Long-distance sled dog race · Røros

Femundløpet

Photo: John Harald Knutsson

Femundløpet is an annual long-distance sled dog race in Norway, starting and finishing in Røros. The race attracts mushers of many nationalities who take part with their dog teams. The competition is open to both experienced mushers and newcomers.

The idea for the race came in 1989, born out of growing interest in long-distance dog sledding. The race was first held in 1990 with 41 starters. Unfortunately it had to be stopped halfway because of extremely mild weather and flooding on the ice.

The founders of the race, Odd Erling Kjøsnes, Torgeir Øren and Stein Håvard Fjestad, were honoured on Femundløpet's Wall of Fame in 2022. Since the start, the race has been a yearly highlight for mushers from all over the world, and has itself contributed greatly to recruitment to the sport.

The race takes participants through seven municipalities with eight checkpoints. The trail runs through challenging terrain and mountain areas. Spectators can follow the mushers along parts of the trail and at all checkpoints, where small local festivities are held throughout the week the teams are out on the trail.

A short guide to the words and expressions of dog sledding. Learn more at Femundløpet.

Musher: The dog driver, the one who runs the team. «Mush» is the command to get going.

Rookie and veteran: A rookie is racing a class for the first time. A veteran has completed the same class before.

Handler: The musher's support crew. The handler cooks, keeps the musher updated and looks after dogs dropped from the race, but may not help with the dogs at the checkpoints.

Checkpoint: A stop along the way where dogs and musher rest, eat and restock gear. Vets check the dogs, and dogs that cannot continue are dropped and not replaced.

Mandatory rest: Required rest to ensure dog welfare. The rest can be split across several checkpoints, so whoever is first on the trail is not necessarily leading the race.

Time differential: With a staggered start, those who started early get mandatory waiting time along the way, so the first team across the finish line wins.

Dog team: Up to 14 dogs in Norwegian long-distance races. Femundløpet has 6-, 8- and 12-dog classes.

Lead dog: Runs at the front and sets the pace. Behind follow point dogs, team dogs and finally wheel dogs, the strongest, closest to the sled.

Gear:

Snow hook holds the team in place when the musher leaves the sled.
Cooker heats water for the dog food.
Dog booties protect the paws from snow, crust and ice.

The dogs: Most often Alaskan huskies, a mixed breed bred for endurance and pulling ability, but also Siberian huskies, Greenland dogs and Alaskan malamutes.