The Under Dog 100 dog sled race is designed to be one for the smaller kennels.

But this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 race saw some international flavour, including one musher whoSA国际影视传媒檚 considered to be the best of them all.

The 2023 edition was held on March 24 at North Arm Park with 11 mushers lining up at the start. It was a six-dog, 100-mile (161-km) straight run with checkpoints at Old Fort Rae and Trout Rock Lodge before heading back to the finish line. Mushers took off from the start line in a staggered-start format under the watchful eye of race marshal Trevor Bower.

Marcel Marin was the winner this year, finishing in a time of seven hours and 33 minutes, the only musher to break the eight-hour barrier.

He said the conditions on race day were much better this year than in 2022.

SA国际影视传媒淲e started in the morning at around -27 C and it went up to -8 C by the afternoon,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot better than the -40 C or so we had last year. Everyone was more comfortable and the dogs ran better because of it.SA国际影视传媒�

Like most races, there were mandatory rest periods at the checkpoints along the way. Each musher had to stop for four hours at some point while out on the trails SA国际影视传媒� all four hours could be taken at once or they could have been split into two stops of two hours.

Marin said most of the mushers did the two-and-two rest, but some decided to do all four hours at one spot and take their chances.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a bit of a chess game out there SA国际影视传媒� do you split them up or do you rest for all four hours?,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The trail out near Trout Rock Lodge was put in by Ragnar Wesstrom, the lodgeSA国际影视传媒檚 owner, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 something Marin said Wesstrom has been doing for many years.

SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檒l go out and drag the trail all the way to North Arm Park before the race,SA国际影视传媒� Marin said. SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檚 been a big supporter of the race and we canSA国际影视传媒檛 thank him enough for all the work he does to make it happen.SA国际影视传媒�

The checkpoints also represented a chance for mushers to get some sustenance during the rest periods and Marin said those were overseen by volunteer Jamie Hynes.

SA国际影视传媒淗e put together an amazing spread for everyone,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎ll sorts of food, coffee, tea, carpets on the ground. He did all that as a volunteer and I know the mushers all appreciated that very much.SA国际影视传媒�

The international contingent included Martin Early, who flew in from New Zealand just to take part in the race, along with Kathleen Frederick from Alaska, a part-time musher whose full-time job consists of being an administrative law judge in Anchorage.

The big celebrity this year, though, was Jeff King of Alaska. King is considered to be one of the most successful mushers ever; Marin referred to King as the Wayne Gretzky of dog mushing. King is one of just five mushers to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race four times (1993, 1996, 1998 and 2006), along with a win in the Yukon Quest in 1989 and several other major races.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was at least a 10,000-km round trip for King and he brought Martin (Early) with him so he could run JeffSA国际影视传媒檚 second team,SA国际影视传媒� said Marin. SA国际影视传媒淛eff said he came because he said he liked the idea of a six-dog race.SA国际影视传媒�

Even though it was a smaller race than the Iditarod, Marin said beating King was a honour.

SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檚 67 years old, but heSA国际影视传媒檚 a tough 67,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗e took it slow at the start, but once he came around the turn (at Trout Rock Lodge), he started catching a lot of mushers. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 the best for a reason and we all got to see just how great he really is.SA国际影视传媒�

Before the racing, the tourists got a chance to visit various landmarks and attractions in Yellowknife, including the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and the Snow Castle.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey absolutely loved it,SA国际影视传媒� said Marin. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e used to it because we live here and we see them all the time, but you see how much they get into it and it makes you smile.SA国际影视传媒�

Here are the official results of the race:

1st SA国际影视传媒� Marcel Marin (seven hours, 33 minutes)

2nd SA国际影视传媒� Jeff King (eight hours, four minutes)

3rd SA国际影视传媒� Jesika Reimer (eight hours, 10 minutes)

4th SA国际影视传媒� Martin Early (eight hours, 34 minutes)

5th SA国际影视传媒� Craig Houghton (eight hours, 46 minutes)

6th SA国际影视传媒� Kathleen Frederick (eight hours, 47 minutes)

7th SA国际影视传媒� Anna Nordin (nine hours, one minute)

8th SA国际影视传媒� Chavez Marin SA国际影视传媒� (nine hours, nine minutes)

9th SA国际影视传媒� Silas Godber (nine hours, 27 minutes)

10th SA国际影视传媒� Ilana Kingsley (10 hours, 29 minutes)

11th SA国际影视传媒� Eric Marsden (eight hours, 58 minutes)*

source: Under Dog 100

*Eric Marsden was placed last after he asked for assistance from another sled to carry one of his dogs. The race rules stipulate that every musher must return with everything they leave the start line with, including dogs.