Pirena 2007: Dog Sledging in the Pyrenees Mountains
Do you like the mountaints? Snow? Dogs? Skiing? Would you like to enjoy all those elements combined in a sports competition? So it’s about time you go to the Pirena dog sledging, a competition traverse for dog sledges that has been held since 1991 in the Pyrenees Mountains. This year is held between La Partacua and La Molina, covering the French and Spanish sides of the Pyrenees. Dates: between the 20th January and the 3rd February.
For 15 days and 15 nights, 200 people and 600 dogs will face the daily race challenges. The discipline originally comes from Alaska, and is known as mushing. The tournament comprises two independent disciplines: sledges (vehicles with blades or skis, which slide over ice and snow) with various categories according to number of dogs; skijörging, where each competitor skis behind his/her dog, attached to it with a rope and spring. Both disciplines are open to all kinds of dogs.
La Partacua, Aramon Formigal, Candanchú, Baqueira Beret, Port Ainé, Plateau de Beille, Grandvalira, La Rabassa, Font Romeu and La Molina will be the scenes where the crossing will pass by. The positive experience lived with the participation of Manel Ávila, a handicapped musher, in Pirena 2006 who changed his wheelchair by an adapted sled, and Úrsula Pueyo, a mallorquin 22-years-old girl, who lost a leg in an accident, motivated that this year they repeat the challenge. Beltrand Tramont, a rallyes driver that has become handicapped due to a traffic accident will participate in the White Route of the Pyrenees.
Pirena is consolidated as the most important sleddog event in the European calendar because of its extraordinary length and the high standard of its entrants. It is a race scoring for the IFSS World Cup (International Federation of Sleddog Sports) and for the ESDRA Europe Cup. Pirena has also been declared as official competition of the Catalan Winter Sports Federation (FCEH), of the Spanish Royal Winter Sports Federation (RFEDI) and of the Federation Française de chiens à traîneau (FFST).
Useful Information
Pirena
Calle Fontanills, 83
08320 El Masnou (Barcelona)
Phone: +34 935403956
Fax: +34 935403951
Dates: 1/20/2007 - 2/3/2007
