At only 21 years old, he has spent much of his life dedicated to mushing, a sport not only for winter as you might believe. , but it is practiced both on snow and on land.
Mushing is an activity in which a very special bond is created between the musher and the dog or dogs with whom it is practiced: all of them are on the same team and as a team they have to train and compete. The philosophy of this practice is very interesting and even more so is everything that hides behind each race: hours of training, effort, correct nutrition and the deep friendship that unites the different mushers.
Yumping.- Have you been mushing for a long time?
Víctor Carrasco.- Actually I have been there for many years since I was little, but not in competition. At home I have always had the sport of mushing in mind, until two years ago I decided to compete.
Y.- When did you decide that you wanted to make your hobby your profession?
V.C.- When? Well, the truth is that in Spain we are very lucky to have Pirena, thanks to it some dreams can come true. I also decided to dare as soon as I had my dog Nukka ready.
And.- What motivated your preparation and subsequent presentation at Pirena 2011?
V.C.- Being the same age as Pirena: we were both born in the same year, 1990. But the main motivation was to be able to participate in a race that I had watched since I was little all my life, to be able to run in She was a dream for me.
And.- What is a training day in the life of Víctor Carrasco like?
V.C.- A day of training is getting up early to be able to train in cold conditions, since dogs work much better in the cold, and taking the bicycle or skate, depending on the type of training, and doing some 20 km; But it all depends on the type of training and what time of training we are in. It is more difficult than it seems, because although they are dogs, they also need to warm up and then stretch, preparing the sessions is a difficult task, like their diet. I not only have to think about my own preparation, but also that of the dogs.
Y.- It is a sport that has its defenders and its detractors, since some They believe that when practicing this sport the animal suffers. What does this practice mean to you?
V.C.- For me this practice is pure adrenaline. The dog really enjoys this sport, although they suffer from stress during the races, but it is only the nerves of going out for a run. Like us, when we are about to start a competition, in which we want to do well and run, we get that bug in our stomach, it is pure energy in freedom.
Dogs enjoy running, they are dogs that have been genetically selected for their sprint qualities and energy, speed, etc. In conclusion, practicing this sport is a union between man and dog, it is speed and a bond that goes beyond competition.
And.- You will consider your dogs to be more than just pets, right?
V.C.- Obviously! They are dogs that, as I have previously mentioned, are athletes, they need their training sessions and different special food for each dog, not all of them are the same nor do they need the same dose of food, vitamins, etc. For me these dogs are more than pets, they are my companions in this sport, they are like my family and the bond between musher and runner goes beyond what people can imagine, they are not simply dogs that, tied , they pull a sled dragging the human, but it is a perfectly united team.
Y.- What is the philosophy of this sport? And about the musher?
V.C.- The philosophy of this sport is the good treatment of dogs and the perfect union between musher and dogs, since without it it is impossible to reach the top of this sport. They are two worlds that must come together and work as a team to achieve good results.
The musher's philosophy is to get the best performance from his team, pampering his dogs and working on them day by day. Respect for nature, dogs and equipment.
And.- Can any breed of dog practice it, as long as it has a certain weight?
V.C.- Any type of dog can practice it, but it must be said that not all dogs are suitable: neither the strongest nor the fastest is always the best dog for this.
There are different types of mushing in which dogs may have more or less good conditions to run. Let me explain, it depends on the distance, the hardness of the test, the cold and conditions, the distance, etc.
There are two categories currently: the one open to all dogs (A), and the one for Nordic dogs (NB), in this open category is where we can find any type of dog, but there are also It must be said that where the fastest and most selected dogs for this sport are found, they are the so-called Alaskan dogs.
And.- Is the world of competition tough in a sport like mushing?
V.C.- It's very hard. Travel, the cold and many other things that are not seen when one is out of this world. The training and problems we encounter before, during and after the competitions are only known to the musher himself, problems with the equipment (dogs), preparation, search for sponsors and money for the competitions and maintenance of the equipment.
In short, this sport is very beautiful for the spectators and for all the fans, but it hides a lot of effort and work to be able to run in good conditions.
Y.- What requirements are needed to apply for Pirena? Was it difficult for you to fulfill them all?
V.C.- General requirements, such as having a minimum age of 18 years, and finding the money to register for the test. PIRENA ADVANCED is a private test that anyone who wants can register for, however, the problems come later: finding good sponsors to cover the expenses of the fifteen days that the race lasts, gasoline, food, equipment and a long etcetera.
Preparing the dogs for this test is a long task that cannot be achieved in a few months, but since one edition of PIRENA ADVANCED ends, we are already thinking about the next one and begin to prepare the next editions. New equipment, etc...
Meeting all the requirements was not difficult, the problem is, as I mentioned before, the whole logistical issue and sponsors and money for the test. It's not a cheap career, so to speak. Later the training and sessions were also difficult to achieve.
Y.- You race in the skijorking modality. Why did you decide on this modality?
V.C.- I simply decided on this modality, due to the number of dogs available: in Skijoring the number of dogs is a maximum of three, in mushing it is unlimited. The problems of being young are evident, I live in my parents' house, at 21 I study at university and only work in the summer, so starting to form a sled team is a difficult task for me and the family in these times. moments. Although I have to />
There are two categories currently: the one open to all dogs (A), and the one for Nordic dogs (NB), in this open category is where we can find any type of dog, but there are also It must be said that where the fastest and most selected dogs for this sport are found, they are the so-called Alaskan dogs.
And.- Is the world of competition tough in a sport like mushing?
V.C.- It's very hard. Travel, the cold and many other things that are not seen when one is out of this world. The training and problems we encounter before, during and after the competitions are only known to the musher himself, problems with the equipment (dogs), preparation, search for sponsors and money for the competitions and maintenance of the equipment.
In short, this sport is very beautiful for the spectators and for all the fans, but it hides a lot of effort and work to be able to run in good conditions.
Y.- What requirements are needed to apply for Pirena? Was it difficult for you to fulfill them all?
V.C.- General requirements, such as having a minimum age of 18 years, and finding the money to register for the test. PIRENA ADVANCED is a private test that anyone who wants can register for, however, the problems come later: finding good sponsors to cover the expenses of the fifteen days that the race lasts, gasoline, food, equipment and a long etcetera.
Preparing the dogs for this test is a long task that cannot be achieved in a few months, but since one edition of PIRENA ADVANCED ends, we are already thinking about the next one and begin to prepare the next editions. New equipment, etc...
Meeting all the requirements was not difficult, the problem is, as I mentioned before, the whole logistical issue and sponsors and money for the test. It's not a cheap career, so to speak. Later the training and sessions were also difficult to achieve.
Y.- You race in the skijorking modality. Why did you decide on this modality?
V.C.- I simply decided on this modality, due to the number of dogs available: in Skijoring the number of dogs is a maximum of three, in mushing it is unlimited. The problems of being young are evident, I live in my parents' house, at 21 I study at university and only work in the summer, so starting to form a sled team is a difficult task for me and the family in these times. moments. Although I have to
