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Solstice 50/100

Sat December 18 - Sun December 19 Fairbanks, AK 99712 US Directions

Events

Solstice 50

11:00AM AKST - 12:00PM AKST
Open to ages 18 - 99.

Solstice 100

11:00AM AKST - 12:00PM AKST
Open to ages 18 - 99.

Race Website

Additional race information can be found at https://trdma.info/.

Place

23 Chena Hot Springs Rd
Fairbanks, AK US 99712

Description

Our annual Solstice 50 and 100 mile races will take place on December 18, 2021! We are so excited for this year's races and hope you'll join us to celebrate the winter solstice!

Race Contact Info

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Race Rules

2021 SOLSTICE 50/100 RACE RULES

TWO RIVERS DOG MUSHERS ASSOCIATION

(Updated August 8, 2021)

Date of Races: The 2021 Solstice 50/100 Sled Dog Race will be held on Saturday December 18, 2021.

 

Location of Races and 100 Mile Race Halfway Checkpoint: Start and Finish of both races will be at Pleasant Valley Store in Two Rivers, Alaska. The halfway checkpoint for the 100 Mile race will also be at or near the Pleasant Valley Store. The Pleasant Valley Store is located at approximately Mile 23 Chena Hot Springs Road. 

 

Qualifications: All drivers must be members in good standing with the Two Rivers Dog Mushing Association (TRDMA). Drivers must be at least 18 years of age by the start of their race. Exceptions for Juniors can be made by the Race Marshall and with one recommendation from experienced mushers with TRDMA Board approval. No one convicted of animal abuse or neglect will be eligible to enter the races. TRDMA may honor censure by any other sled dog racing organization.

 

Entry Fee: Entry fee for the 50 Mile is $85 and entry fee for the 100 Mile is $135. If not all the race slots have been filled before race day, race day sign-ups will be available for entry fees of $100/$150. Day of sign-up drivers will also need to obtain current TRDMA membership (individual annual membership is $30).

 

Limit of Entries: There will be no entry limit to either race. 

 

Registration: Sign-up will be online at the website http://trdma.info with online payment via credit or debit card, closing at 12:00 midnight Sunday December 12, 2021. There will be no sign-ups by postal mail. All fees, TRDMA annual membership and race fee, are due at time of sign-up. 

 

Refunds, Substitutions, Withdrawals, and Switching Races: Entry fees paid by a musher not allotted a starting spot will be refunded. Mushers that withdraw prior to the race start will forfeit their entire entry fee. Substitutions by mushers associated with the same kennel will be permitted. Entrants may be permitted to make a transfer of registration from the 100 Mile to 50 Mile race if the 50 Mile race; the difference in registration fee will be refunded. 

 

Race Purses: Drivers that place first, second, or third in their respective race will receive a cash award and a check will be presented at the Pleasant Valley Store Finish. The minimum purse for each race will be at least 40% of the total entry fees received for that race and will be distributed as follows: 1st: 50% of purse; 2nd: 30% of purse; and 3rd: 20% of purse.

 

Race Cancellation: If the temperature at the Pleasant Valley Store is colder than -44  at 9:00 am on Saturday December 18, 2021, the races will be postponed or cancelled at the discretion of the race officials. After the race has started, it will continue regardless of temperatures.

 

 

Day of Race Schedule: Saturday December 18, 2021 at Pleasant Valley Store 

 

9:00 - 10:00 am: Racers check in and present vaccination records. All dogs must have current rabies, distemper, and parvo vaccinations; copies of rabies certificates and purchase receipts for the other vaccinations are acceptable as proof. 

 

9:00 – 11:30 am: Vet Check and Gear Check. Dogs may be checked for health and fitness by the Race Veterinarian starting at 9:00 am on race day. Dogs considered unfit will not be allowed to start the race. A pre-race mandatory gear check will also be conducted.

 

10:00 - 10:30 am: Mandatory Drivers’ Meeting and Bib Draw. Attendance at the Drivers Meeting is required, any driver not in attendance may be subject to penalty or disqualification. The Race Marshal will address the drivers and the Trail Boss will give a trail report. Start positions will be determined at the Drivers’ Meeting by luck of the draw based upon the order entries are received. Race bibs will be distributed at this time.  

