From January 26th to 28th, the Kommunalnik Stadium in Petrozavodsk will host the unique 6th International Medium and Short Distance Dog Sled Race "On the Land of Sampo" (a World Cup stage), according to event organizers.
This year in the races Around 150 athletes from Karelia, other regions of Russia, Finland, and Sweden, and over 120 volunteers will participate in the "Across the Land of Sampo" event. For the first time, the mass start event will feature mushers with four-dog sleds.
The competition organizers, Skify-Tour, are preparing a rich cultural and entertainment program for guests and spectators.
The competition site will host festivities throughout the day, where you can buy authentic local souvenirs, sample traditional Karelian sweets, the famous "kalitki" (delicious open rye pies), aromatic trout soup, herbal tea, shashlik, and medicinal Karelian herbal balm.
It's worth noting that the village of Matrosy, a 20-minute drive from Petrozavodsk, is home to Russia's only kennel for Chukchi sled dogs. The Skify Tour travel company, which creates unforgettable trips and excursions throughout Karelia, is also located nearby.
The kennel currently houses over 60 dogs of various breeds. The majority of the dogs are Chukchi sled dogs, which possess excellent physical qualities for long-term sled work. At an average off-road speed of 12-15 km/h, a sled team can travel up to 200 km per day. The dogs are friendly and will never bite a person. In sled dog sports, this breed is actively used in all types of racing: sled dog racing, skijoring, and pulka.
Dogs begin to be harnessed and trained for racing at one year of age. They are taught to understand and flawlessly execute several commands from their mushers (racers).
Source: trn-news.ru