(Updated 10/03/01)

Genie goes mushing in Alaska

Genie sponsors the sole representative at the 2001 Sleddog Sports World Championships

GENIE (www.genie.co.uk), one of the major players in the UK’s mobile internet market, is packing its snow shoes and jetting to Fairbanks, Alaska.

The company is the sponsor of Edward de la Billiere, the UK’s sole representative at the annual IFSS (International Federation of Sleddog Sports) World Championships. The event will see more than 170 teams from 15 nations compete in Open, Eight, Six and Four dog sled races.

Invited

Edward de la Billiere is one of the UK’s few experienced ‘mushers’ and will compete in three consecutive 15 mile races using a 14 dog sprint team which started on March 2nd. He was invited to enter the IFSS 2001 championships after successfully completing in the gruelling Iditarod Challenge 2000. In this race Edward and his team of dogs travelled across the Alaskan wastelands, covering 1,100 miles in 13 days and 21 hours.

As sponsors to Edward and his team, Genie has provided clothing and equipment to keep the team warm as they battle temperatures as low as -35C. Clothing - including fleeces, waterproofs and hats - has been provided as has communications equipment. Genie will also work closely with the official Dog Sledding associations to help promote this exciting sport.

Visitors to Genie.co.uk will be able to brush up on their Sleddog knowledge by reading profiles of the sport and check out the diaries of Edward and his team as they prepare for the race. Once the race is underway visitors will be able to keep right up with the action with web cam live footage of the race. There will also be a competition to win a trip for two to sunny Alaska!

Laurence Alexander, managing director of Genie said,” We are delighted to be helping out Edward at the IFSS World Championships this year and in his future endeavours. Dog sledding is an exciting, dynamic and emerging sport that is growing in popularity and perfectly fits with the dynamic and eclectic Genie brand values. We wish Edward the very best of luck.”