2008-2009 World Cup Race Designations

Accredit Races for World Cup StatusPRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release 1 December, 2008 Contact:Bengt Pontén, PresidentInternational Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS)Burkarlsväg 13, SE-784 55, Borlänge, SwedenTel: +4624385759Email: bpo@du.seIFSS (International Federation of Sleddog Sports) invites Race Giving Organizations (RGOs) to apply for their race to be designated a 2008-2009 World Cup event in Distance, Mid Distance, Sprint, Nordic (skijoring/Pulka), and Dryland competitions. World Cup is a designation used by Olympic and International Sports Federations (IFs) to ascribe a worldwide ranking system for their sports participants. In a given year, IFs set up a World Cup Series of competitive events through which participants earn points and are subsequently ranked on a worldwide basis according to their performance in these premier events.The IFSS World Cup is sled dog racing’s tool for establishing an international competition format. This in turn allows mushers and races participating in World Cup to enjoy a greater level of prestige and encourage mushing at all levels in the communities in which these events take place.Any competitor in any World Cup event is automatically included in the points structure. One does not need to join anything. Simply by finishing in a World Cup race a musher will earn the prescribed number of points.If there is sufficient money available, competitors become eligible for both regional and international monetary awards, which account for 70% of accreditation fees collected from participating events. The remaining fees go toward development of the sport and sports medicine. Already New Zealand takes credit with being the first 2008-2009 applicant for IFSS World Cup accreditation with the Kirsty Burn Classic, held the end of this past August. Kirsty Burn is staged by the Trail Blazes Sled Dog Club and accredited in Nome Sprint 4- and 6-Dog classes. Early application affords the race to be advertised well in advance as an IFSS accredited World Cup event, thus allowing more time to attract sponsors and competitors. For more information on becoming an accredited World Cup event, contact IFSS Vice President of Sport, Bernard Pépin (bernard.pepin857@orange.fr) or go to the IFSS website (www.sleddogsport.com). An application is available online in a downloadable MS Word document or PDF if requested. Now is the time to act! ¬–Sally O’Sullilvan Bair##########################