According to the White House, during this week's visit to Greenland, Ushavance is planning to go to Greenland, the second lady and one of her sons will be attending one of the world's most important dog sled events, known as Avannata Kimassarsa.
The visit amid the backdrop of President Trump's pledge to make Greenland a part of the United States, bringing the dog sledge event into the global spotlight, and competition organizers seem unhappy about it.
“We didn't invite them,” the race organizers said in a statement Sunday that Vance's wife, Vance and his son, adding that “we might attend as an audience” as the event is open to the public.
Translated into “The Great Race of the North,” Avannata Qimussersua is an unlikely venue for geopolitical tensions.
It began in 1988 and is essentially participating in the sport at the National Championships in Greenland. The annual event is a race that is about 26 miles over ice and snow, bringing together the toughest masher, also known as the dog sled driver, along with the hardest dogs in some of the most punishing terrain imaginable.
Dog Sled raises and trains huskies for the competition that the Greenlanders cherish as the highest point of Arctic culture. Organizers call it “a challenging event that emphasizes the bond between humans and dogs.”
The 2025 edition will be held at Sisimiut on the West Coast of Greenland on Sunday.
Greenland is home to the largest remaining sled dog population in the Arctic, and has a long tradition of dog sled culture. Recently, the sport is threatened by the warm climate.
The race consists of approximately 37 mashers and 444 dogs across Greenland. Each team consists of 10-14 dogs. The sled should be a traditional Greenlandic design, and according to official rules it cannot contain foreign components such as ski runners and plastic parts.
For the Greenlanders, dog sledges are more than just sports. It is an important way to celebrate Inuit culture.
The history of dog sleds in Greenland dates over 4,000 years old and has played an important role in Arctic generations, including Thule, the predecessor of Inuit. According to Qimmeq, a research project on sled dogs at the University of Copenhagen, it has played an important role in Arctic generations, including Thule, the Inuit predecessor.
Organizers of Avannaata Qimussersua highlighted the statement in a statement on Sunday regarding Vance's visit.
“We as people and as a nation.”
Mayatekeri and Jeffrey Gettlman Reports of contributions.
