The dream of racing Finnmarksløpet became reality once the champion musher Dallas Seavey decided not to participate in the world's longest dog race; The Iditarod in Alaska. - I'd love to be the first to win both the Iditarod, Yukon Quest and Finnmarksløpet, he says.
This has been an incredibly tough year for me, in more ways than most people know. It seems like I keep getting hit with one thing after the next, again and again. But somewhere along the way I realized that, despite the horrific false allegations and the constant personal attacks, I am still standing. I can stand proudly before any honest accusation, Seavey says.
Also read: Supports Iditarod Winner Whose Dogs Failed Doping Test
A shock
All of Alaska was in shock when the record holder and four times Iditarod winner Dallas Seavey's dogs failed a doping test following the 2017 Iditarod race.
- Tensions have been escalating between mushers and certain Iditarod personnel for some time, but it really came to a head when the Iditarod informed me that they believed I was not responsible for the dogs having a positive test, and then proceeded to mislead the other mushers and the public when informing them of what happened. It is clear that certain people on the Iditarod board are not acting with the Iditarod's or the sport of mushing's best interest in mind. I don't think we are going to see a strong, healthy Iditarod until we see some changes to our board. I decided that I could not condone that sort of governance and would not race the Iditarod until it makes some much needed changes to the board. Standing by when you know there is a problem is a very short step from being the problem yourself, Seavey says.
Once he decided not to race the Iditarod he really put his focus on making the Finnmark Race a reality rather than just a dream.
- The planning for this race and the travel to get here definitely pulled me out of my comfort zone, but I guess that's how we grow so not necessarily a bad thing at all, Seavey says.
Also read: We Have Evidence That Dallas Seavey Did Not Dope His Dogs Himself, Says Lawyer
The fear of the unknown
- To be perfectly honest, there isn't anything super difficult once you know what needs to be done. Figuring everything out was really the hardest part. Now that I have made the trip, just knowing the process will make it much easier in the future. I think the fear of the unknown is one of the big hold-ups for mushers coming from the US to Norway, Seavey says.
Now that he has gone through the process, he encourages anyone thinking of going to Norway to race to contact him personally.
- And I can assist in getting everything figured out. Once a few people have done it I think it will become less scary and more popular, the musher says.
Small differences so far
- There are some cultural differences for sure, but I am perhaps more surprised by the amount of similarity than the differences. Mushing is big in Alaska, but I haven't seen enough of the mushing community here in Norway yet to really have a fair assessment by now. After the Finnmark I think I will have a much better Idea, the musher who grew up around dogs his whole life says.
- I have spent my life around dogs and don't want to have it any other way. There is no better teammate in the world then an Alaskan husky.
The strategy for this year's Finnmark race is still open.
I have laid out a number of options for the Finnmark [Race], but I really don't have a schedule as such. I usualy look at it as more of a playbook than a schedule. I like to have thoroughly thought through a number of different options for each section of the trail and then apply the one that seems best at the time, he explains, the man who many of the mushers in Norway have designated as a favorite to win the Finnmark Race.
- I would love to be the first to win the Iditarod, the Yukon Quest, and the Finnmarksløpet. I came with my best dogs and I am planning on running the best race I can, but this is a whole new event for me so I can't say how we will finish. That being said, my goal is to set my team up for success and support the team through the race in a way that sets them up to shine, Seavey says.
Focus on success
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Is this a one-off event or will we see you in several Finnmark races?
What´s your expectations for Europe´s longest sled dog race? Could it be tougher than The Iditarod?
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