The Great Odyssey

 by Pierre Grange (level B2)

Have you ever heard of 'La Grande Odyssée'? 

'La Grande Odyssée' or 'The Great Odyssey' is an international long-distance dog sled race whose first edition took place in January 2005. 

It‘s the annual dog sled event in Europe. It’s the most demanding stage race between several ski resorts in the French Alps. 

It brings together every year in January about 65 teams of different nationalities and their 600 dogs, and about 50,000 spectators. 

This year, the race included 11 stages with more than 350 km in total. 

Here is the official video to present ‘The great odyssey’ :

Click on the photo to see the video

Some technical explanations: 

For each sled, the team is divided into two:

1. The musher who drives the sled...

2. The handlers who take care of the dogs: they keep them calm before the start, take care of their food and their well-being (task shared with the musher)...

 

 Between mushers, handlers and dogs, it’s always a beautiful love story!

Some mushers are called 'rookies' (beginners) because they are participating for the first time, others have been participating for several years. 

This year, 'The Great Odyssey' was run over 13 days in 11 stages, from Saturday January 11 to Thursday January 23.

- Average distance of the stages: 21 km.

- Average speed of the sleds: 20 km/h. 

Two main breeds of dogs are used for 'The Great Odyssey': 

1. The "Europa Hounds": dogs with short hair, very thin and very fast.

They are the result of crossbreeding between breeds, including greyhounds:

2. The "Siberian huskies", (also called Nordic huskies): with thicker hair, less fast than the Europa hounds but more enduring. They are used for longer distances.

 

   

 Many have beautiful blue eyes...

 Jean GABIN would certainly have told them: ‘T’as d’beaux yeux, tu sais!'

Sometimes dogs have little slippers on their paws: this is not to protect them from the cold but from frozen snow which can hurt them.

 

Not all the dogs run at the same time. Some are left to rest for certain stages. That’s why so many dogs participate in the race.

A musher can use between 6 and 10 dogs for his sled. It depends on the slopes and the length of the stage.

The dogs are on average between 18 months and 9 years old for races.

After 9 years old, they did the job and can finally enjoying retirement! 

Sled dogs are real athletes. They train all the year to stay in shape.

That requires supervision.

For the races, a team of veterinarians (all volunteers) take care of the health of the animals. 

About the sled:

 

The lead dogs are those that obey the musher's orders the best.

The dogs close to the sled are the most powerful.

The dogs in the middle are young dogs. They are learning how to race.

They are beginners! Some of them tremble because they are not yet used to such excitement. 

Two rankings are therefore established:

*one for the Europa hounds,

*one for the huskies. 

Male and female mushers are counted in the same ranking, Hounds on one side and Huskies on the other. 

The gains are not important. You don't participate in 'The Great Odyssey' to win money.

Beyond fifth place, mushers only win a few hundred euros...

Mushers therefore rely on sponsors (as in many sports) to finance their participation.

Apart from very rare exceptions, mushers have a main job.

They do dog sledding out of passion. 

But for all mushers, the best reward is to finish the race.

They are then called "finishers". It’s an honour for them to be a ‘finisher’ because ‘The Great Odyssey’ is a very difficult race.

For my part, I was invited to the Col de Porte stage.

Click on the photo to see the video of the Col de Porte stage.

Fortunately, the morning rain stopped. The race therefore took place in good conditions in the afternoon. 

Before the start, I had the opportunity to caress some thick-haired Huskies.

They are very cuddly!

Here is my new friend!

But as soon as the start approaches, the show becomes noisier.

Indeed, the dogs are all impatient to start.

As soon as one dog in the team starts barking, all the others bark.

They are so excited that they also jump up and down.

Click on the photo to see the video of the start of one sled at the Col de Porte

What excitement in the starting area! 

The handlers have an important role to play here to calm dogs. It’s often difficult…

But as soon as the start is given, there is silence. Time for the race… until the arrival where dogs, tongues hanging out, eat snow to appease their thirst.

The show is complete. 

This stage will stay in my memory.

I think that next year I will come back but to another ski resort. 

Congratulations to all these mushers, their assistants and the organization.

And above all, congratulations to all the doggies! Well done !

Woof, woof!