2015 Yukon Quest will include changes to mandatory stops
Mushers in the 2015 Yukon Quest 1,000 Mile International Sled Dog Race may be changing their strategies due to new rules involving mandatory stops.
Mushers in the 2015 Yukon Quest 1,000 Mile International Sled Dog Race may be changing their strategies due to new rules involving mandatory stops.
After receiving input from mushers, veterinarians, officials and staff, the race鈥檚 rules committee reviewed the mandatory stops in the race and resolved to make some significant changes.
The layover in Dawson City has been decreased from 36 hours to 24 hours. That rest time has been applied to other mandatory stops by increasing all previous four-hour mandatories to six hours and adding another six-hour floating mandatory in the last half of the race.
Drivers will have their choice of location for this mandatory.
The final eight-hour stop will remain in Two Rivers.
The new mandatory stops for the 2015 Yukon Quest are as follows:
鈥� six-hour mandatory at either Braeburn or Carmacks (driver鈥檚 choice);
鈥� 24-hour mandatory at Dawson City;
鈥� six-hour mandatory at Eagle;
鈥� six-hour mandatory at either Circle City, Central or Mile 101 (driver鈥檚 choice);
鈥� eight-hour mandatory at Two Rivers.
鈥淲e wanted to distribute the rest more evenly along the race course to promote more rested teams,鈥� said Bruce Lee, vice-chair of the Yukon Quest international rules committee.
鈥淭he Quest is an ever-evolving race that is always trying new things to promote better dog care.鈥�
The new rules are expected to benefit both mushers and canines.
鈥淭he new changes to the race rules allow the Yukon Quest to continue to keep dog care at the forefront of its missions,鈥� said longtime head veterinarian Kathleen McGill, also a member of the rules committee.
鈥淧re-race veterinary exams, on-the-trail veterinary care, and the musher鈥檚 knowledgeable care of the dog team are three very important parts of the Quest鈥檚 goal for excellent dog care.
鈥淭he Yukon Quest rules committee considers input from judges, veterinarians, staff and mushers to maintain that high standard of care.鈥�
Race officials also announced that Yukon operations manager Fabian Schmitz has left the position to begin operating a Whitehorse tour company.
Longtime Braeburn checkpoint manager, Holly Smith, will serve as his replacement in the Yukon office.
The 2015 Yukon Quest will start Feb. 7 in Whitehorse. Mushers will travel 1,600 kilometres to Fairbanks.
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