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Crowds gathered in the Alaskan city of Anchorage on Saturday to celebrate the ceremonial start of the 47th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race.
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Teams of dogs led by drivers known as mushers dashed across the snowy streets in preparation for the 1,000 mile (1,600km) race from Willow, a small community north of Anchorage, to Nome on Alaska’s western coast.
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Starting on Sunday, 14 dog teams will take part in the race, crossing two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and ocean ice on the Bering Sea Coast.
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The competition has faced controversy in recent years following a dog doping scandal, with several big name sponsors pulling out.
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According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), more than 150 dogs have died in the race, including one last year and five in 2017.
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Snow was transported in on trucks to fully cover the streets of Anchorage in preparation for the ceremonial event.
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Last year’s, Norway’s Joar Leifseth Ulsom, completed the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 9 days and 12 hours and took home the winner’s prize of $50,000 (£37,850).
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He was the first winner in seven years to not come from the American Seavey family. Between 2012-2018, either Mitch Seavey or his son Dallas took the title.
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