The 250-mile race trail is a scenic loop that traverses varied terrain including forests, brooks, lakes, fields and populated areas. The distance, terrain, and variable weather make this a very challenging race. It is a qualifier for the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. Due to the rigors of the course, drivers will have to exercise good judgment in pacing themselves and their teams. Simply finishing is a great accomplishment. The cost of rescuing teams/drivers will be borne by the driver/owner.

There are four checkpoints on the trail. The locations and mileages will be announced as early as possible, but they are subject to change up to the time of the drivers' meeting.

All entrants must attend the drivers' meeting on Friday, February 29, at 6:00 p.m. at the Fort Kent Municipal Building.

Each dog must be identified by legibly printed names (the dog's name and the name or initials of the driver) on or attached to the collar.

Unless other arrangements are made with the Chief Veterinarian, all teams will be examined sometime between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 29. The examinations will be conducted in the parking lot at the Lonesome Pine Ski Lodge unless otherwise announced.

Drivers must start the race with not fewer than 8 dogs and not more than 12 dogs.

The official start date is Saturday, March 1, 2008. The race will start on Main Street, Fort Kent. The starting time is 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time, or 10 minutes after the last CAC 30 team leaves the start, whichever is later. To allow for verification of dogs and gear by race officials, teams are required to be present at the staging area on Saturday morning by 8:30 a.m..

On the Main Street start, the driver may be required to carry a passenger provided by the CAC. All passengers must sign a document releasing the driver and the CAC from liability. Teams will leave the starting line at two-minute intervals.

Drivers shall wear their identifying bibs throughout the first and last legs of the race. At all other times the bibs may either be worn or be displayed prominently on the sled.

All dogs shall be harnessed in single or double file. All harnesses shall be padded around the neck and chest areas. Reflective tape is required on harnesses.

A flashing light must be worn by each lead dog from sunset to sunrise.

Ganglines may be cable, cable core, or any synthetic or natural material, but chains are not allowed. If cable ganglines are used, the driver must have easily accessible cable cutters which are known to be capable of cutting the gangline.

At least eight booties per dog are required at the race start.

Spare keys to the driver's vehicle shall be left with the designated handler.

Each driver must have in possession at all times during the race:

• - a sled capable of accommodating injured or fatigued dogs as well as the required food, materials and equipment. Can-Am Crown recommends reflective tape on the sled. The same sled must be used throughout the race unless it becomes defective. Spare parts are the responsibility of the driver. The sled shall be equipped with an adequate brake, brushbow, snowhook and a snubline that's at least 8 feet long. Note: A snowhook cannot substitute for a snubline. With the Race Marshal's permission, defective equipment may be replaced.
• - a bag capable of safely restraining a struggling dog and, if necessary, covering a severely injured or expired dog. Any expired dog shall be completely covered.
• - one food dish for each dog
• - enough 24-inch chains or cables to tether the number of dogs the driver is allowed to drop. Length of tethers must be greater than 22 inches and less than 26 inches.
• - proper cold weather sleeping bag
• - one pair snowshoes with bindings and an area of at least 250 sq. in. (1,612 sq. cm) each
• - knife (kept easily accessible)
• - hand axe with minimum overall length 22" (56 cm) or metal frame hand saw. Wire saws are not permitted.
• - adequate first aid kit
• - pocket mirror
• - whistle
• - veterinary diary & time card (provided by Can-Am)
• - fire starting material with means to heat water
• - two headlamps and an adequate supply of spare batteries
• - at least one flashing light for each lead dog
• - raincoat
• - cooker and pot capable of boiling 1 gallon of water (sterno cans are not acceptable).
• - in addition to the normal food supply for the race, a minimum one-day supply of emergency food for driver and dogs; dog food calculated at 1 lb. per dog. If a dog is dropped, its supply of emergency food may also be dropped. The emergency dog food should ordinarily be kept until the driver reaches the finish. If it is used during the race, then a penalty will be added to the driver's time, unless the race marshal rules that extreme conditions justified the use of the food. If the food is used, then it shall be resupplied at the next checkpoint.

Gear will be checked at the start and the finish, and upon arrival at one or more of the checkpoints. Each driver shall submit to the same number of required gear checks, but they may occur at different checkpoints. Missing equipment will result in a time penalty of up to one hour per item, and the equipment must be replaced before a driver can continue the race. For reassurance and safety, drivers may also request a gear check upon departure from any checkpoint.

Life-threatening hypothermia can develop rapidly when clothing becomes wet due to weather conditions or excessive perspiration. Therefore, Can-Am Crown strongly recommends that each musher carry a complete change of clothing in a waterproof container.

Food and gear for shipment to checkpoints must be brought to the drivers' meeting in coolers or double bagged in cloth, burlap or woven plastic bags weighing no more than 50 lbs. each. Food and gear will be shipped only if clearly marked with the name of the driver and location for delivery. Fuel must be in a separate, labeled container. All shipments shall be made only by Can- Am Crown staff. Each team is allowed no more than three (3) containers per checkpoint. The fuel container counts as one of these containers. Containers should be labeled as "1 of 3" or "1 of 2", etc.

