SPECIAL RULES FOR PASVIK TRAIL.

The rules has been updated in July 2025 by the PT committee, and was approved by the club board 18.July 2025.

Pasvik Trail (PT) follows  Norges hundekjørerforbunds (NHF) long distance regulations that can be found  on the NHF`s website under laws and regulations; www.sleddog.no as well as the special rules for PT.

PT shall be open for all mushers.

  • Open class shall have minimum 9 dogs at the start line, and 6 dogs crossing the finish line. PT has no upper limits for how many dogs you start with, but the PT committee can in some cases, when there is bad conditions or bad trails, limit the maximum number of dogs starting.
  • Limited class shall have minimum 6 dogs at the start line and 5 dogs crossing the finish line.
  • Participating mushers must be a member of a club registered i NHF or IFSS and must have paid a license for the year attending the PT race.
  • Those that cannot show a valid license can buy a onetime license at PT. All foreign mushers must show a valid travel insurance.

DOGS:

All dogs participating in the PT must have a readable ID chip implanted and have a valid vaccination card with the corresponding chip number. (Guidance about this is in the NHF website.)


ANIMAL WELFARE AND HEALTH:

  • PT shall be conducted with a particular focus on the best welfare and health for the dogs. PT as organizers and PT participants both carry a mutual responsibility for the race dogs.
  • The participant in PT is at all times responsible for caring, feeding and maintaining the welfare and health of their dogs according to the needs of the dog. The dogs and other participants’ dogs shall be treated with respect and kindness. Participants shall mush and manage their race in accordance with their own dogs’ fitness, physical and health conditions and status, and take into account how weather and conditions affect the dogs during the race.
  • Dogs that fall/collapse or throws themselves down shall not continue in the team but must be brought in the sled to the next checkpoint and dropped.
  • Dogs that are or have been overheated shall not continue in the team, and must be brought in the sled to the next checkpoint and dropped.
  • Dogs that are injured during the race, or not suited to continue due to health problems are to be transported to the next checkpoint for assessment by PT veterinarians. Dogs that by PT veterinarians are considered unable to participate further MUST be dropped.
  • Dogs with signs of lameness shall be transported in the sled.  It’s NOT allowed to have a lame dog in the team when arriving or leaving a checkpoint, or when crossing the finish line.
  • A dog that has been transported in the sled when arriving a checkpoint is not out of the race unless it`s wanted by the participant.
  • It is not allowed to leave a checkpoint with a dog in the sled.
  • The dogs must leave the checkpoint on their own will.
  • Dogs that is transported in the sled when crossing the finish line should stay in the sled until the team reaches the car/trailer.
  • It is a mandatory vet check when reaching the finish line – the vet check must be approved to get a status as having completed the PT race.
  • The mandatory vet check consists of checking the following parameters: general condition, respiratory- and circulatory system, gastrointestinal system, fluid balance and body condition score.
  • Each dog in the team must be healthy and injury free.
  • Breaking some of these rules can resolve in a disqualification of the participant.
  • PT race vets will be available at both checkpoints, and will give the same service to all dogs participating in PT.

DEAD DOG:

  • If a dog dies on trail between checkpoints during the race, it shall be brought to the first upcoming checkpoint or to the previous checkpoint. The dog is to be transported in the sled and to be covered on arrival at the checkpoint. The participant shall notify the Race manager / TD as soon as possible, Race manager and / or Chief veterinarian. The participant may only continue following permission provided by Race manager/TD and race vet. The participant may be disqualified from further participation if it appears from the investigation that the participant has been guilty of mistreating the dog or otherwise caused the dog’s death. The participant can also be disqualified if he / she at a previous checkpoint has received a written message (Veterinary Book) about dropping the dog if death is not due to other, unrelated causes. The participant can also be disqualified if death is due to dehydration or overheating. The start and finish line are also considered stations/checkpoints in this context. If an autopsy is required, this should not be financially charged to the participant.

SECURING DOGS IN THE RACE:

  • There must be wire in the mainline / centerline, all wire must be padded.
  • All dogs in the team must be fastened with tug line and neck line.
  • Neckline is not required for the lead dogs.
  • The harness must be adapted to the dog.

SLED:

  • The sled used under the PT must have approved ventilation options for transporting dogs in the sled bag.
  • There must be clearly visible reflectors at the front and back of the sled/seat/trailer.
  • It is possible to change an empty sled for an empty sled at both checkpoints.

START:

  • There is an open start window for PT in all classes. Open class has a 20 minute start window, while limited class has a 40 minute start window.
  • Start window open class 17.00-17.20.
  • Start window limited class 17.20-18.00.
  • If the participant does not reach his start window, the start time will be calculated from when the window closed.

ADVERTISMENT:

  • The participants can be required to carry advertisement on themselves and/or on the sled and/or on the dogs according to guidelines from PT.

TRAIL:

  • The trail goes in the Norwegian borderlands between Russia and Finland, and in areas of reindeer husbandry. A musher with a loose dog is therefore not allowed to continue before the dog is secure.
  • Never leave the team without securing it properly.
  • You MUST contact the Race marshal, TD or the leader of the race IMMEDIATELY if you lose a dog on the border to Russia (on the Pasvik river).
  • It is not allowed to follow public roads on other routes than the organizer has decided.
  • All forms of littering are prohibited along the trail and may lead to disqualification. This includes dog booties and dog food.

