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Husky Racing in Moscow

Husky clubs in the Moscow region offer visitors sled rides, a husky night safari in a forest and skijoring, where a person on skis is pulled by a husky. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
Huskies are known for their ability to tolerate cold and survive on very little food. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
Huskies were used by the U.S. Army during World War II as rescue dogs as well as letter senders and means of transportation. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
Sled racing was exhibited as a potential Olympic sport at three Winter Games, in Lake Placid (1932), in Oslo (1952), and in Lillehammer (1994), but did not succeed to gain an official status. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
In 1925, huskies delivered diphtheria antitoxins to the Alaskan town of Nome, preventing an outbreak there. The incident supposedly formed the basis of the documentary Balto’s Race to Nome. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
An expedition led by Georgy Ushakov in 1930 and a pack of huskies resulted in the discovery of Severnaya Zemlya, the Arctic archipelago. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
In Russia, huskies are used not only for competitions such as sprint racing or carrying loads. Huskies are also known for being gentle with children. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
In Moscow’s Sokolniki park huskies meet children with special needs. The dogs are supposed to have a positive impact on the children’s mental state and the motor skills. Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency

For animal and nature lovers in Moscow, husky racing is a popular winter activity. A number of a clubs throughout Russia offer specialized husky excursions and activities, including sledding, tubing and skiing. But there is more to the breed than meets the eye.

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