Preamble

           The Klondike 300 is a sled dog race for cash prizes open to all mushers meeting the qualifications as set forth by the Board of Directors of the Big Lake Aurora Lions Club.

 

Race Administration, Procedure, and Policy

Rule #1.  Pre-race requirements, qualifications, and administrative policy.

1. Early entry fee is $500.00 through December 31, 2008.  Entries will be accepted by the committee beginning November 1, 2008.  All entries must include the musher’s notarized Release of Liability.  Early entry fee ($500.00) less 25%  is refundable through December 31, 2008 upon receipt of written request (mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered to Big Lake Aurora Lions Club…..PO Box 521020  , Big Lake, AK 99652,  Phone 907-892-7691 , Fax 907-892- 5372.  In an extreme emergency, written entry fee refund request may be made through January 15, 2009.  Late entry fee is $600.00 (cash, money order, or cashier’s check only) and must be paid before or during veterinary exam January 15, 2009.  The mandatory veterinary exam, food drop, and position drawing will be held January 15, 2009.  A team may be entered in the name of owner, sponsor, musher, or other name the entrant chooses.  The musher must be designated at the time of entry.  No musher under the age of 18 may start the race.  An entrant may substitute a musher for the designated musher by notifying the Race Committee accordingly and submitting the substitute’s notarized participant’s release at any time before the mushers’ meeting (7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 15, 2009).  Each musher must be present at the mushers’ meeting and drawing on January 15, 2009, 7:30 p.m. at the Big Lake Lions Den, (behind Big Lake cat house), Big Lake,  Alaska. Substitution after that time is subject to the race marshal’s approval.    
2. A pre-race exam of each dog (up to 18 dogs should you need to substitute a dog),  to participate in the race is mandatory.  A pre-race examination will be provided at no charge by Big Lake Aurora Lions Club on Thursday, January 15, 2009.  The examination will be at the Big Lake Lions den.  Mushers will be assigned times alphabetically by their last names as follows:

      A through I, 10:00 a.m.; J through Q, 11:00 a.m.; R through Z, 1:00 p.m.  Alternatively, the musher may present a certificate of pre-race examination conducted no earlier than one week before the 2009 Klondike 300 Race start by a veterinarian of his choice. Mushers must provide proof of current vaccinations for canine distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, and rabies.  All paperwork and forms must be completed and presented at the named pre-race examination location on January 15, 2009.  Any delay in presenting a team (and properly completed paperwork) for examination will result in a monetary penalty.

1. Mushers will be charged $20.00 for transportation of each dropped dog back to the Tug Bar.  Mushers wishing to transport their own dropped dogs are encouraged to do so.  Mushers must make arrangements for pick-up and care of dogs returned to the Tug Bar, (be sure to fill out the dropped dog contact included in the entry form).  The $20.00 dropped dog fee must  be paid before the dog is released.  Be sure to bring sufficient dropped dog lines (see Rules of Competition #8). The Committee accepts no liability  or legal responsibility for dropped dogs. 
2. Dog food must be delivered to the Race Committee at the Big Lake Lions den, Big Lake, Alaska between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on January 15, 2009 to be eligible for free delivery to the checkpoint food drops.  All food must be clearly marked with the musher’s name and the checkpoints to which it is to be delivered.  The Committee will not be responsible for food delivered before or after the scheduled time.  One bale of straw and six bottles of Heet fuel per checkpoint per team will be provided.  Mushers must make their own arrangements for other equipment shipped to the checkpoints.
3. After the race, the banquet will be held Wednesday, January 21, 2009, @ 7:30 pm. at the Tug Bar, Knik-Goose Bay Road.  The post-race mushers’ meeting will directly precede the banquet. 
4. A purse of $20,000 has been guaranteed and paid since the 2005 Klondike 300.  This goal will be met or surpassed in 2009.
5. Since the Klondike 300 is an Iditarod qualifier, Rules of Iditarod 2008 (possibly some of 2009) will prevail where applicable.  Specifically, #s 12, 17, 20-28, 30-39, 43, and 46 are applicable as is.  Rules #13-16,  26,  29, 42, 44, 45, and 49-52 are applicable with necessary adjustments.  In order to qualify for the Iditarod, rookies must finish in the top 75% of the field, or in an elapsed time of no more than twice the elapsed time of the race winner. 

                                              Rules of Active Competition

Rule #1.  Start and Finish. Start at the Tug Bar on Knik-Goosebay road Jan. 17, 2009 @ 1:00 P.M.  Mushers must start in their drawn position at three minute intervals with bibs on.  Bibs must be worn while on the trail.  Mushers must provide sufficient handlers to control their own teams.  Mushers unable to start in their allotted times must start three minutes after the last musher.  The nose of the first dog across the finish line constitutes the official finish time for each team.  Mushers must start with a minimum of twelve (12) and a maximum of sixteen (16) dogs and travel and finish with no less than five (5) dogs pulling. 

Rule #2.  Trail.

      Mushers must follow the marked and proscribed race trail.  Leaving the trail for competitive advantage is prohibited.  Teams and mushers must traverse the entire trail.

  Rule #3.  Help.
     Mushers must accept no help other than by officials on the trail or in checkpoints, and are always responsible for all elements of their dogs’ care.  In emergency situations, mushers may accept help from fellow racers.  A musher may use any means to recover a lost team.

