A Four-Legged Grand Prix: Reindeer racing at Arctic altitudes

Oh what fun it is to ride… a racing reindeer. Or that’s what the local speed-demons in Northern Finland want to convince us. If husky sledding and snowmobiling aren't action enough for you, then it might be a good idea to add the reindeer derby in Ivalo to your itinerary when visiting the Polar region…

You will surely know red-nosed Rudolph, Blitzen and Donner – but what you might not know is that when these furry creatures are not busy pulling Santa’s sleigh, they love battling it out on a freezing racing course. In fact, competitive reindeer racing is a popular sport in the far north of Finland – and the annual Reindeer Cup Championships in Inari are THE event of the season, attracting daredevils from all over the Arctic region, eager to put their thoroughbreds to the test.
One thing is certain, though: this isn’t a sport for the fainthearted. The reindeer pull their jockeys behind them on skis along an icy horse-shoe shaped course, reaching top speeds of up to 60km/h. Meanwhile, once the reindeer get going, there’s not much stopping them. And it goes without saying that strong biceps, along with a good dose of craziness, are essential if you want to win fame and glory in this winter sport.

Most reindeer races take place around Easter, just in time for the long-awaited season of midnight sun. However, springtime in Ivalo – the reindeer capital of the world – is a far cry from anything you’re probably used to. To survive in these sub-zero conditions we recommend you not only wear thermal underwear, but take after the locals and cover up in animal pelts for extra insulation.
You might be familiar with the saying “There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing". Well, at these Arctic latitudes the wisdom of those words becomes particularly evident…
The Reindeer Cup Championships will take place in Ivalo, Finland, on 31 March to 1 April 2013.
Text: Laura Leivo
Photos: Kimmo Brandt
with ClassicDriver.com