MODALITIES
In Mushing we can differentiate between various types of disciplines based on:
Club deportivo
1. The surface on which they develop: snow or earth
2. The distance to be covered in the test: Sprint (up to 15km), medium distance (from 20km to 200km) or long distance (from 200 to 1,000km).
If we base ourselves on the differentiation according to surface, we can find the following modalities, which generally correspond to Sprint distances:
DRYLAND
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CARTS
In substitution of Mushing on snow, Mushing with a cart is born, that is, a 4-wheel cart or a tricycle, pulled by dogs. Depending on the number of dogs that pull the cart, different categories are formed. Thus DR4 is a cart pulled by 4 dogs, DR6 is a cart pulled by 6 dogs, and DR8 is a cart pulled by 8 dogs.
Likewise, these categories can still be subdivided into those that are only pulled by Nordic dogs and other dogs.
SCOOTER
In this modality, the musher handles a specific skate for mountain and mushing (not city, you can see examples in our material section) that is pulled by 1 dog (DS1) or 2 dogs (DS2).
This modality is also divided between NORDIC and OPEN (other dog breeds).
BIKEJÖRING
One of the most popular modalities in recent years is the practice of bikejoring (DBM/DBW) bicycle (generally mountain bike, MTB) pulled by 1 dog.
It is the discipline in which the highest speeds can be reached, reaching maximum peaks of more than 40km/h, and averages that exceed 30km/h.
This modality is also divided between NORDIC and OPEN (other dog breeds).
CANICROSS
Canicross (DCM/DCW), another of the most popular and fastest growing in recent years, musher and dog run together linked by a line and a belt.
Canicross is the only modality in which no distinction is made between Nordic or mixed dogs.
ON SNOW
SLED
The queen test of our sport was the form of transport in the Nordic and snowy areas during most of the year, characterized by the use of draft dogs that served to move quickly through snowy surfaces.
In competitions, the sled modality begins with the use of 2 dogs (SP2) pulling a sled, and as we have seen in the case of cars, depending on the number of dogs that pull the sled, more categories are opened, with the following denominations: sled pulled by 4 dogs (SP4), sled pulled by 6 dogs (SP6), sled pulled by 8 dogs (SP8).
This modality is also divided between NORDIC and OPEN (other dog breeds).
PULKA
The Pulka, is a small sled that is placed between the dog or dogs and the skier, (originally it was a sled that was used by hunters to store their tools and transport the game)
This sled is ballasted with 75% of the dog's weight.
In official competitions the pulka is pulled by only 1 dog, although for leisure 2 dogs can also be tied.
You can learn about the characteristics of the pulka in our materials section.
SKIJÖRING
In skijoring, the musher skis together with his dog, joined by a line, using the freestyle or skating long-distance technique, at high speed.
CANICROSS
It is the same as canicross on dryland. In this case it only changes the surface on which it is competed.
HALF & LONG DISTANCE
If we base ourselves on the differentiation by distances, in addition to the modalities already described in the upper section, which correspond to sprint distances, we also find the following modalities:
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HALF DISTANCE
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Sled or cart:
Dogs pull a sled or cart over distances of between 50km and 200km. Depending on the pulling dogs used, the following modalities are constituted: if 6 dogs pull (MD6), if 8 dogs pull (MD8), and if more than 8 sled or cart dogs already pull, the modality is called unlimited category (Mid Distance Unlimited Class -MDU). In the latter they can pull from 10 to 14 dogs, the dog pull will be marked by the race director (Race Marshall).
Skijöring:
Like sprint skijoring, the skier runs alongside the dog using the long-distance freestyle or skating technique, but unlike the sprint modality, the musher is accompanied by 2 dogs (MDS2)
LONG DISTANCE:
Sled:
For long distances the most common modality is the sled with an unlimited amount of dogs (MDU)