 

11:30 am: Race Starts. The 100 Mile racers will start at 11:30 am and the 50 Mile racers will start immediately after the final 100 Mile racer has started. 

 

Starting Interval: Teams will leave the starting line at two-minute intervals. Any team that cannot leave the starting line within one minute of its designated time will be required to start two minutes after the scheduled departure of the final team of the respective race. Any team that cannot leave the starting line within 30 minutes of the last team’s scheduled departure will be disqualified.

 

Mandatory Layover: Teams entered in the 100 Mile race will have a 4-hour mandatory layover at the Pleasant Valley Checkpoint, approximately at the half-way distance of the race, at or near Pleasant Valley Store. Start time differentials will be corrected for the 100 Mile racers during the mandatory layover. Teams in the 50 Mile will start and finish at Pleasant Valley Store and will not have any mandatory layovers along the race route. The start time differentials for the 50 Mile racers will be corrected at the finish.   

 

Dogs Entering and Leaving Checkpoints: Drivers must check in with all of the dogs with which they left the previous checkpoint. All dogs must leave checkpoints in harness and attached to the towline.   

Food Drop Bags and Straw for 100 Mile Race: Drop bags must be clearly marked with the driver’s name. Drivers must supply their own straw for use at the checkpoint. Handlers are responsible for delivering drop bags and straw prior to their musher’s arrival at the checkpoint. 

 

Checkpoint Procedure: The 100 Mile race checkpoint will be at or near Pleasant Valley Store.  Mandatory gear will be checked upon arrival at the checkpoint. Handlers may assist teams in and out of the checkpoints. Dogs maybe dropped at the checkpoint. The Race Veterinarian will be available at the checkpoint. A driver’s camping site at the checkpoint must be cleaned of all straw and debris. Handlers may clean the campsite, but the musher is responsible for ensuring campsites are clean. Handlers must start to clean the campsite within 30 minutes of the team leaving the checkpoint. Unsatisfactory cleanup will result in a time penalty assessed to the driver. 

 

Mandatory Gear: Mandatory gear will be checked at the race start and on arrival at the checkpoint and finish. Common sense will be applied to consumables that are used up when camping, snacking dogs, or running the race. Lost mandatory gear may be replaced prior to leaving a checkpoint. A 30-minute penalty will be assessed for each missing item. Drivers must have all mandatory gear when leaving a checkpoint. 

·         Sled equipped with a standard brake, no attached caboose or trailer

·         Cooker with 3-gallon capacity

·         Cooking gear, including fuel sufficient for at least one feeding

·         Food sufficient for at least one feeding of driver and team

·         Cold weather sleeping bag

·         Booties, 8 per dog, on the dogs or in the sled

·         Hand ax with an overall length of at least 22 inches

·         A pair of snowshoes with bindings

·         Headlamp

·         Snow hook

·         Assigned starting bib, which must be visible at all times

 

Number of Dogs: Drivers must start the race with no fewer than eight (8) dogs and not more than twelve (12) dogs. 50 Mile racers must finish with all dogs they started with, on the line or in the sled basket. 100 Mile racers may drop dogs at the halfway checkpoint, but must finish with no fewer than five (5) dogs on their team. No dogs can be added to a team after the start. 

 

Proof of Vaccination and Vet Check: All dogs must have proof of current vaccination for:

·         Rabies

·         Distemper

·         Canine Parvovirus

 

Proof of current vaccination must be presented at pre-race check-in. Copies of rabies certificates and purchase receipts for the other vaccinations are acceptable as proof.  Dogs may be checked for health and fitness by a licensed veterinarian starting at 9:00 am on race day. Dogs considered unfit will not be allowed to start race. 

 

Mistreatment of Dogs is Prohibited: Mistreatment of dogs will cause immediate disqualification. Such an action will also be reported to all major race organizations. Signal whips and dogs requiring muzzles are not permitted. The Race Marshall will have absolute authority over this matter. 

Dropped dogs (100 Mile Race): Injured, sick, or fatigued dogs must be dropped at the designated Checkpoint. Drivers and handlers are responsible for their own dropped dogs.  Drivers must have the means to safely carry dogs in the sled bag. Dogs cannot be led behind a sled or loose. Drivers will be responsible for any veterinary fees incurred by a sick, injured, or expired dog.

