Americas

'Last great race on earth' begins in Alaska

Teams set out on 1,600 kilometre-long US sled dog race in some of the world's harshest terrain.
Last Modified: 10 Mar 2013 03:07

The Iditarod, an annual 1,600 kilometre-long sled dog race, has begun in a remote area of the US state of Alaska .

Sixty-six teams on Saturday set out from downtown Anchorage in the east of Alaska, snaking their way across the frozen tundra to the city of Nome in the west.

Also known as the "Last Great Race on Earth", the contest takes place in some of the harshest terrain on the planet.

Winners in recent years have reached Nome in about nine days.

Al Jazeera's Cath Turner reports from Unalakleet, one of the checkpoints along the way.

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