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YB Tracking Says “Mush” to Sled Dog Racing

Updated: May 19, 2023


QPAWS Dog Mushing Championships

Adding to our portfolio of events outside the yacht racing field, YB Tracking is proud to have been chosen as the tracking provider for QPAWS 2020 Dog Mushing Championships, in conjunction with our partner Georacing – a first for us!


The International Dog Racing Championship: QRILL Pet Arctic World Series (QPAWS) is comprised of four dog races around the world. The results from these events determine the world’s best dog mushers. A final international championship will then take place in Alaska to showcase the best of the best.


QPAWS 2020 calendar dates:

  • John Beargrease, starts 27th January 2020

  • Femundløpet, starts 1st February 2020

  • Volga Quest, starts 8th February 2020

  • Iditarod Finale, starts 7th March 2020

“QPAWS is looking to inspire and influence regular, everyday dog owners — shining a light on the practices of elite dog mushers and the exceptional dog care they provide. The dog mushers will inspire and be a great example for dog owners around the world in regards to training, nutrition, general welfare and guidelines for their own dogs.” - QPAWS Project Manager, Nils Marius Otterstad

It's believed that dogs have been pulling sleds for around 10,000 years. The Chukchi dog (now known as the Siberian Husky) originally got its name as it lived in the Chukchi region of Russia’s far east. The dogs are still in abundance here and still used as working dogs as locals live quite traditionally off the land. These early dogs (quite possibly the first ever dogs as we know them today) are the ancestors of the very dogs that have been selectively bred as the strongest competitors for dog racing. These are the stars of the QPAWS races, among others, today.


What will YB Tracking be doing?

YB Tracking is providing the tracking devices for the races, feeding data to our partner Georacing for visualisation. This software allows integration between YB Tracking’s data and Georacing’s offshore cartography (maps).


Our trackers will be used by all competitors in the dog mushing races. The temperatures are likely to get pretty extreme, but our little yellow trackers are tough and can withstand temperatures as low as -30°C and possibly more. They’re also IP-67 rated should they be plunged into water for any reason. Georacing are using the data from YB Tracking for timing and mapping. Spectators can view these updates in real time via the race’s website.


YB3 tracker used in mushing event

We're very excited to be part of the QPaws series and can now add dog mushing to the diverse range of events that we provide tracking for. It's always a pleasure to work with Georacing with whom we’ve teamed up for a number of years on a variety of events, and look forward to building this relationship into the future – with hopefully more dog mushing events as well as others. The YB team wish all the best to the mushers and their four legged friends!


More information and registration information on all races can be found from the QPAWS website: https://www.qrillpaws.com/.


Want to talk to us about your own race – be it yacht racing, car or bike rallies, dog mushing or something else? Contact us on +44 (0) 2380 00 2029 or email info@ybtracking.com.

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