Jamaican to compete in Iditarod

A musher from tropical Jamaica competing in a sled dog race? Yes, many thought the idea ridiculous when an adventure tourism operator there decided to build a team five years ago.

No one is laughing now except the creators of the Jamaica Dogsled Team, which is sending Newton Marshall to the pinnacle of world-class competitions, the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Among those rooting for the 26-year-old musher is Margaritaville icon Jimmy Buffet, who spends a lot of time in Jamaica and has been the team’s primary sponsor since it was founded by a friend.

“I just love the whole idea of it,” the singer said. “I love the absurdity that when we first did this, people laughed and thought it was a joke and guess what? It isn’t.”

It’s not as strange as it sounds, really. Look at the Jamaican bobsled team in the 1988 Winter Olympics that inspired the movie “Cool Runnings.”

Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/03/05/1096955/its-no-joke-mon-jamaican-to-compete.html#ixzz0hK9oNVLj

You've heard of the Jamaican bobsled team...well now we've got the Jamaica Dogsled Team ready to compete in the Iditarod.

...five dogs died on last years...five.