Drop bags are to be used at all checkpoints. Access to vehicles is not allowed.

Non-mandatory gear and rubbish may be dropped only at checkpoints and will be delivered to the race finish site in Fort Kent only if clearly tagged with the name and bib number of the driver. Plastic trash bags should not be used for salvageable items! A labeled drop bag is preferred. Unmarked or unclaimed food and equipment will become the property of Can-Am Crown.

1. Checkpoints

   Each driver must personally sign in and out of checkpoints before continuing. Veterinary assistance will be available at each checkpoint (including the start) until all teams have passed the next safety station.

   Checkpoint Departure Deadlines

   In order to reduce the stress on the volunteer work force, Can-Am Crown has established the following deadlines for departure from checkpoints. Historically, these deadlines would have had little or no effect on those teams that finished the race. However, many teams that were destined to scratch would have been stopped at an earlier checkpoint, saving the volunteers from excessive and unnecessary work.

   Any driver who has not left the checkpoints by the following deadlines will not be allowed to finish the race.

    CP #1   Portage              Sunday       Day 2     06:00:00 (6 a.m.)

    CP #2   Rocky Brook    Sunday       Day 2     20:00:00 (8 p.m.)

    CP #3   Maibec              Monday      Day 3     10:00:00 (10 a.m.)

    CP #4   Allagash            Tuesday      Day 4     06:00:00 (6 a.m.)

   
   
2. Dropped Dogs

   Drivers may drop dogs only at designated checkpoints or at the start. See the General Rules, Section C.8 for more specifics.

   If the Race Marshal and the Chief Veterinarian agree that a dog is not fit to continue the race, then the dog must be dropped.

   Each dog dropped must be left with at least a 3-day supply of food, a 24" tether, and a food dish. Food for dropped dogs should be in a bag clearly marked with the musher's name and bib number. Dropped dogs will be examined by a veterinarian and will receive appropriate care.

   When leaving a checkpoint, a driver must have at least 6 fit dogs attached to the gangline and traveling under their own power. During the race, the number of dogs pulling must always be greater than the number of dogs in the sled.

3. Veterinary Examinations

   At every checkpoint, the driver must present his/her veterinary diary for review by a veterinarian.

   Veterinarians are required to examine all dogs at the start, Allagash, and the finish. At other checkpoints, if a Can-Am veterinarian wishes to examine a particular dog or dogs, then the driver must allow it, and the veterinarian will perform the examination as promptly as possible.

   If, at any point, a driver requests a veterinary examination of a dog or dogs, then a veterinarian must provide it as soon as possible.

   When a team finishes, a veterinarian will examine the finishing dogs and make the appropriate final entries in the veterinary diary. The diary shall then be delivered to Can-Am Central. A Can- Am official will copy the diary and promptly return the original to the driver.

4. Required Layovers & Offset of Start Intervals

   Total required layover time shall be a minimum of 14 hours. There shall be a required layover of at least five hours at Allagash, the fourth checkpoint. The other nine hours (floating layover) may be divided among the first three checkpoints at the musher's discretion. A layover begins when the driver signs in and ends when the driver signs out. If the team returns to a checkpoint for any reason, the additional time spent at that checkpoint will not be credited towards the minimum layover requirement, but will count as race time.

   The two-minute start intervals will be offset by requiring additional layover time for the earlier starters. These offset times will be added to the nine hours of floating layover required through the first three checkpoints.

5. Personal Handlers

   Each driver is required to designate a personal handler who must be available to pick up dropped dogs at Portage and Allagash.

   Personal handlers are only allowed to be present at the start, Portage, Allagash, and the finish. If personal handlers appear on the race course or at any other checkpoint, then the team shall be disqualified. At Portage and Allagash, personal handlers may observe the race and pick up dropped dogs, but they are not allowed to help the drivers or teams in any other way unless the Race Marshal, a Judge, or a Checkpoint Coordinator specifically authorizes it. To avoid disqualification, drivers should be certain that their handlers are aware of these restrictions.

1. Finish Prizes

   Prize money will be awarded to the twelve teams with the best finish times.

   Total Purse = $20,000 U.S.
   Place	Prize$		Place	Prize$
   1	$4500		7	$1000
   2	$3500		8	$900
   3	$2500		9	$800
   4	$2000		10	$700
   5	$1600		11	$650
   6	$1250		12	$600

   
   
2. Stage Prizes

   Prizes will also be awarded for the fastest eligible times in each of the five stages between checkpoints. To be eligible for stage prizes, a team must be among the first twelve to finish the entire race. For each stage, first prize is $300, second prize is $250, third prize is $200, fourth prize is $150, and fifth prize is $100.

3. The "Finishing Touch"

   An additional purse of $4,000 will be set aside to be divided equally among all teams that finish the race before 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4.