Subaru Dogsled Loppet Race Rules
2014
I.
II.
III.
Dogs
a. Size of Team – a race team shall start with a maximum of six (6) dogs in harness and
finish with not less than four (4) dogs standing at all times (dogs riding in sled bag do not
count as standing)
b. Health
i. Fitness – all dogs on a race team must possess an appropriate level of general
fitness to allow them to safely compete in the race; any dog not deemed
appropriately fit by the race veterinarian will be removed from the race
ii. Vaccinations
1. All dogs present at the race must have a current rabies vaccination, as
mandated by law
2. All race teams must be able to provide proof of current rabies
vaccination for each dog present (proof must be with team at the race
site)
iii. Illness – no dog may be present at the race which has a contagious illness
iv. Drugs
1. Any drug considered harmful to the dogs or to the public image of the
sport, including stimulants, steroids, depressants, local anesthetics, is
prohibited
2. Any drug not considered harmful to the dogs, such as antibiotics, antibacterials and vitamins, are permitted
c. Behavior – dogs must not be aggressive towards other dogs or people; aggressive
behavior from a dog may result in that dog being removed from the race
Musher / Driver / Racer
a. Qualifications – mushers must be capable of controlling their dog team safely
throughout the race
b. Single Musher – a race team consists of a single musher riding a single dog sled; no
riders are allowed on the sled during the race other than the registered musher
Team Conduct
a. Treatment of Dogs – all dogs must be treated in a humane manner at the race
b. Sportsmanship – all race teams and their handlers must respect other race teams, race
officials, and volunteers
c. General Etiquette – all race teams and their handlers must behave in a manner that
reflects well on the race and the sport of dog sledding
d. Leave No Trace
i. All race teams are responsible for picking up after themselves and their dogs at
the race site
IV.
V.
VI.
ii. Dog poop on the course does NOT need to be picked up by race teams and will
be handled by race organizers after the race
Equipment – the following equipment is mandatory for all race teams
a. Harnesses – every dog must be wearing a proper fitting harness designed for pulling
b. Lines – dogs must be harnessed in single or double file
c. Sled – a single sled designed for dog sledding (no kick sleds) must be pulled by the dog
team
i. Brake – the sled must be equipped with a brake capable of stopping and holding
the team in place
ii. Snow Hook – the sled must be equipped with a snow hook capable of holding
the team in place in sufficient snow pack
iii. Snub Line – the sled must be equipped with a snub line (in addition to the snow
hook line) capable of being used to tie off to a stationary object to hold the
team in place
iv. Bag – the sled must be equipped with a bag capable of safely and securely
transporting an injured dog (in addition to any equipment)
d. Cable Cutter – if cable is present in the gangline and/or tuglines, a cable cutter capable
of cutting the line must be carried
e. Race Bib – official Loppet race bib must be worn and visible at all times on the race
course
f. Timing Chip – official Loppet timing chip must be attached to the driver’s leg, low
enough to the ground to be picked up by the timing equipment, at all times on the race
course
g. Prohibited Equipment – no disciplinary devices or ski poles allowed
Mandatory Musher Meeting
a. What: Trail condition updates, review of key rules, questions from racers
b. When: Sunday @ 2pm
c. Where: Start area
d. Who: All dog team drivers
Start
a. Format
i. Dual Start – race teams will depart the start line two at a time; slower teams are
asked to yield to faster teams when exiting the start line
ii. Two Minute Intervals – race teams will depart the start line at two minute
intervals beginning at the official race start time
iii. Position of Sled at Start Line – the front of the sled’s brush bow may not extend
beyond the start line prior to the race team’s start
b. Order
i. Random Draw – order of race team departures from the start line will be chosen
randomly after registration closes and will be announced promptly after the
draw
c. Staging, Chute & Start Times
VII.
i. Staging Time – all race teams will be assigned a staging time indicating when
they should be arriving at the staging area adjacent to the start line, or at least
be traveling from the parking to the start area
ii. Chute Time - all race teams will be assigned a chute time indicating when they
must be present in the staging area in preparation for their departure from the
start; teams may be moved into position at the start line at this time
iii. Start Time – all race teams will be assigned a start time indicating when they will
depart the start line and their race time will begin
On The Trail
a. Passing
i. General Rules
1. When a race team has been caught by another race team after the start,
the slower team must yield the trail to the faster team and allow for a
successful pass
2. The team being passed must follow instructions from the passing team
regarding whether to slow down and/or stop while the pass is taking
place
3. Once a team has been passed, they must allow enough distance
between them and the team that passed them so as not to distract the
faster team
4. After a team has been passed, they must wait 5 minutes or 1 mile,
whichever comes first, before attempting to pass the team which
passed them
ii. Free Passing Zone – once race teams pass through the channel between Lake of
Isles and Lake Calhoun and are on Lake Calhoun, the remainder of the course is
a “Free Passing Zone” where general passing rules do not apply; please use good
judgment and sportsmanship when passing in this zone
b. Outside Assistance
i. Outside assistance is permitted along the race course if the dogs, or any person,
are deemed to be at risk by the driver
ii. Race team handlers are not permitted to assist a team while on the course
unless picking up a team which is scratching
c. Injured Dog
i. Procedure – in the case of injury to a dog on the trail, the dog must be carried in
the sled bag if the team does not plan on scratching from the race; injured dogs
may not be handed off to handlers, volunteers, or any other individual
d. Scratching
i. Procedure – in the case of an immediate medical or veterinary concern or the
desire to scratch from the race at the musher’s discretion, race teams must find
a way to exit the course safely to meet their handlers; ideally, race teams should
notify a course marshal volunteer or other race official before exiting the
VIII.
IX.
course; if this is not possible, please contact a race official as soon as possible to
inform them of the scratch
e. Race Cut Off Time – there is no official race cut-off time, but it is expected that all teams
will finish before dark (approximately 5:30pm)
Trail Time & Finish
a. In order to capture a finish time for a race team, the timing chip attached to the driver’s
leg must cross the finish line
b. If a team crosses the finish line before its driver, the finish time for the team will
designated when the driver crosses the finish line
c. Please remember to return the timing chips at the finish; a fee will be assessed to any
race team not returning their chip
Race Official Authority
a. Race Judge – the race judge has ultimate authority over matters related to the
interpretation and enforcement of the race rules
b. Race Veterinarian – the race veterinarian has ultimate authority over matters related to
the health and well-being of the dogs competing in the race and can pull a dog or team
from the race at any time due to concerns over the safety / health of the dogs
c. Protests – all protests regarding race rule violations or other related concerns must be
voiced in person to the race judge no later than 5 minutes after the last race team
crosses the finish line and before the awards ceremony takes place