Reindeer Racing

Way, way far north, in lands that seem almost too cold for human settlement, a brave few thousand people have made their home. Inari, Finland, is the country’s largest municipality, covering 6,693 square miles, of which 881 is water. Despite its large geographical size, its population density is modest, as Inari claims only 1.2 inhabitants per square mile.

While Inari may not be extravagantly endowed with people, its population carries a rich culture. For example, four official languages are spoken there, three of which came from the indigenous Sámi people. The Sámi have passed along many important traditions.

Sámi Traditions

For at least 5,000 years, the Sámi people have made a living from herding reindeer. In fact, reindeer herding is such an integral part of their culture that some other Scandinavian countries have protected it by law. In Finland, there are 51 reindeer herding cooperatives, many of which take part annually in a reindeer racing championship.

This race occurs in the spring, usually March through April, when Inari is beginning to become the land of the midnight sun. As the hours of sunlight lengthen, skiers and their reindeer match up against each other for the coveted trophies.

Racing

The most common form of this contest places one skier behind one reindeer. These reindeer are usually males selected the previous autumn for their speed potential and competitiveness. The reindeer are trained to run in a harness trailing a rope. The jockey holds onto the rope and tries not to fall. The fastest reindeer can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. Covering a kilometer in under two minutes is easy for these animal athletes.

While some reindeer races take place on snow-covered city streets, the culmination of the racing season occurs on the frozen Lake Inari. This body of water is the third largest lake in Finland and covers 400 square miles. It is usually frozen from November through early June.

In April every year, dozens of reindeer and their professional jockeys gather in the subzero temperatures for a competition that feels also like a festival. The racing is taken very seriously, as the reindeer have their antlers removed and the jockeys wear aerodynamic suits.

The spectators can number in the hundreds, all trying their best to stay warm while cheering on their favorite animals and jockeys. They pay close attention to the weather, and if dark clouds appear, they can be heard to say to one another, “It looks like rain, dear.”

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