The Kusko times., 1929-04-27
LEONARD SEPPALA, FAMED
 DOG RACER, WILL MAKE HIS FUTURE HOME IN FAIRBANKS
(Fairbanks News-Miner.)

:. center, it will now have the added |. honoor of being the home of Leonard Seppala, :, generally considered the worlds greatest dog racer. MT. Sep pala arrived here last week with his | wife. and daughter, having accepted the position of superintendent of the Davidson ditch from the Fairbanks Exploration Company. Although. MT. Seppala will call Fairbanks his home from now on, 1t is probable that he will go back East for another winter or two race. He maintains kennels at Pland Springs, Maine, in partnership with Mrs. E. R. Kicker, Jr. have 50 full-bred Sl- berians there.
 Mrs. Kicker and the famous Alas kan have run against each other m some of the Eastern derbies. They = did not do so this winter, due to the fact that some of their dogs were ln- iured by speeding automobile. They were exercising two strings, contaln- ing fifteen dogs when the car came around curve and ran over owelve of the. animals. None was seriously injured, but it was impossible to get more than half of them in shape to race. Seppala's leader became auto shy after this, making it necessary for him to use another dog.
 When he first started to race in the East during the winter of 1926-l92i followers of the sport inthat section of the country didn't believe that the small animals would have much of chance against the more powerful appearing dogs of other racers. They soon had to change their minds, how ever, and the worth of the Siberian IS now generally recognized.
 At that, Seppa.a said, the driver of the Siberian faces a tremendous han dicap in the East Custom limits the number dogs in a team, and the man racing Siberians must compete against teams of much greater weight. The custom of limiting the size of a team originated in the first Eastern international derby, where Frenchman with only seven dogs said he would ente If the others were re- stricted to that number.
 As the sponsors of the race were badly in need of entrants they con- .sented to this agreement, winch has been followed ever since. The rule has also been extended to races in the States. It was protested by Seppala when he first went out on the grouno that when his dogs averaged Al pounds in weight each as against v pounds for the average dog of tht other teams he was badly handl capped. It was his idea that th' teams should compete on a pound for-pound basis, but when he won hi first race the officials refused to mak' any change.
 This season Seppala won the East ern international derby < at Quebec where he had been defeated by Emi St. Goddard in the two previou years. He covered the l23-mil course in Il hours and 6 minutes,
 new record for the race. The race run in three days, Il miles being GOV cred at each heat. Tie former recor was about eigh: minutes longer thal the time made h. Seppala.
 The racer said he was badly handl capped by series of sal incline going out of Quebec. The heavier stronger teams of his opponents gen erally get lead in,tha first elgh miles, which Seppala must ellmlnat on the plateau which succeeds tn hills. Most of those co apeting wer "young Canadians, fast on thelr ice gand able to follow a sled all day.
 Seppala's victory in the Eastern Tn ls t, ho1 fypI