A Very Gallant Lady

I don't suppose any of you will have heard of Kim Franklin. She's an Englishwoman who competed in the Iditarod this year. The Iditarod being the Grand National of long distance dogsledding races, of course: 1,150 miles across tundra, ice and mountain from Anchorage to Nome.

I don't know Ms Franklin and I know little about her. She races Siberian huskies in Britain. She has clearly run distance races before because you can't take part in the Iditarod without running a "qualifying" distance race. And she must be very determined because you don't even get to the starting line at Anchorage unless you are. Especially if you aren't from North America.

I also know Ms Franklin was unlucky, because she was withdrawn from the race. This happens when for one reason or another, the judges decide that although you have done nothing wrong, you can't continue. In Ms Franklin's case, it appears that a dog chewed through the tugline (huskies can chew through things so fast you can't believe it) so two dogs broke loose and were lost en route. Huskies are so fired up when they run if the tugline breaks you won't see them for dust. Or snow.

You have to get into a checkpoint with the same number of dogs as you had when you left the last one. She couldn't find her dogs, so she was technically in breach of the rules, so was withdrawn. The dogs turned up safe and well later.

I imagine Ms Franklin was pretty devastated when this happened and I think it's a great shame. She deserves to be a damn sight better known for her efforts and for her pluck. I very much hope she tries again and is able to finish the race. Those who understand the sport will know that finishing is, in itself, a triumph.

Anyway, I think what she did was quite splendid and so, in the first of what I imagine will be a very occasional series, Springheel Salutes Ms Kim Franklin.