The Other Dog Race

For those of you who prefer motor sports to the 4 legged kind of snow sports, Alaska also has the Iron Dog. The grueling race begins with 28 teams of two. The Iron Dog course distance is over 2,000 miles, starting in Big Lake with a halfway stop in Nome and finishing in Fairbanks, making it the World’s longest snowmobile race. Participants cover some of Alaska’s most remote and rugged terrain while confronting some the harshest winter conditions. Survival skills are essential, making it the World’s toughest snowmobile race. All teams in race classes are a team of two persons and two snowmobiles for safety. This year major snowmobile manufacturers had their best performance engineers here to observe and learn what some of the harshest winter conditions can do to their sleds! Mechanical failures can end the race for a team that has thousands of dollars and years of effort committed and this year was no different. Combined with mechanical challenges, extreme weather conditions and Alaska's harsh terrain, teams were again tested throughout the course. And with back to back victories the winners of the 2011 this weekend (and 2010!) Iron Dog are Tyler Huntington and Chris Olds winning $50,000! Here is a link to KTUU NBC Sports on the 2011 Iron Dog Race. Congratulations Tyler & Chris and team Polaris!