Portland Urban Iditarod

The Portland Urban Iditarod is a race in which teams of people ("dogs") pull shopping carts ("sleds") through a course over four miles through downtown Portland, Oregon. [http://www.keepportlandweird.org/urbaniditarod/page4.html Portland Urban Iditarod - supplies] . Accessed 9 March 2008.] This race occurs on the first Saturday of March—the same date as the actual Alaskan Iditarod—and has also taken place in Los Angeles, California, San Francisco, California, Chicago, Illinois, Brooklyn, New York and Ann Arbor, Michigan.Tewksbury, Drew, " [http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=5297&IssueNum=200 Gone to the Dogs] ." Los Angeles CityBeat, 5 April 2007. Accessed 9 March 2008.] Barrett, Joe, " [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113884865770362925.html On Brooklyn Streets, Shopping Carts Roll In a Renegade Derby] ." The Wall Street Journal, 2 February 2006. Accessed 9 March 2008.] Racers wear "absurd" costumes, including Spanish bullfighters and diaper-wearing astronauts,Associated Press, " [http://www.katu.com/news/politics/6573047.html Oregon bill aims to rid the shopping cart blight] ." 19 March 2007. Accessed 9 March 2008.] and make stops at pubs and bars along the way." [http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=28605 Your guide to the next 72 hours] . "The Portland Tribune," 4 March 2005. Accessed 9 March 2008.] There are no winners or losers in the Portland event, but other cities offer a "Best in Show" prize.

History

The Portland Urban Iditarod began in March 2002.

2004 race

Occurring March 4 at 11:30 a.m., the event started at the SE Madison street fire station and ended at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

2008 race

Nearly 1,000 participants ran the race. One man was hit by a car on the Hawthorne Bridge and suffered a broken leg. Teams were required to have five people—one musher and four dogs.

ee also

* Idiotarod
* Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
* Kinetic sculpture race
* Shopping cart race
* Wife carrying
* Wok racing
* Zoobomb

References