List of sled dog races
Encyclopedia
Mushing
Mushing is a general term for a sport or transport method powered by dogs, and includes carting, pulka, scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling. More specifically, it implies the use of one or more dogs to pull a sled on snow or a rig on dry land...
, the sport of racing sled dog
Sled dog
Sled dogs, known also as sleigh man dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs, are highly trained types of dogs that are used to pull a dog sled, a wheel-less vehicle on runners also called a sled or sleigh, over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines.Sled dogs have become a popular winter recreation...
s. It is unknown when the first sled dog race was held. Humans have domesticated dogs for tens of thousands of years, and sled dogs have been used for transportation in Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
areas for almost as long. The first sled dog race to feature a codified set of rules was the All-Alaska Sweepstakes, which first took place in 1908. This was followed in 1917 by the American Dog Derby
American Dog Derby
The 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...
, which was the first sled dog race outside Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
or the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. In 1932, sled dog racing was a demonstration sport
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
at the 1932 Winter Olympics
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
in Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, but was not included in future games.
The most famous sled dog race is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, an annual 1,200-mile competition in Alaska. It commemorates the 1925 serum run to Nome
1925 serum run to Nome
During the 1925 serum run to Nome, also known as the "Great Race of Mercy," 20 mushers and about 150 sled dogs relayed diphtheria antitoxin by dog sled across the U.S. territory of Alaska in a record-breaking five and a half days, saving the small city of Nome and the surrounding communities from...
but was not begun until 1973. The Iditarod helped restart worldwide interest in mushing, which had been thought of as anachronistic after the spread of snowmobiles. Since mushing's resurgence, the sport has proliferated and sled dog races are hosted in towns around the world, from Norway and Finland to Alaska and Michigan. Due to the cold temperatures needed for sled dog racing, most races are held in winter in cold climates, but occasional carting events, typically known as dryland races, have been held in warmer weather. These are not included in this list because they do not use sleds.
There are three typical types of sled dog races: sprint, mid-distance, and long-distance. These types can be broken down into sub-types. Sprint races cover relatively short distances of 4 to 25 miles/day, mid-distance races cover a total of 100 to 300 miles, and long-distance races cover 300 miles to more than 1,000 miles. Sprint races frequently are two- or three-day events with heats run on successive days with the same dogs on the same course. Mid-distance races are either heat races of 14 to 80 miles per day, or continuous races of 100 to 200 miles. (These categories are informal and may overlap to a certain extent.) Long-distance races may be continuous or stage races, in which participants run a different course each day, usually from a central staging location. Stage races are similar to cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
's Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
.
Generally, teams start one after another in equal time intervals, competing against the clock rather than directly against one another. This is due to logistic considerations of getting teams of dogs to the starting line for a clean timed start. Mass starts where all of the dog teams start simultaneously are popular in parts of Canada. Another mode of dogsled racing is the freight race, in which a specified weight per dog is carried in the sled.
Sprint races
- Baltic Winter Cup — Series of sleddog races across the Baltic states, on snow as well as on dryland. "Baltic cup"
- ADVANCE Sled Dog Challenge — The only snow based sled dog race event staged in Australia. Short-distance sprint races take place annually at Dinner Plain Village located north east in the Victorian High Country. see www.sleddogchallenge.com and www.visitdinnerplain.com. "Advance Pet Foods Sled Dog Challenge"
- 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...
— Oldest dog sled race in the United States.. - Big Land Challenge Dog Team Race — Annual 20-kilometer race in Goose Bay, LabradorHappy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and LabradorHappy Valley – Goose Bay is a Canadian town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Located in the central part of Labrador, the town is the largest population centre in that region. Incorporated in 1973, the town composes the former town of Happy Valley and the Local Improvement District of...
. - Open North American Championship — Culminating event of the Alaska Dog Mushers Association competition season.
- 1932 Olympics RaceSled dog race at the 1932 Winter OlympicsA sled dog race was included as a demonstration event at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. 5 contestants from Canada and 7 contestants from the United States competed. The event, run under the rules of the New England Sled Dog Club, ran twice over a 25.1 mile long course...
— Demonstration race involving two 25.1-mile heats. - Tok Dog Mushers Association Race of Champions — An Alaska Dog Mushers Association event hosted annually in Tok, AlaskaTok, AlaskaTok is a census-designated place in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 1,393 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
for more than 50 years. - Western Alaska Championship Sled Dog Race — Annual three-day, 15–20-mile sprint race held in Dillingham, AlaskaDillingham, Alaska- Natural resources :Dillingham was once known as the Pacific salmon capital of the world and commercial fishing remains an important part of the local economy...
