John Patchett - 13th to 15th February 2004 - European Championships (purebred) in AURONZO DI CADORE

Greame Scott & Pete Carroll - 13th to 15th February 2004 - European Championships in Wildsteig, Germany

John Patchett - 24th, 25th January 2004 - Dutch/French Championship (purebred) - MIEUSSY SOMMAND (France)

Here is some information on the event :-

Saturday January 10 : Stage 1: Night: Village of the LARGE BORNAND

Sunday January 11 : Stage 2: departure on line. LARGE BORNAND-Valley of Bouchet

Monday January 12 : Stage 3: MERIBEL - High altitude airport with 11 H

Tuesday January 13 : Stage 4: MERIBEL - High altitude airport with 11 H

Wednesday January 14 : Day of rest to PEISEY NANCROIX

Thursday January 15 : Stage 5: PEISEY NANCROIX with 9 H

Friday January 16 : Stage 6: PEISEY NANCROIX with 9 H

Saturday January 17 : Stage 7: St GERVAIS with 11 H

Sunday January 18 : Stage 8: St GERVAIS with 11 H - Finale

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE STAGES

The LARGE BORNAND (1150 m)

The station accomodates NED for 13°année and it is at the base of the creation of the Trophy of Savoy.
High place of the Scandinavian sport and the sport of sledge, the station of Large Bornand always answered present at the great appointments.
The tracks of the Trophy are there 9 and 11,5 km.
Night L?étape, commune with all the categories measures 9 km.

Meribel-high altitude airport (1820 m)

Like Large Bornand, Méribel is also a station in which the Trophy of Savoy makes stage regularly.
Ensured snowing up, of the technical and remarkably prepared tracks and professionalism d?une Olympic station of standing make of Méribel l?un great appointments of the sport of sledge.
Distances: ski joring, 2 dogs, 4 dogs = 9 km
6 dogs, 8 dogs and more = 11 km

PEISEY NANCROIX (1550 m)

Scandinavian station of Tarentaise, brood to the c?ur of the solid mass of Vanoise, the foot of the Northern face of Bellecôte, the site of Peisey Nancroix is one of the principal sites of biathlon (championships of France 2003).
Distances: ski joring, 2 dogs and 4 dogs = 9 km
6 dogs, 8 dogs and more = 13 km.

SAINT GERVAIS (1500 m)

The final tests will proceed on the basic ski pistes connecting Bettex to St Nicolas de Veroce, mainly in forest, vis-a-vis the chain of the Mount Blanc.
They are the tracks borrowed by the annual races of ski touring.
Distances: ski joring, 2 dogs and 4 dogs = 10 km
6 dogs, 8 dogs and more = 14 km

Updates :-

News :-
Thu 15th - Race back on.
Fri 16th - Early start
Sat 17th - Back to Meribel for Night Stage
Sun 18th - Last stage, at Meribel.
Stages moved to Meribel, as there is no snow at St. Gervais.

Keith :-
11-Jan ~ Currently in 1st place.
12-Jan ~ Had a good run today, no results currently available.
13-Jan ~ No racing, snow rained away.
14-Jan ~ Rest Day.
Final Place - 1st, way to go Keith.

Dougie:-
11-Jan ~ Returning home with sick dog.

John :-
11-Jan ~ Not doing to well yet.
12-Jan ~ Better run today, but still room for improvement.
13-Jan ~ No racing today, snow rained away.
14-Jan ~ Rest Day.
Final Place - 3rd

Alan Stewart - 17th to 24th January 2004 - The Alpen Trail

Here is some information on this trip, from Alan :-

This winter I will take my sleddog team to one of the very best sleddog events in Europe "The Alpen Trail". We will start in Switzerland head over 2 areas of  Alps then finishing up in Italy. We will train in Austria for 1 week before the event. The event is 350 kms and will be run over 2 weeks day & night. This venture will see our team staying out in remote Alpen mountain areas & we are  backed by Terra Nova who will be supplying extreme winter tents & sleeping bags, Scottish outdoor clothing company Slioch are supplying all our clothing specially made for this sleddog race & I have a major 4X4 truck company backing us with a top of the range twin cab truck Links Motors. Eukanuba UK are the dog food backers. Dogbooties.com (MN) are supplying all the dogs kit.

BBC Scotland are having live radio talk-ins during the event, plus The Press & Journal are covering the event daily, a GPS company are looking into tracking the team across the Alps, there is talk also of a film being made of the venture.

With me on the trip will be two Diving Superintendents who also have worked for SCS all their offshore diving  lives. We will be the only team representing the UK/Scotland at this event. Each team in every stage has to be inside the time set by the first 3 finishers or they will be disqualified. I have 12 dogs on UK passports in my kennel only 8 will go to this event. We have around 12 miles of trail at the centre plus when we cross the road we have an abundance of trails to train in here in Aviemore. Minimum distance on a stage will be 50K. The event is run by the Alpen Trail club and is part of the Bavarian club, I am a member of both.

The Event: 17 - 24 Jan 2004
Click on the logo for results.

Backers :-

Truck (similar to the above) supplied by Link Motors


Offshore Diving Company

Pro Flex Harnesses