Important rule change by ITC

[ThisSpaceForRent]

Iditarod bans mushers from carrying sled dogs in trailers, and some aren't happy!!

Link from ADN

I am on the fence...comments?

tsfr

[sc-race-fan]

I think sometimes they just try to put some changes in to keep everyone guessing. I disagree with one of the stated reasons is that the musher should keep his required equipment in front of him/her. Regardless of where they carry it in the sled, they are responsible to have it with them when checking in at required checkpoints. Telling them where to carry it, is like telling them how to pack their equipment!, they should not be "hand-helded", this is an adult race. To read that they can can still have a "trailer", just not carry dogs in it, is going too far in dictating equipment use in my opinion. Remember they are allowed to change sleds during the race, and most do to a lighter "racing" style sled near the end!

[Breeze]

I'm also conflicted by this new wrinkle.

I understand carrying a dog in the sled bag is not the safest , unless one has dedicated tie-downs or clip-ins for harness/line. Too many dogs have gotten loose and run for weeks without being caught.

On the other hand, I'm somewhat bothered by the fact that some expect ( just for example) they can park a dog or gangline partners in a trailer in Kaltag, make the flat portage to Unk, rest 6 hrs, swap the dogs who were trailered onto the gangline, and park another 2 in trailer to carry out until off the ice in Koyuk , go to full strength for the climb to White Mt , get another 8 hours rest, and have fresh as a daisy front end of the gangline for White Mtn to Nome.

None of it sets well. But, hey, we know how much our opinions are worth.

[fladogfan]

I'm wondering if the change is meant to make it harder for Dallas Seavey to win again? As much as I'd like to see Aly win, Dallas has months of training done using the trailer method. Sorta un-fair to wait till 4 months before the race to change a rule.

Jeff King was the one who started it. another of his many inventions.
"I wanted to get the musher's weight in the center of the ski — calling the sled runner the ski," he said. "It wasn't with the intention of carrying a dog, but it is so incredibly effective and makes the sled so much more maneuverable by putting some weight behind you."

[txbennett]

My uneducated guess is a major concern was to "make the race more competitive" Tail dragger sleds make the equipment more expensive and "favor" teams that have trained with them over many miles and months (years) which is also expensive as well as time consuming. Only a few top teams (such as the Seaveys and King) can get an advantage. For less well trained teams the tail dragger might indeed be more dangerous and much harder to manage. ITC needs many teams entered to increase the overall cash flow for "The Last Great Race". "Bucket list" mushers that "rent" dogs and equipment and make high-dollar donations to ITC can never be expected to master a tail dragger rig, although they would be able to afford to rent such a rig.

As always with ITC -- Follow the Money

[Moose]

Interesting conversation on Jake B's FB page. He suggested this is an "anti-Seavey" rule, though I find it hard to imagine the ITC trying to tamp down the excitement generated first by Lance's multi-win streak and now by the Seavey wins. It's also reported there that the passage of this rule change did not follow the usual channels and that the bulk of mushers weren't even aware of it until it was passed--and after sign-ups. I agree with TX in that somehow, some way this is about the green for ITC.

[Di*]

I'm wondering if the change is meant to make it harder for Dallas Seavey to win again? As much as I'd like to see Aly win, Dallas has months of training done using the trailer method. Sorta un-fair to wait till 4 months before the race to change a rule.

Jeff King was the one who started it. another of his many inventions.
"I wanted to get the musher's weight in the center of the ski — calling the sled runner the ski," he said. "It wasn't with the intention of carrying a dog, but it is so incredibly effective and makes the sled so much more maneuverable by putting some weight behind you."

Was thinking the same thing FDF....their "reasoning" seemed pretty goofy to me but then I'm not a musher...but oh yeah King & Seavey seemed to think so too....

Seems like an attempt to "fix" something that wasn't broken? Moose & Tx make good points too...

[dilli]

Interesting. Dallas has secretly designed and built himself a top secret customized, modified sled that adheres to the new ITC "no hauling dogs in a trailer behind sled" rule change .
http://www.ktva.com/musher-black-top-secret-carbon-fiber-dogsled-426/

[tanglefoot]

wooaaaahhhh!

Now thats a sled! Black Hawk x Apache Stealth Sled, wonder what they will make of the rigid sled bag and in built kennel seat come stove.

pretty damn awesome.... might have to adjust my top ten!

i do wonder though, being rigid looking..... will it tip up easily and will it steer as well? how does carbon react in cold temps when it become brittle?

[Heidi]

WOAH is right!!! Will be interesting to see how it holds up in the low temperatures and snow. Kevlar is better in colder temperatures, but not sure about the carbon fiber. I have a carbon fiber bike, but it never sees temps below freezing!!

Pretty amazing though!