Yukon Quest, Toughest Sled Dog Race in the World
The Yukon Quest™ is a race without relaxing nights where
the musher can have a good nights sleep. (exception is the 36hr
mandatory Layover in Dawson). Tiredness is the greatest enemy of
the mushers. But also isolation, the cold and the wild animals can
cause problems to their mental state of mind.
Only the dogs have really fun at this race. They are constantly
cared for, more than 20 Veterinarians take care of them in dogdrops
and Checkpoints. Their continous training begins in the summer before
the race where the musher perpares them physically and mentally
for the challenges ahead. They get special race food and each team
goes through about 1'000 booties.
The Yukon Quest® Philosophy is reflected in the speech below,
given by Musher Dave Olesen in 1998:
" I accept this award on behalf of all the mushers still on
the trail, in the middle of the night,
far from the checkpoint, on their hands and knees, taking care of
their dogs. Nobody's talking,
nobody's sleeping, and nobody's eating. They're moving up and down
the line of dogs, taking care
of little aches and pains."
