Dogsledding Facts
Dog Sledding is the using a dog sled which is pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel through snow.
A basket sled has a bed raised several inches above the surface of the snow. This type of sled is used in dogsled racing.
Sprint sleds are often short-bodied basket sleds. A toboggan sled has a lower carriage and uses a closed bed, allowing the sled to slide or float over deep snow.
Freight sleds, which are heavier and sturdier than sprint sleds, may be toboggan or basket sleds.
A dog sled race was included at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York as a demonstration event.
The komatik is a traditional Inuit sled, used in Canada and Greenland, low-slung and on which the hunter or racer sits or lies down, facing forward. The runners do not stick out as in basket sleds.
A recent innovation in sled design was introduced in the 2004 Iditarod by Jeff King, who used a split sled for the race. This sled, the Tail Dragger, has a basket-style body with a freight-holding back end, and an open middle. The musher can sit on the back part or stand in the middle.
Older sleds relied on hooks attached to the sled with a rope, modern sleds usually include drag and claw brakes built into the sled.
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