was held in 1917. It was tremendously popular in the 1920s through the 1950s. Interest waned in the 1960s and the race was...
(Idaho, USA)
External links
- La Grande Odyssée, Sled Dog Race Official site. (EN)