There is a real excitement about the test

The great Odyssey, which the third edition will leave January 7 Avoriaz, will see getting over 300 dogs distributed on 21 teams through the rugged topography of the Alps. The doors of the Sun and the High Maurienne vanoise ski areas welcome this unique race in Europe, in the great tradition of those of Alaska, Yukon Quest or Iditarod sled dogs.

These tests are dreaming of space and adventure lovers, as they combine the effort of the race to the huskies, malamuts, samoyed or Greenland dogs. "Like last year, we expect at least 100,000 spectators on the set of ten steps", explains Henry Kam, Director General of the Organization and founder of this event, with Nicolas Vanier, adventurer and writer. Last year, television stations spent him more than a half hour of information. This year, Euronews, FR8 Rhône-Alpes and TV8 Mont-Blanc will provide a daily webcast.

The real time test sport and adventure in symbiosis with nature, la Grande Odyssée is competing competing European and North Americans and their dogs for a distance of 1,000 km to more than 20 km per hour average. One of the characteristics of this race is in the 25,000 metres of elevation gain of the route. This is a test formidable and significantly more complex than the long distances on flat terrain, the North American specialty.

The Iditarod, created in 1973 and first of its kind, connects Anchorage to Nome, 1.789 kilometres, while the Yukon Quest, between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse (Canada), covers 1,600 kilometres. "In la Grande Odyssée, the musher must often push his sled to help its dogs, is a different effort for couplings," commented Nicolas Vanier, Co-Director of the event with Dominique Grandjean, who is also Chief Veterinary Officer.

Organized in two weeks, divided into two plots of 5 stages of 40 to 90 kilometres each, the race through 21 stations mountain. 80 of the route, however, are outside the ski areas. "It is an opportunity to create unusual animations surrounding the event in a period where the station is more calm than during the school holidays," explains Nathalie Philibert, head of communications the doors of the Sun. "Vacationers to push along the route to encourage dogs." There is a real excitement about the test. "Les Gets, as Lanslebourg or Champéry (Switzerland), on the main street of the village enneige to allow the race to the heart of the station.

The test requires both a large budget and heavy and well-performing logistics. Stations provide the implementation of the path. "This operation allowed officials of the two regions to meet, compare their experiences and work together, they never do," said Henry Kam.

Everything including the budget equivalent to 587.000 euro, but many benefits in kind, such as the accommodation of all participants by Pierre & Vacances Avoriaz or the provision of snowmobiles by the small garage Busato, Annemasse, lighten the needs in cash of the organization.

Alongside the leader of real estate of vacation Savoie Mont - Blanc tourism, Veolia Environnement, and Merial animal health leader, finance the operation to height of 270,000 euros fairly distributed. "We are far from covering all costs, but which is great, is that we have both the support of giant groups and enthusiastic SMEs as Progiweb involved in the follow-up of the race on the Internet", continues the Director-General.

"It is important for our image to associate with such an event, quite in line with our values and our approach to the environment," commented Philippe Mechet, Director of the communication of Veolia, which combines its staff through the intranet. "But we do not wish to make a commercial transaction." This is not in the spirit of the race. "The new Savoie Mont Blanc tourism entity, created to ensure the promotion of all of the communes of the Savoie, relies on la Grande Odyssée for the foundation of its new brand.