2010 

                              DOG MUSHING

                    TECHNICAL PACKAGE

1.                  RULES:

            This competition will be conducted under the International Sled Dog and the Alaska Sled Dog and Racing Association (ASDRA) and/or Junior ASDRA rules as modified by the Arctic Winter Games International Committee as noted in Section 6.

2.                  CATEGORIES:

            Coed Juvenile:          Born between April 1, 1995 and March 31, 1999

            Coed Junior:              Born between April 1, 1990 and March 31, 1995

*The Chef de Mission from each unit entering the dog mushing competition must provide written documentation from recognized Dog Mushing officials that each athlete is capable of competing in the events noted in a safe manner. 

**Athletes born after March 31, 1999 may compete upon approval of the Head Official.  Written documentation attesting to their skills and abilities must be submitted 60 days in advance of the Games.

3.                  EVENTS and SCHEDULE:

            Coed Juvenile:

            Team of four (4) dogs plus 1 spare - 7.5 km race

            Team of five (5) dogs - 10 km race

            Coed Junior:

            Team of six (6) dogs plus 1 spare  - 10 km race

            Team of seven (7) dogs - 13 km race

Team Event:

Team of four (4) dogs plus 1 spare - 2 mushers run a course of 7.5 km.  Their combined time determines their placing.  Each Unit can enter any category combination of two teams of two.

General

            Each team must enter all events for which they are eligible unless the head official allows a withdrawal for justifiable reasons.  Substitution of athletes or dogs will not be allowed.     

Schedule:

The Host Society shall establish a schedule as follows:

            Day 1 – Practice Runs

            Day 2 – 7.5 km Juvenile and 10 km Junior individual events

            Day 3 – Day off / weather day

            Day 4 – 10 km Juvenile and 13 km Junior individual events

            Day 5 – Team Event

            Day 6 – Day off / weather day

4.                  TEAM COMPOSITION:

            Each Games Unit may enter a team comprised of a maximum of four (4) athletes and four (4) coaches as follows:

                        Co-ed Juvenile                      2 

                        Co-ed Junior                         2 

                        Coaches                                4

A competitor may register and compete in only one category.

If a team consists of female and male athletes, one coach must be female and one male.  If a coach from one gender is not available a chaperon must be substituted.  If all athletes are one gender, at least one coach (or substituted chaperon) must be of that gender.

5.                  MEDALS:  Individual by events:

            GOLD             - 6

            SILVER          - 6

            BRONZE        - 6

6.      Arctic Winter Games Rule Modifications

a.      General

i.        Drivers are responsible for the conduct of their dogs before, during and after the race.  Any abuse is prohibited.

ii.      The decisions of the Race Committee are final.

b.      Start

i.        All dogs in a team must be properly harnessed and hooked into place in the team at the time it leaves the starting line.

ii.      In the event a team or leader balks or tries to go the wrong direction at the starting line, the driver will be allowed time to attempt a start (at the discretion of the judges), but not to exceed the interval of time allowed between the regular starting time of teams.  Race officials may assist the driver to the extent of holding the sled.  In such cases, time will be counted against the musher from the time the starting signal was given.  In the event a team becomes unmanageable within the limits of the chute as marked, one designated handler or official will be allowed to assist the driver.

iii.    A musher with an "uncontrollable" team may have assistance without disqualification.  "Uncontrollable" shall be construed to mean "beyond the physical capability of the musher to stop or control".  A severe fight within the ranks of his or her team or between two teams shall be considered uncontrollable and the musher or mushers may have assistance without disqualification.

iv.     Teams shall be started at two (2) minute intervals with the order for the first day established by draw prior to the race.  Total elapsed time will establish the starting order the next two days.

v.       Mushers and their teams must be at the starting/staging area at least one (1) hour prior to the scheduled start of the race.

vi.     The Race Committee may conduct such inspections as necessary to ensure compliance with equipment and team regulations.

vii.   A team will not be allowed to start the race with less than three (3) dogs for Juveniles and five (5) dogs for Juniors or if found in violation of any rules contained herewith.

c.      Finish

i.        All dogs must return to the finish line either in the team or riding in the sled as outlined in Section K.

d.      Loose Teams

i.        All drivers must assume that a loose team or dog is an endangered team or dog.      Accredited race officials may assist the driver in stopping or holding a lose team.

ii.      In the event of a runaway where a team escapes from the driver such team will be disqualified if another competing team is delayed or interfered with by such runaway team. 

iii.    When no such interference occurs and the team continues on the course, the team will not be disqualified providing the driver shall attempt to overtake his/her team on foot so that team, sled, and driver cover the entire course without assistance.  In such case the finish time shall be that time when the musher crosses the finish line. 

