The Limited North American Championships (LNAC) will be held in Fairbanks, AK on March 7-9, 2008. The LNAC is one of the top sled dog sprint races in world, attracting top sprint mushers worldwide. There are several classes in the LNAC: 8-dog, 6-dog, and 4-dog races as well as skijoring races. Skijoring is a winter sport where the 2-legged racers are on cross-country skis. The races will begin outside of Fairbanks. Stay tuned for more updates on the LNAC; we'll have to make time see the running of the dogs!
Blaine Streeper, winner of the Fur Rondy
The month of February and March are the best months for dog sled racing fans in Alaska. The Anchorage Fur Rendezvous is a 73-year-old winter festival held in Anchorage during the last weekend of February. Fur Rondy has exciting events such as the running of the reindeer through downtown, a carnival, fireworks, and the Open World Championship Fur Rondy Race (OWCFRR). The OWCFRR is a series of 3 separate sprints over 25 miles through the city of Anchorage.
Jeff King wins a muffin
The Yukon Quest, a long distance race of over 1000 miles between Fairbanks, AK and Whitehorse, Yukon, was recently completed. Lance Mackey, winner of this year's Yukon Quest, completed a historic 1st place finish four years in a row!
Lance Mackey enjoying a muffin!
The Iditarod began this past weekend with the ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. The real start of the Last Great Race begins in Willow, Alaska and finishes under the burled arches in Nome, Alaska over 1150 miles later through some of the most remote terrain in North America. Lance Mackey won last year's Iditarod, with a time of just over 9 days, to complete a first ever sweep of the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in one year.
Zach Steer
What event does the Iditarod race commemorate? Who ran the fastest Iditarod and what is the fastest time?
For more information on dog sled racing in Alaska and the running of the reindeer, visit the following websites:
http://www.yukonquest.com/
http://iditarod.com
http://www.asdra.org
http://www.furrondy.net/
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23335144/from/ET/