Junior North american championships

After the world Championships in Anchorage we did very little prep for the North Americans. When we go to races we take 16 dogs with us. The idea is this. When the dogs on the truck are raced then the others that are not raced should train the same distance. Reason: So they all have the same conditioning and miles on them. This way no one gets out of shape and behind. This doesn't happen enough. IT is hard to do for one dog driver. It is necessary and I will tell you why it is.
WHen we went to Fairbanks for the Junior North Americans in Fairbanks Rachel had an option to race in two classes the six and the four dog classes. When this happens it actually weakens each team to a certain amount. Rachel picked out each team. I was not in agreement but Let her do it anyhow.
In order to build a good four dog team she dipped into her world championship team. She had one leader in standing heat that should not have ran. She also had a cough going around in the kennel. This left out two leaders one in heat and one with an exceptionally bad cough. Her four dog team had two dogs on it from her world championship team. Then to replace these dogs on her six dog team she made some rather unusual choices but that is okay. We go race to see how various dogs perform then we learn and do not repeat the mistake.
There was a total of three of out best yearlings left out to sit and two really good older sisters that should have run. One young male that Rachel figured could not make the miles. This dog needs to be trained to do this or sold. Not sitting on the truck all the time.

Day one came and Rachel ran very conservative on her first day. Which was awesome. The trail there goes down hill for quite a ways mile or more. You need to slow the team down while going down that hill. OR the dogs go slow coming up the hill. This you do not want. On day one she was in the lead by a few seconds in the four dog. In the six dog she was third by 26 seconds in the six dog race. Both teams in the six dog race are very competitive. So she had to be right on the money with her plan. She was she was sitting perfect on day one.

Day two her had was forced. She had to push harder in the six dog the four dog she just had to speed up a bit. In the six dog race she had to be in contention for the last day. that meant she had to push them a little harder to be in the running. These six dog teams were within seconds of each other. after day two she lengthened her lead in the four dog race and she was first on the second day in the six dog but just by seconds. I new then that she didn't have the team she needed to dominate at the North Americans. SHe might of even had dogs in the team to drop for day three. I asked she said no.

Day three came along and the miles on the days run is increased. Longer runs hotter days as the race went on and the trails were not good. SHe was in a good position in the four dog race and I said to her just run them and see how they do. each day in the four dog she made her lead bigger and bigger. The six dog race she was not in a good position. She was leading the race so she went out first and her competitors got to go after her and catch her. Rachel was also racing her team into a loop that her team was not familiar with. So they will slow down in there for sure. she had leader problems the leader in Standing heat did not want to perform. The older dog she put in was jumping off into the snow and a different team do just wasn't a big help all week end.

Rachel blew away the competition in the four dog race by minutes. Rachel was second in the six dog and lost first by only 10 seconds over three days of racing. . It could have been different and it will next time. The only thing that could happen that is great about all this racing is that there is learning going on during all this. I know there is.

Once again we like to thank all our sponsors for all their help. We now have 11000 km on the truck since starting out in Dec. With out our sponsors we could not make it to these championship races. Thanks again

We now run two more championships one is the adult race of Champions where we will take Rachel's team to train in the race. Leanne will run them for Rachel. Then we come back to race the Tok junior race of champions. We look forward to this.