How Greenland's Sled Dogs Entered a Diplomatic Row
One of the biggest events in Greenland's sporting calendar starts with the sound of 400 barking sled dogs. Husky-sized, with dense fur like arctic foxes, the dogs howl in anticipation of the start of the race. And then they're off, sleds battling for the lead, dogs running over one another, their paws kicking up snow as mushers scramble to prevent a tangle of ropes.
Avannaata Qimussersua, or 'The Great Race of the North,' rarely garners attention outside Greenland. Unlike Alaska's Iditarod or the Finnmarksløpet in Norway, the Avannaata Qimussersua is a 40-kilometer (25-mile) sprint, not a multi-day marathon. Last year, fur-clad announcers from the national broadcaster narrated the sleds' progress to thousands watching on YouTube. When winner Thomas Thygesen crossed the finish line after less than two hours, his dogs were greeted with a bucket of raw meat as a dozen or so onlookers lifted him and his sled above their heads.
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