Femundløpet

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Femundløpet is a long-standing sleddog racing event, commencing and concluding in Røros. Competitors engage in four classes/distances: Fjunior 200 km/6 dogs, F200 200km/8 dogs, F450 with a maximum of eight dogs, and F650 with a maximum of twelve dogs.

The concept of the dog sled race originated in 1989, with the inaugural race taking place in 1990, featuring 41 participants. Unfortunately, this initial race had to be halted midway due to exceptionally mild weather and flooding. Initially organized by Røros Hundeklubb, Femundløpets Venner took over from 2001 to 2011, succeeded by Femundløpet AS as the official organizer since 2012. The route historically traversed Røros and Femund areas, often in remote regions with limited public access. However, from 2006, the course was altered to include checkpoints in more populated areas of Nord-Østerdalen, such as Tufsingdalen in Os, Tynset, Grimsbu in Folldal, and Tolga, all easily accessible to the public. The race route is divided into eight stages, covering a total distance of 647 km for F600 and 397 km for F400.

Robert Sørlie holds the record for the most victories in Femundløpet history, claiming twelve wins. His achievements include the inaugural race victory, the 1993 king's trophy in long-distance sled dog racing, and the latest triumph in 2020, having participated in all 25 races.

Winners of F600 from 2003 to 2020 include notable names such as Birgitte Næss (2023), Thomas Wærner (2019), and Petter Karlsson (2017), with Robert Sørlie securing multiple victories over the years, emphasizing his dominance in this challenging dog sled race.