, as part of the Beaver Round-Up celebration. - Caledonia Classic Dog Sled Races - Annual 3-day event on and adjacent to beautiful Stuart Lake in Fort St. James, BC, Canada. 150, 200 mile races plus sprints on well maintained trails both on and off lake.
Mid-distance races
- Can-Am Crown — Annual 250-mile race in Fort Kent, MaineFort Kent, MaineFort Kent is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,097 in the 2010 census. Fort Kent is home to an Olympic biathlete training center, an annual CAN-AM dogsled race, and the Fort Kent Blockhouse, built in reaction to the Aroostook War and in modern times designated...
. - Copper Basin 300 — Annual 300-mile race starting at Lake Louise, AlaskaLake Louise, AlaskaLake Louise is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. Although it is an isolated settlement and is close to Glennallen, it is considered part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area like all other locations in the Mat-Su Borough. At the 2000...
. - CopperDog 150 — Annual 150-mile race starting at Calumet, MI.
- Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race — Annual 200-mile race in Oregon.
- Gin Gin 200 — Annual 200-mile sled dog race starting in Paxson, AlaskaPaxson, AlaskaPaxson is a census-designated place in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 43. It is located on the Richardson Highway at the junction with the Denali Highway.-Geography:...
. - Klondike 300 — Annual 300-mile race starting in Big Lake, AlaskaBig Lake, AlaskaBig Lake is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. - Kuskokwim 300Kuskokwim 300The Kuskokwim 300 is the most highly-regarded mid-distance dogsled race in the world, annually attracting the top mushers in the sport. The race starts and ends on the Kuskokwim River in Bethel, Alaska, and is run on and adjacent to its namesake river....
— Annual 300-mile race on the Kuskokwim River in Alaska. - Nunavut Quest — Annual sled dog race from Igloolik, NunavutNunavutNunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
to Arctic Bay, NunavutArctic Bay, NunavutArctic Bay is an Inuit hamlet located in the northern part of the Borden Peninsula on Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. Arctic Bay is located in the Eastern Time Zone although it is quite close to the time zone boundary. The predominant languages are Inuktitut and English...
. - Pirena — Annual stage race across the PyreneesPyreneesThe Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
from west to east. - Qimualaniq Quest — A 320-kilometer race on Baffin IslandBaffin IslandBaffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
, NunavutNunavutNunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, northern Canada. The 2009 race was canceled due to funding shortages. - Tustumena 200Tustumena 200The Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race is a dog sled race on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska covering 200 miles. The race is run each year on the last weekend in January, and has grown in reputation to draw competitive distance mushers from Alaska, the lower 48, and international locations. The Tustumena...
— Annual 200-mile race starting in Clam Gulch, AlaskaClam Gulch, AlaskaClam Gulch is a census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 173.-Geography:Clam Gulch is located at on the shores of Cook Inlet...
. Named for Tustumena LakeTustumena LakeTustumena Lake is a lake on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska, near the town of Kasilof. The lake is long and up to wide and receives drainage from Tustumena Glacier. The outlet forms the headwaters of the Kasilof River. The lake and the area around it are known for...
. - U.P. 200 — Annual 240-mile race in Marquette, MichiganMarquette, MichiganMarquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
. - Wyoming Stage Stop Sled Dog Race — Annual stage race in Wyoming and Utah.
- Sandwich, New HampshireSandwich, New HampshireSandwich is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,326 at the 2010 census. Sandwich includes the villages of Center Sandwich and North Sandwich...
— Annual 25 and 40-mile race in Sandwich, New HampshireSandwich, New HampshireSandwich is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,326 at the 2010 census. Sandwich includes the villages of Center Sandwich and North Sandwich...
.Sandwich Dog Sled Races - Caledonia Classic Dog Sled Races - Annual 3-day event on and adjacent to beautiful Stuart Lake in Fort St. James, BC, Canada. 150, 200 mile races plus sprints on well maintained trails both on and off lake.
Long-distance races
- All-Alaska Sweepstakes — First organized sled dog race. Is not run on an annual basis.
- AlpirodAlpirodThe Alpirod is a defunct sled dog stage race in southern Europe. Its name comes from a combination of the Alps, where the race took place, and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, upon which the race was based. The competition consisted of a 14-day stage race in 11 cities in four countries: Italy,...
— Defunct 1,000-km stage race in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and France. - Femundløpet — 400-km and 600-km category race with start and finish in Røros, Norway.
- 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...
— Northernmost sled dog race in the world. 1,000-km competition starting in Alta, NorwayAlta, Norway-Birdlife:For those interested in bird watching, the river outlet, known locally as Altaosen is well worth a visit. This tidal area is used as a stopover for many wetland species.-Transportation:...