  Time advantages resulting from the use of outside or motorized assistance will be adjudicated by the race judge or marshal.  All such assistance must be reported by mushers involved.  (Iditarod Rules #18-19)

Rule #4.  Checkpoint Protocol.
 
 Mushers must sign in at each checkpoint and sign out at each layover checkpoint.  The number of dropped dogs must be declared before leaving each checkpoint.  The musher must fill out a dropped dog form for each dog by printing the name and ID tag #  of the dog and the reason it’s being dropped.   Mushers may not officially sign into a checkpoint without all dogs that left the previous checkpoint.  Dropped dogs may not be returned to the team.  Each dropped dog must have a cable neckline attached to its collar.  (See required equipment Rule #8)  Questions as to water, food, dogs or trail should be directed to checkers and race officials only.  No outside assistance.

      Mushers must sign in and check through Deshka checkpoint both ways.  No parking at this checkpoint; no food or dog drop.  Yentna is a dog drop and double food drop.  Angel Haven Lodge ( 60 miles up the Yentna River, over land from lake creek ), is a dog drop and food drop.  Mushers must take a six hour layover at Yentna outbound.  The time differential will be made (added) to the six hours’ layover at Yentna outbound.  Mushers must take six hours at Angel haven lodge, (half way point), and six hours at Yentna inbound and sign in and check through Deshka inbound. Mushers must not leave a layover checkpoint without signing out.

 Rule #5.  Litter.

      All litter must be properly disposed of at checkpoints in designated areas and may not be left at camping spots, other spots along the trail, or layover spots.

Rule #6.  Passing.

      When any team approaches within 50 feet of another team, the team behind has the immediate right of way upon demand.  The musher ahead must stop his dogs and hold them to the best of his ability for a maximum of one minute or until the other team has passed, whichever occurs first.  The passed team must remain behind at least fifteen minutes before demanding the trail.  The passing rule does not apply in No Man’s Land, which will be identified to mushers at the pre-race mushers’ meeting. 

Rule #7.  Sled.

      Mushers must utilize the same sled throughout except in the case of a broken sled.  No sleds may be shipped out to any of the checkpoints along the trail prior to the race.  In the event of a broken sled that cannot reasonably be repaired as determined by the race marshal, a musher may use whatever means possible to obtain a replacement sled and continue the race. 

Rule #8.  Mandatory Equipment.

Each musher must carry as required equipment at all times the following equipment:

• Sleeping bag
• Ax
• Minimum two sets of booties for each dog; on the dogs or in the sled
• Operational cooker and pot capable of boiling at least three gallons of water
• One pair of snowshoes
•  Adequate amount of fuel to bring three gallons of water to a boil
•  Cable gangline or cable tie-out capable of securing team
•  Two pounds of dog food per dog, at start and when leaving all checkpoints except Deshka
•  Minimum of ten cable necklines ( either on the dogs or in the sled ),  for securing dropped dogs, at start.  Cable necklines must be between sixteen (16) and eighteen (18) inches and have a snap at one end and a loop at the other.  Each dropped dog must have a cable neckline attached to its collar.

The first seven items on this list must meet Iditarod specifications.  (Iditarod Rule #16)
 
Rule #9.  Dogs.

1. All dogs are subject to a mandatory veterinary examination prior to, during, or immediately after the race.  Dogs not deemed fit to begin or continue the race may be removed from the race at the discretion of the veterinarian
2. The race veterinarian may require the musher to delay his team at a checkpoint if the veterinarian believes the dogs in the team require additional rest. 
3. No injectable substances, performance-enhancing prescription drugs, drugs masking pain or illness, or force feeding or watering may be used on any dog which is to continue the race.  Any dog so treated will be dropped. (Iditarod Rule #39)

Rule #10.   Humane Treatment Standards.
     Unsafe or inhumane treatment of dogs is not permitted.  Whips may not be carried or used during the race.  Negligent or inadequate care of dogs will be considered inhumane treatment.

Rule #11.  Dog Deaths.
             Any dog which dies on the trail must be transported on the sled, completely under cover, to the next checkpoint.  The dog will be necropsied by the veterinarian.  This procedure will be at the musher’s expense of $100.00.  The musher may, at the discretion of the chief veterinarian and the race marshal, continue the race.  A cooperative or mandatory delay may be necessary.

Rule #12.  Sportsmanship.

             Mushers must conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner.  Discussions about these rules or other aspects of the race must be conducted with race officials at the appropriate time and place.  At all race functions, conduct detrimental to the Klondike 300, its race committee,  sponsors, volunteers, spectators or competitors is subject to penalty.  Traditional race logic and customary courtesy will prevail.

Rule #13.  Protest.
             Any observed violations of the race rules should be reported to a race official at the next checkpoint or within twelve hours of the time that the musher registering the protest crosses the finish line, and in no case later than the post-race mushers’ meeting.

Rule #14.  Penalties.
       Rule violations subject the violator to the following range of penalties: 

1. Warning (oral or written)
2. Time delay
3. Censure (public or private)
4. Disqualification
5. Monetary
6. Ineligibility for future races

Penalties 1-5 may be administered by race officials.  Penalty 6 will be administered by the race committee.       

Klondike 300