NHK - Sled Dog Racing in the Northern Lights (2011)

Mush! Dash across the vast Alaskan and Canadian ice fields in -30C temperatures with the aurora borealis glowing above. It's the toughest sled dog race in the world – the Yukon Quest. Competitors cross numerous mountains covered in thick snow and brave frozen rivers to reach the goal 1,600 kilometers from the starting line. The key to victory: efficient teamwork between the dog team leader – the musher – and a team of 14 dogs. The leader must decide when to urge the dogs to run at full speed, when to let them rest, and when to take exhausted dogs off the team. Each year one third of the competitors are forced to drop out of this grueling race. This program captures the moving, heroic drama of the dogs and their handlers.