. - Hope RaceHope RaceThe Hope Race or Hope Sled Dog Race is a defunct international sled dog race between Nome, Alaska and Anadyr, Russia, across the Bering Strait. The race was established in 1991, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, and according to information on the race's Web site, was run as recently as...
— Defunct 1,200-mile race from Nome, AlaskaNome, AlaskaNome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. According to the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,598. Nome was incorporated on April 9, 1901, and was once the...
to Anadyr, RussiaAnadyr (town)Anadyr is a port town and the administrative centre of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, the extreme north-eastern region of Russia. It is at the mouth of the Anadyr River, on the tip of the southern promontory that sticks out into Anadyrskiy Liman...
, across the Bering Strait. - Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race — Annual 1,200-mile race in Alaska from Willow to Nome. Commemorates the 1925 Serum Run.
- Ivakkak - Biennial 500-km race along the Hudson Bay in Nunavik, Quebec; from Inukjuak to Ivujivik. Launched in 2001 to promote traditional dogsledding and the purebreed race of huskies in Nunavik.
- John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon — Annual 400-mile race starting in Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, MinnesotaDuluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. - Kobuk 440 - Annual 440-mile race starting and ending in Kotzebue, AlaskaKotzebue, AlaskaAs of the census of 2000, there were 3,082 people, 889 households, and 656 families residing in the city. The population density was 114.1 people per square mile . There were 1,007 housing units at an average density of 37.3 per square mile...
. - La Grande OdysséeLa Grande OdysséeLa 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...
— Annual 900 km (559.2 mi) race in French Alps, from Portes du SoleilPortes du SoleilLes Portes du Soleil is a major skisports destination in the northern French alps encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland...
to Haute-Maurienne. - Pasvik Trail — Annual 500-km race starting in Kirkenes, Norway.
- Vindelälvsdraget — Annual 400-km relay race on the Vindeln River in Sweden.
- 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...
— Annual 1,000-mile race from Fairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
to Whitehorse, YukonWhitehorse, YukonWhitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
one year; then Whitehorse, YukonWhitehorse, YukonWhitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
to Fairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
the next.
Multiple events
Several festivals or events host several races in a short span of time. In most cases, an event will host several different classes of events separated by distance and the number of dogs allowed. The festivals listed below may be affiliated with a mushing club.- 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...
— Oldest dog sled race in the United States.. - Fur Rendezvous FestivalFur Rendezvous FestivalThe Fur Rendezvous Festival is an annual winter festival held in Anchorage, Alaska in late February...
— A winter festival in Anchorage, AlaskaAnchorage, AlaskaAnchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
that includes several sled dog races including the World Championship Sled Dog Race, a sprint mushing event. - Caledonia Classic Dog Sled Races - Annual 3-day event on and adjacent to beautiful Stuart Lake in Fort St. James, BC, Canada. 150, 200 mile races plus sprints on well maintained trails both on and off lake.
- Wanaka Sled Dog Festival — Multiple-race event hosted in Cardrona, New ZealandCardrona, New ZealandCardrona is the name of a locality, skifield and beer in New Zealand. Established as a gold rush township in the 1860s on the banks of the small river of the same name, it is known for its distinctive hotel of gold rush vintage which is on the opposite side of the river to the original township of...
. Held in conjunction with the Kirsty Burn Classic and the Kirsty Burn. - Haliburton Highlands Dogsled Derby — Collection of sprint races held annually in Haliburton, Ontario.
- Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby — Annual event of the Lakes Region Sled Dog Club in Laconia, New HampshireLaconia, New HampshireAs of the census of 2000, there were 16,411 people, 6,724 households, and 4,168 families residing in the city. The population density was 809.3 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 421.8 per square mile...
that includes several classes of sprint races. The event has been hosted for more than 80 years.
Club seasons
Organized sprint mushing clubs typically host a series of small races as part of a season of competition. These races often change from one season to another, and are not notable enough on an individual level to warrant separate articles.- Affiliated British Sleddog Activities hosts several events annually.
- The Alaska Dog Mushers Association is the largest sprint sled dog racing club in the world. It operates several races annually, and its season culminates in the Open North American Championship.
- The British Siberian Husky Racing Association hosts a series of two-day heats each year.
- Chugiak Dog Mushers host a series of races in and near Chugiak, AlaskaChugiak, AlaskaChugiak is an unincorporated community in the Municipality of Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska, situated approximately 20 miles northeast of downtown Anchorage. It is located between Eagle River to the south, and Eklutna to the north, and between Knik Arm to the west and the Chugach...
annually. - The Siberian Husky Club of NSW Inc holds races at several locations in the state of New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
between May and September each year.