Great start for Finnmarksløpet

It was crowded, the atmosphere was great, and the weather was really nice when the first dog teams started from the centre of Alta in this year's Finnmarksløp. 47 dog teams are starting in the 500 km race, and 36 are starting in the 1000 km race.

The degrees were on the plus side, and the sun was shining, making it almost too warm for the excited participants of this year's Finnmarksløp. Elisabeth Edland from Nannestad was the first to start the race today. Then in rapid succession the other 82 participants followed. There are mushers from 14 different countries in this year's race, a fact that confirms the strong position Finnmarksløpet has gotten as one of the toughest and most spectacular long distance sled dog races, both nationally and internationally.

Some of the people watching today were a bit concerned because there isn't as much snow as usual this year, but according to the experienced musher Bjørnar Leistad the tracks are nevertheless relatively good and firm. It will however be a challenge to avoid wrist injury on the dogs, Leistad continues. - If the mushers aren't careful on the way toward Skoganvarre it would not be surprising if some of them have to leave dogs there already.