Drugs: Injectable, oral, or topical drugs are prohibited. Drugs that may suppress the signs of illness or injury may not be used, put in drop bags, or carried in the sled. 

Expired Dogs: Any dog that expires during the race for any reason must be taken to the next checkpoint or returned to the checkpoint last passed (e.g. the start or finish) and reported immediately to race officials. The death of any dog may result in the withdrawal or disqualification of the driver, and/or possible prohibition from entering future TRDMA races. The Race Marshall and Race Veterinarian may require a necropsy be conducted on the expired dog at the expense of the owner/driver. 

Following the Trail: All teams must follow the trail as marked. Deviations/shorter routes will be assessed a time penalty. Every effort will be made to keep trail markers in place, but TRDMA cannot be responsible for acts of nature or malicious acts. Two stakes on the side of the trail indicates an upcoming turn on that side of the trail; e.g. a left turn will have two markers side-by-side on the left-hand side of the trail; a right-hand turn will have two markers on the right.  Intersections that are to be traveled straight through will have a single marker on the right and left side of the trail. 

 

Calling Trail:  Respect your fellow racers. If you are being overtaken by another team within 50 feet of your team and the driver is calling trail you must stop your team. This means stop. Do not just lightly touch your brake. It is your responsibility to ensure your team isn’t interfering with the other team while passing and to have your sled pulled over as far as you can out of the way.  The passed team must remain behind at least 5 minutes before asking for the trail right-of-way to re-pass.

Keep the Trail Clear: Drivers resting their team must keep the trail clear of dogs, food, and gear at all times as to not obstruct the trail for other mushers. 

Littering is Prohibited:  A minimum 30-minute time penalty will be assessed for littering on the trail. Be respectful to our trails and dogs. Some dogs like to eat candy wrappers and other waste tossed onto the trail. Dog booties and excessive amounts of dog food left on the trail are considered littering. Excessive dog food left on the trail is also considered tampering with another team’s race.

Tampering:  Tampering with another driver’s dogs, food truck, trailer, dog box, or gear will result in disqualification from the race and possibly exclusion from future races. The above are examples and tampering is not limited to those alone. Drivers are responsible for the actions of their handlers, friends, and associates. 

Outside Assistance:  No planned help is allowed in the race. Handlers may assist in guiding the team to the start and finish area and parking the team at the checkpoint in the 100 Mile race. No driver may receive outside assistance between the start and finish unless an emergency exists.  No driver may accept assistance from a motorized vehicle, including pacing. Pacing or help from a team outside the race is prohibited. A lost team will not be disqualified if the driver regains control and the team and driver complete the course and comply with the rules, including checkpoint requirements. A driver may receive assistance from another driver in recovering a lost team. Outside assistance will be allowed only if a team is unmanageable. The Race Marshall decision concerning this will be final.  

Protests: A driver may protest any action of a competitor that they feel is contrary to the intent of these rules. To be recognized as a legitimate protest, the infraction(s) observed by a musher must be presented to a race official in writing at the musher’s earliest convenience (at the next checkpoint preferably), and in no case more than 24-hours after a musher finishes the race. 

Appeals: Drivers may appeal Race officials’ decisions or penalties assessed by submitting, in writing, an account of the circumstances surrounding the decision or penalty being appealed.  The appeal must be submitted to a race official no more than 24 hours after the incident or driver’s race finish. An Appeals Board will be convened within 24 hours after the appeal being received. The Appeals Board will consist of a TRMA director, a Rules Committee member, a Race Committee member and, if veterinary issues are involved, the Race Veterinarian. An informal hearing will be held at that time. Decisions of the Appeals Board will be final.  

Time Penalties: All time penalties will be applied at the finish.

Withdrawal from the Race: A driver who would like to withdraw may do so at the start, finish, or checkpoint. If the driver lives in the local area and feels their team cannot make it to the checkpoint or finish line, please let officials know as soon as possible that you have chosen to drive your team home. If you choose to scratch alongside the road to be picked up by your handler, you must also let race officials know as soon as possible that you have withdrawn from the race.

Good Sportsmanship: Drivers shall conduct themselves in a courteous and honorable manner at all times. Officials, media, volunteers, and fans are all equal participants in the race and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain a good rapport with them at all times.  

Directions

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