DOGSLED RACING

also called Sled Dog Racing, sport of racing sleds pulled by sled dogs over snow-covered cross-country courses; it was developed from a principal Eskimo method of transportation. Dogsleds are still used for transportation and working purposes in some northern areas, although they largely have been replaced by aircraft and snowmobiles. The modern, lightweight racing sled weighs about 30 pounds (13.5 kg). Its ash frame is lashed together with leather and its runners sheathed with steel or aluminum. Dogs usually are especially bred and trained Eskimo dogs, Siberian huskies, Samoyeds, or Alaskan Malamutes. The teams typically consist of 4 to 10 dogs, with more being used for longer races. They are driven in pairs in a gang hitch. Control of the team is by voice, although drivers may carry whips of limited length. In open country, point-to-point races are held. In more populated areas, back roads form the course, with races usually varying in length from 12 to 30 miles (19 to 48 km). A team of 6 to 8 dogs can pull the sled and its driver, called a musher, at speeds of more than 20 miles (32 km) per hour. Teams start at intervals and race for time. Usually, all dogs must finish in the order they start, and an injured dog must be carried on the sled. A dogsled-racing event was included in the 1932 Winter Olympics program and won by E. Goddard of Canada. The sport is popular in Norway, Canada, Alaska, and the northern states of the contiguous United States. One popular event is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (q.v.) held in March between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. A world-championship event is held annually at Laconia, N.H.