iv.     In the event a runaway team leaves the course or turns back on the course it is the duty of the driver to overtake the team on foot.  After overtaking his/her team the musher will be allowed to drive the team back to the point where the dogs left the course and continue the race. 

v.       All the time lost in recovering the team shall be counted as elapsed time.  If a team is caught at a road crossing, it will not be disqualified providing that the above qualifications are met. 

vi.     A musher giving another musher, who has lost their team, a ride will not be disqualified.  The musher accepting the ride will be penalized 5 minutes.

e.      Registration

i.        All dogs must have proof of vaccination for Distemper, Hepatitis, Rabies and Parvo and other diseases as required in the sport.

ii.      No person shall bring equipment or wear clothing that has come in contact with dogs with Distemper, Hepatitis, Rabies and Parvo.

iii.    The administration of any drugs or performance enhancing substances to a dog before, during or after a race, except for medical purposes is prohibited.

iv.     The Race Committee must mark all dogs with identification prior to the onset of each race.  Each driver will be issued a bib with number to be worn by the musher on his/her person throughout the race.

f.        Course

i.        The course shall be laid out such that the start and finish lines are adjacent to one another.

ii.      The course shall be clearly marked and established and groomed as required. 

iii.    The Host Society shall provide good maps of each trail to all mushers.

iv.     Any deviation from this course, which reduces the distance to be raced, will be cause for disqualification.  However, if a racer leaves the course but travels a longer distance than the marked course he/she will not be disqualified.

v.       The starting area and tie yard shall be of sufficient size and lay out to allow proper handling and harnessing of teams without interference from the public and other racers and their teams.

g.      Equipment

i.        All dogs must be properly harnessed in teams with necklines, except dogs harnessed in the single tandem mode.  No muzzles, chain collars or collars hooked as full choke collars are to be used.

ii.      Each team is responsible for supplying the harnesses, sled and other equipment necessary for their team(s) to race. All sleds or toboggans must be capable of safely carrying a driver and one (1) injured dog in a properly fashioned carrying bag.

iii.    All sleds must be equipped with a brush bow and snow hook or snub line no longer than the length of the runners.  A snub line shall only be used for hitching purposes or to secure a dog team in the event of an emergency.

iv.     All sleds must be equipped with an appropriate braking system and snow hook.  The head official shall determine whether this equipment is appropriate.  If not, the team will not be allowed to race until this equipment is installed.

v.       Each team is responsible for all other necessary safety related equipment including the appropriate cold weather gear for athletes and dogs.

h.      Dog Food

Drivers are expected to make their own arrangements for food for their dogs.

i.        Passing Rule

i.        When one team shall overtake another within 15 meters (50 feet), the team behind shall have the immediate right-of-way upon demand.  The driver ahead must stop his/her dogs and hold them to the best of the mushers ability until the other team is by.  The overtaken team may request and receive the right-of-way as above after 2 minutes or 800 meters (1/2 mile); or, if the concerned drivers are in agreement, at lesser time and mileage intervals.  A passing driver with a tangled team may require the following driver to wait no longer than one (1) minute.  Teams following shall maintain an interval sufficient so as not to interfere with the driver of the team in front.

ii.      A team does not have to yield trail in the sprint area to the finish line.  The Host Society shall insure that the sprint area (free zone) is clearly marked.

iii.    During the pre-competition meeting of coaches, the Head Official shall insure that this rule is clearly explained.  Upon agreement of all units this rule may be modified by the Head Official to suit course conditions.

j.         Injured Dogs

Any dog injured on the trail must be immediately placed in the sled.  Any dog, which is loaded in the sled for any reason, must be placed inside a dog bag so that it cannot touch the ground, and so that no part of it is protruding from the bag, in a way that may cause further injury to the dog.  Failure to comply will result in disqualification.

k.      Abuse of Dogs

Abuse of dogs is not permitted.  Penalties for abuse of any dog may result in disqualification from a race (at the discretion of the Sport Technical Jury) or the Games (at the discretion of the Games Jury).  Dog abuse is defined as unnecessary force, punching, beating or kicking a dog. 

All allegations of abuse of dogs must be brought to the attention of the Head Official within one hour of the alleged offense occurring.  The allegation must be made in writing by a team official (Coach, Mission Staff or Chef de Mission).  The Head Official shall refer the matter to the Sport Specific Technical Jury for review (see Discipline Policy and Protest Procedure for details on the process).  

If the Head Official or Sport Specific Technical Jury are made aware of penalties brought against a musher, coach, handler or manager that censure or bar them from competing in the sport for the time period covered by the Games the Head Official can disqualify that person from competing or participating in the Games.