Step Aside Iditarod! - Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve will be at the center of the Sleddog Universe This Winter
TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - While the Iditarod may be the first place that comes to mind when you think about sleddogs, a facility in Haliburton, Ontario will be stealing Alaska's thunder for nine days this winter. Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve, a privately-owned ecological marvel that continually breaks new ground, is set to host the 2017 Winter Sleddog World Championships from January 24 to February 1, 2017.
Known colloquially as the "World Dogsledding Championships," 11 countries represented by 261 teams will descend on the Haliburton Highlands, topping the previous records of 136 teams at the 2013 event in Alaska and 170 teams at the 2015 event in Germany.
This international event is a collaborative effort between Haliburton Forest, the Canadian Association of Harness Dog Sports (CAHDS) and the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS). The event is also proud to announce #MyHaliburtonHighlands as a sponsor. Events include skijoring, pulka, relays, dogsled sprints, mid-distance events, and even a sprint known as "unlimited" where anywhere from 18 to 22 dogs will pull one sled with one musher.
Spectators can view all the events from a number of locations, whether it's the start/finish line or along the route on picturesque MacDonald Lake. Admission is free, with a nominal $5 fee of per vehicle for parking. Spectators may enjoy snowshoeing, slide down our toboggan hill and visit the Wolf Centre while on site. It doesn't get any more Canadian than this event, at a time when the nation is celebrating its 150th birthday!
A Short History of the International Federation of Sleddog Sports
IFSS held the first Winter Sleddog World Championship in Saint Moritz, Switzerland, in 1990. Since 1995, the event has been held every two years. The Winter Sleddog World Championship was last hosted in Canada in 2009 in Daaquam, Quebec.
Bringing the 2017 IFSS Winter Sleddog World Championship to Haliburton Forest's 400 kilometers of trails has allowed, for the first time, to host all classes at one location. In 1998, Haliburton Forest became the first Forest Stewardship Council-certified sustainable forest in Canada. The company's revenues are equally generated by sustainable forest management and low-impact ecotourism. Visitors to this area can witness first-hand the breakthroughs in forest management and conservation while enjoying a world-class event.
For a schedule of events, information about location, scheduling, volunteering, and venues please visit http://www.worlddogsleddingchampionships.ca.
SOURCE Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd
Onsite - Project Manager, Tegan Legge, Email: [email protected], Phone: 800-631-2198 ext. 210; Media & Sponsorship, Digital Reno Agency Inc., Email: [email protected], Phone: 705-640-0017; IFSS Media Rep., Sarah Warford, Email: [email protected]
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