Farewell 2012, hello 2013 !

The 2012 season of sleddogs races is now over. Mushers enjoy the last snow for the final runs on sled before spring definitively establishes itself. And now in everyone's head, the 2012 edition of La Grand Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc has given way to the 2013 edition.

One of the many amazing landscapes seen on La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc 2012

Immediately after the finish of the race, the teams of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc have started to work to take benefit of the beautiful and very successful eighth edition and to prepare the ninth. The 2013 edition should look mostly like the 2012's one in terms of course and stages. Like every year, the trail will be adapted to ensure the holding of a high-level competition for the canine and human athletes in which they can fully develop their potential. Once the route is finalized, it will be posted on the site.

As in 2012, in addition to La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc, its 750 km and 35,000 meters cumulative ascent, two Trophies will be organized. Each one run over three days, two races to help mushers looking for experience to test themselves on the trails of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc. As it was done in 2012, three tickets for the double-trophy will be open to mushers preparing La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc in 2014.

An impressive caravan of 40 dogs in training in Hodalen, Norway.

Like every year, new mushers will try the unique adventure that is LGO. In Norway, where he settled, Jean-Philippe Pontier is still enjoying exceptional snow on the plateau near his kennel. There, he can still train on sled in preparation for the 2013 season and is testing young dogs that will enter his racing team in August. Jean-Philippe shares some training with his Norwegian neighbours. He lately travelled the plateau along with Einar Sand Semmingsen and Morten Paulsen. The two Norwegian mushers have been put under pressure by their french neighbour and they begin to seriously consider participating in La Grande Odyssée, perhaps as early as 2013. Will they dare to face the challenge proposed by Jean-Philippe? The impressive results of the French should encourage them, with the same conditions of training he has and the advices he would share, they would for sure stand as tough competitors. To be continued ...

Einar Sand Semmingsen already wears the LGO jacket, a premonition?