CHECKPOINT:

  • The participant shall personally check in/out of checkpoints.
  • Handlers are responsible for helping musher to the designated place at the checkpoint.
  • There is access to hay/straw and water at all checkpoints.
  • Both Neiden and Vaggatem are depot stations.
  • The deadline for leaving Vaggetem is 24:00 night to Saturday.
  • Cleaning checkpoints: The particiant shall bring the depot bag back to the designated area before the team is leaving the checkpoint. If you leave the checkpoint with equipment lying around, a time penalty of 60 minutes is imposed in terms of NHF’s competition regulations 4.5. The time penalty is imposed at the end time.
  • Handler/musher are responsible for all straw/hey being raked away at both checkpoints. Organizers will hand out rakes and garbage bags for this. All equipment and garbage belonging to the teams must be removed from the checkpoint. If straw or left over dogfood or other equipment is left behind a time penalty of 60 minutes is imposed in terms of NHF’s competition regulations 4.5. The time penalty is imposed at the end time.

DEPOT:

  • Depot bags can be transported with handler in cars, and may only contain: Dogfood, anchor, dog coats, blankets, booties, foot ointment, heat-/massage ointment, batteries, wrist wraps,  runner plastic, garbage bag and fuel/red spirits.
  • The depot bag MUST be marked with the mushers name and dropped at marked drop place at both checkpoints. TD, race marshal or the person responsible for that checkpoint can check everything that is delivered.
  • Handlers/outsiders are just allowed to place/retrieve equipment from the drop place.
  • It is not allowed for handler to give the musher their depot bag when they arrive at checkpoint.
  • Mushers can transport straw on a sled to the designated place in the checkpoint, the sled must be taken back to the depot after transport.

DOG REST:

  • Dogs shall be resting on straw or hay. It is not allowed to take hay or straw with you on the trail. The musher can have insulation mats with them on sled from start. These can be used on trail and on checkpoints.
  • Dogs are not allowed to sleep in car crate/ car on checkpoints.
  • Dogs must be secured with a neckline with wire while resting.
  • The team must be adequately secured in front of the lead dogs using a well functioning front anchor.
  • Extra neck line wire must hang visibly at the back of the sled inside the checkpoint.

MANDATORY STOP:

  • There is a 10 hour mandatory resting time in Pasvik Trail, which must be used on the checkpoints Neiden and Vaggetem .
  • Mandatory rest period in Neiden 3 hours + time alignment.
  • The resting time must be used in whole minutes.
  • The participant shall personally sign in/out of each checkpoint to complete the required resting time.

NO MANS LAND:

  • The zone of NO MANS LAND will be marked and is about 2km before the finish line.

MANDATORY EQUIPMENT:

  • A PT participant shall always have the mandatory equipment in the sled. This can be checked at the start of the race, at the checkpoints or on the finish line. Mandatory equipment that has been lost or broken can be supplied/replaced from depot bag/others. The Race marshal must approve change of equipment.
  • If a participant has mandatory equipment missing from the sled this can cause a disqualification from the race.
  • It is the PT participants’ responsibility to have all the mandatory equipment in the sled from start to finish line.
  • Water bowls, ladles, water canisters and cooler bags that you wish to use during the race must be in the sled from the start and must not be supplied with in the depot bag.

MANDATORY EQUIPMENT:

  • VETBOOK+DROPDOG (to be handed in if scratching the race or at the finish line)
  • GPS TRACKER PROVIDED BY PT OFFICIALS
  • GPS WITH INSTALLED MAPS AND THE PT TRAIL DOWNLOADED +EXTRA BATTERIES
  • SNOWSHOVEL
  • EXTREME WINTER SLEEPING BAG
  • EXTREME WIND BAG. MINIMUM WEIGHT 1200 GRAMS
  • OPERATING COOKER WITH CONTAINER FOR HEATING MINIMUM ½ LITER OF WATER PER DOG IN THE TEAM
  • FUEL: 0,5L LIMITED CLASS, 1L OPEN CLASS 
  • BIG GARBAGE BAG 
  • HIGHLY VISIBLE REFLECTIVE ON SLED AND LEAD DOGS.
  • EXTREME WINTER CLOTHES WITH REFLECTORS IN THE FRONT AND BACK
  • EXTRA CLOTHES CHANGE (UNDERWEAR, EXTRA JACKET+PANTS, WINTER HAT, MITTENS, SOCKS, WARM WINTER SHOES)
  • FIRST AID KIT
  • BIG KNIFE OR AXE
  • HEADLIGHT AND BATTERIES
  • 4 SOCKS PER DOG ( IN SLED OR ON THE DOGS)
  • MATCHES 
  • LIGHTSTICK OG SIGNALPEN. SHALL BE CARRIED IN POCKET ON THE BODY. 
  • RESERVE FOOD FOR MUSHER FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS. MUST CONSIST OF AT LEAST 500GRAMS. 
  • WIRE OR CHAIN FOR DROPPED DOG. THERE MUST BE ONE WIRE PER DOG IN THE TEAM –MINIMUM 40CM LONG. TUG LINE WITH WIRE IS APPROVED FOR THIS USE
  • 0,5 KG RESERVE FOOD PER DOG. PACKED SEPARATELY, SEALED BY THE ORGANIZER AND UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE BROUGHT UNUSED TO THE FINISHLINE.

IF AN EVENTUAL PROTEST OCCURES IT HAS TO BE DELIVERED IN WRITING TO THE TD MINIMUM 120 MINUTES AFTER CROSSING THE FINISHLINE.

PROTEST FEE WILL BE NOK 200,- AND HAS TO BE DELIVERED WITH THE PROTEST.

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