Reindeer racing brought hundred of fans to the city of Salla in the Lapland region of Finland over the weekend for the Salla Reindeer Cup. Around 1,000 people attended the competition, despite frigid subfreezing temperatures and the remote location near the Russian border. They watched and cheered as the reindeer galloped across the snow-covered track, pulling their handlers behind them on skis. Spectators came not only from Finland, but also Italy, Norway, Germany and France. Reindeer husbandry has been an important part of the Scandinavian culture for many decades, especially for the Sámi people in the far north of the country. Salla has a long history of reindeer racing, dating back to the 1950s. “Back then, men spent winters in the forest, there were no snowmobiles,” said Lasse Aatsinki, the head of Salla Reindeer Cup. “In late winter, the reindeer were in great shape, so they started racing them.” These days, reindeer racing is an organized and regulated competition with trained male reindeer. Only the fastest reindeer get to compete in this race. To qualify, they must run a half-mile track in 1 minute 19 seconds or less. During the race, crowds cheer their favorite reindeer with calls of “hyvä, hyvä” — which is Finnish for “good, good” — as the reindeer sprint down the final stretch. In between races, people keep warm with reindeer soup and kampanisu, a traditional local pastry. Sunday’s race saw a reindeer named Pompom win the final race. After the race, Pompom and all the other reindeer got their own reward: lichen — a combination of a fungus and an algae — that grows on trees or rocks and is the animals’ favorite treat.
