Too hard for Harder

Stein Are Harder had to quit half way. He parked his sleigh at home in Kirkenes.

- Fifteen minutes after Neiden it all went wrong. I realized that at least four dogs had to be taken out, and I would be left with a team of only seven. I quit for the dogs' sake. To continue would make them suffer, Harder says.

Harder is self-criticial about his preparations before the 1000 km.

- My dogs were simply not trained well enough. Also, I have a lot to learn when it comes to competing in such long races as this one, says the musher who won the 500 km last year.

- Looking back there are a lot of things I should have done differently. I should have trained differently and been better on routines during the race. I need to be more cool at the start of the race and prepare the work on the dogs at checkpoints better, Harder says.

Harder who quit half way in the race is disappointed, but feels that he has done the only right thing.

- It is hard, in some ways it feels like a whole year has been wasted. At the same time, I have learnt a lot, says Harder who is not going to participate on the 1000 km next year.