The 17th Annual Canberra Classic Sled Dog Race included Siberian and Alaskan Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Pointers, Retrievers, Kelpies and Samoyeds.

The essential criteria for participation is that dogs must love running and competition.

Racing began early under lights before 7am each morning with teams of eight, six and four dogs.

Unlike the traditional dog sled races over snow, this weekend’s participants pulled their drivers on three-wheeled rigs. Single and two dogs pull two-wheeled scooters.

Canadian Musher Karen Ramstead, who has raced Siberian Huskies for more than 20 years, was race marshal at the Canberra Classic Sled Dog Race.

In March 2000, she was the first resident Canadian woman with the first Canadian pure-bred team to participate in the Iditarod sled dog race run over 1850km through the Alaskan wilderness. She did not complete the race that year but in 2001 with a team of 16 dogs she completed the race in only one hour less than 15 days. She has participated in another six Iditarods, finishing three.

In 2008 she and her dog team achieved a personal best which was the third fastest for the Iditarod for a pure-bred Siberian Husky team.

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual race in early March from Anchorage to Nome. The Iditarod began in 1973 to test the best sled dog mushers and teams. It has evolved into a highly competitive race.

The fastest winning time was set last year by John Baker in eight days, 19 hours, 46 minutes, 39 seconds.
Teams frequently race through blizzards with wind chill down to minus 73Cdg.
Canberra’s minimum temperature today did not even reach minus three.