Yesterday we arrived in Sexten (the Dolomites) around 10AM; our final destination for AT stages 5, 6 and 7.

The night stage (stage 5) started with the first team going out at 5PM. The trail was 9kms and litten up like a runway using fire sticks. A great way in illuminating a night trail... with various spectators dotted around the trail cheering on all the teams :o)

Today was the famous AT mass start.... stage 6.

Mike took a short video clip of all the teams lined out excited at the start line and waiting for the green flag.... (click here to view)

Tomorrow (stage 7) is a repeat of today... and sadly the final stage of the Alpen Trail 2010.

Results page... (click here)

Race info... (click here)

Friday, January 22, 2010 9:06:29 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

On Mon we arrived at our Herrenstein apartment around 4 in the afternoon... and as always a warm welcome from Elfriede.

This year; the Prags stages consist of a 55 km trail and approx. 1600 meters of elevation.
The start was in Schmieden (1200 m.) in Pragsertal. We passed Bruckele up to the Plätzwiese, then down to Schluderbach.... then to the Toblach loop turning us around back up to Plätzwiese, over to the toboggan trail passing Guesthouse Brückele and then down to Schmieden for the finish. All in all... a fantastic trail.
We did the first day (Stage 3) in 03:20:27 and the second day (Stage 4) in 02:46:42. Our yearlings Arwin, Isis and Zeus are doing exceptionally well and I was very pleased with there performance, but Echo needs to learn to pace himself a little more.... as he tends to work to hard in the first 3/4s at the moment leaving him puffed out for the last quarter.
For our last year yearlings Kia and Storm now in there second race season... Kia is driving the team in lead next to Chrome with confidence and hard. He just needs to pick up on a few leader pointers from Chrome... maybe in time hey!
As for Storm; she has really started to develop into a nice team/wheel dog this season. Certainly Kia and Storm have picked up the pace of the team for AT this year along with the other yearlings :o)

Results page... (click here)

Tomorrow we move again to Sexten.... for the night stage followed by the last two stages of the race.

Race info... (click here)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 8:37:28 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Dieter.... AT cook :o)


Starting shoot






Team Winterpaws heading towards the finish line of stage 1


Brother Mike


Our dogs after stage 1. (click here for dog pool info)

Results page... (click here)

Today we say goodbye to Lu and our apartment in Muestair.... and drive to Prags Italy ready for stages 3 & 4.

Race info... (click here)

Monday, January 18, 2010 10:13:53 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

All our dogs that trained in Sweden for this years Alpen Trail got the OK. Stage one kicks off tomorrow in Lu, Switzerland :o)

Our dog pool... (click here)

Updated Alpen Trail's participants list... (click here)

Results page... (click here)

Friday, January 15, 2010 9:25:34 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

We arrived safe and sound at our apartment in Muestair around 3PM... dogs have been fed and watered, just got to feed ourselves now.... and then we are ready for bed. Tomorrow is vet check!!!

News
Thursday, January 14, 2010 5:51:27 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

8 o'clock this morning we started our long drive down to the Alps.
At 11:15 we drove through Sundvals (Sweden).... and have 1550 miles left to reach our destination in Switzerland.

Many thanks GK and Betan for being such great hosts.

News
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 11:18:28 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Brother Mike just arrived today from England... He will help in regards to driving, dog handling etc. At least then one of us can sleep while the other drives. Make's the 1700 mile drive to the Alps much easier!

Also Soon.... while he's here at Axe Handle Mountain.... GK will sort him out a sled, a dog team and guide him around the 12km trail... should be fun; considering it will be Mike's first time on dog sled!

News
Thursday, January 07, 2010 5:50:14 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

After three days of consecutive training.... two 39km runs and one 27km.... a well deserved rest day for the boys running loose in the girls paddock, while the girls where chewing on blocks of meat elsewhere, was more then appreciated to loosen up those muscles!













On another note.... training is going good considering that over half the team are yearlings (young dogs)!
As from Friday we will stick to a 39km training program.... consisting of two on and one off until Tuesday. On Tuesday we start packing in preparation to drive south in the early hours of Wednesday to the Alps. Ready for the Alpen Trail 2010 race.

More soon.... happy trails all!

News
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 10:07:44 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

A few days ago we safely arrived at Axe Handle Mountain in Sweden... that is, the dogs and I :o) And as always, a warm welcome on our arrival!
On the snow front this year; its a little thin on the ground at the moment, but more then enough to run sled! The forecast is looking good though over the next few days, with more snow to come and below 0c temperatures; although today it was freaking cold.... at -24c All the dogs got a good run out (third consecutive day running), but I came back with the old icy sticky eyelids syndrome... LOL Basically, if your eyes water it turns to ice on the eyelashes.

Frosty Zeus


Dogs in training... (click here)

Thursday, December 17, 2009 9:07:16 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Running in lead with Chrome... Alpen Trail 2008
He will be greatly missed!!!

Monday, December 14, 2009 3:35:08 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0]