The busiest week of the sprint mushing season gets under way today with the Jeff Studdert Passenger Race and the Open North American draw.

The Passenger race, which includes the first Mayor’s Challenge, is scheduled for

1 p.m. at the Jeff Studdert Racegrounds.

The course follows the 7.7-mile trail. Each musher will carry the passenger to the 7.7-mile turnaround, where they will stop and switch positions with the passenger for the return trip to the finish line.

Fairbanks Mayor Terry Strle, North Pole Mayor Doug Isaacson and Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins are entered in the event. The winner will receive a trophy to be presented at the Open North American banquet on Sunday evening at the Westmark Hotel.

Tonight’s Draw for the GCI Open North American is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Minto Room at the Westmark Hotel.

A field of about 18 mushers is expected to enter the Open North American, which is being run at the Jeff Studdert Racegrounds instead of downtown Fairbanks because of poor trail conditions and thin ice on the Chena River and Noyes Slough.

Plans call for teams to race the 19.7-mile trail Friday and Saturday and the 27.2-mile trail Sunday. A map of the trail system will be published in Thursday’s Daily News-Miner.

Mushers will be competing for $25,000 in prize money to be split among the top 10 finishers.

For more information go to www.sleddog.org.

Snowshoe race

The first Alaska Snowshoe Sprint Championships, a 1-mile race at the Jeff Studdert Racegrounds is scheduled Sunday.

The women’s race is slated to start at noon with the men starting at 12:10.

The race will be run prior to the start of GCI Open North American dog sled race.

There is no entry fee and extra snowshoes are available.

The race will be a good chance for beginners to try snowshoeing on a wide, groomed trail in warmer spring temperatures.

For more information, contact me at 458-7173 or visit www.LathropRunning.com.

Weight Pull

While the dog race has been shifted to the Studdert Racegrounds, the North American Weight Pull will be held as scheduled in Big Ray’s parking lot downtown at noon Saturday.

Registration is from 10:15-11:15 a.m. with a handler’s meeting at 11:30. and the pull at noon Saturday.

The entry fee is $15 for members of the Interior Freight Dog Association and $20 for others. Participating dogs must be at least 1 year old and weight at least 25 pounds. Loaner harnesses are available.

For more information call 451-0668 or 347-2880 or visit www.interiorfreightdog.com.

Orienteering

The seventh annual Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Association orienteering event is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Creamer’s Field.

There are four classes of competition — 30 and 60 minute skijor class and 30 and 60 minute walk/jog classes with your dog. Participants can used one, two or three dogs.

Participants follow a map to pick up numbered paper tabs to score points. Walkers will use the Creamer’s Field trails. Skijorers will use the Creamer’s Field and Alaska Dog Mushers Association maintained trails.

Participants must pre-register by calling 479-7853 or e-mail patd@acsalaska.net. There must be at least 10 participants registered by 6 p.m. Friday in order for the event to be held.

The entry fee is $5 and all participants will receive a prize.

Participants must check in by 3:30 p.m. on the day of the race and they can start any time between 3:30 and 4 p.m.

For more information call, the ASPA hotline at 457-5456 or 479-7853.