A Topsham teenager traveled throughout North America this month with 13 canine to arrange to behave on a dream she has had because the she was a child — OK, so not that way back.
Tara Crossman, 16, will turn into the primary Mainer to compete in two elite Alaskan canine sled races subsequent month — the Junior Willow 100 and the Junior Iditarod. Crossman and her canine arrived in Alaska weeks prematurely to arrange for the races and brace for the difficult terrain.
The Mt. Ararat Excessive Faculty scholar has competed in over 20 dogsled races all through Maine and raised over 24 Alaskan husky pups. She mentioned the game got here throughout her radar when she was 7 and watched the 1994 animated movie “Balto” — primarily based on a real story of the heroic dogsled workforce that coated over 600 miles to ship medication to sick youngsters in Nome, Alaska.
“I simply received this sense of freedom whereas watching it and knew I wished to expertise dogsledding no less than as soon as in my life,” Crossman mentioned. “I by no means thought it could get up to now although.”
Throughout the Junior Willow, she is going to compete in opposition to 9 different teenagers ages 14-17 in a 100-mile race via the Alaskan wilderness, with a 10-hour break on the 50-mile mark. Her second race, the Junior Iditarod, is a 150-mile race with 15 teenagers competing for a $6,000 scholarship and bragging rights. Mushers can have the prospect to relaxation in a single day on the 75-mile mark.
The longest race Crossman has accomplished thus far is 35 miles, however she mentioned she stays undeterred by the races that lie forward.
Whereas the Junior Iditarod is the extra well-known and longer race of the 2, Crossman mentioned the Junior Willow 100 would be the most troublesome as a result of “it’s all hills.”
Tara Crossman’s sled canine workforce. Photographs contributed by Tara Crossman
A few of her opponents can have a homecourt benefit, residing in or close to Alaska, with information of the paths, climate and a shorter distance to journey to the competitors. Final week, Crossman drove her pups 4,600 miles, giving her and her workforce time to acclimate to the daunting terrain.
She mentioned the journey went higher than anticipated, with the one setback being a flat tire on their trailer.
Crossman arrived in Alaska on Jan. 16 and has been working her canine in between distant schoolwork.
This being her first journey to Alaska, Crossman mentioned she wasn’t certain what or who to count on to see on the observe trails.
“You go from climbing hills within the woods to being in a swamp,” she mentioned. “It’s additionally bizarre seeing different canine groups.”
Alaska is understood for its harsh winters, however Crossman mentioned it has been slightly delicate, with a excessive of 45 levels Fahrenheit. Temperatures are anticipated to succeed in a excessive of 13°F and a low of -8°F through the Junior Willow 100 and a excessive of 35°F and a low of -4°F through the Junior Iditarod, in accordance with accuweather.com.
Crossman will compete within the Junior Willow 100 Feb. 10-11 and the Junior Iditarod Feb. 25-26.
Tara Crossman runs her canine in Willow, Alaska, in preparation for her upcoming races.
Crossman’s sled canine run via excessive snow.
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