dog & sport international 01/2015

Lena Boysen Hillestad
We spoke to Lena Boysen Hillestad,
the most successful
sprint musher in history, to hear
about her passion for sleddog sports
and how she is passing on her incredible
successes to the young generation,
to secure the future for our
sports.
Did you grow up with dogs?
Lena
Yes, I got my first German Shorthaired
Pointer as a Christmas present
in 1975.
How and when did you get into
sleddog sports?
Lena
Because I got “Nusse” and my father
started to race when I was
about 6-7 years old.
Did you have a mentor when you
first started out in the sport?
Lena
That must have been my father.
Which categories do you race in
and which is your favourite?
Lena
I started out in Pulka 1-dog. I like
action and trails where the athlete
must have skills to “survive”. Scooter
2-dog is fun. Sled on a difficult
course is fun, and Pirena was fun
(skijoring for me).
Do you prefer to run dogs on snow
or dryland?
Lena
I prefer snow, but the trails in sled
classes are too boring. So I have to
say dryland.
What was your first race? Do you
have fond memories of it?
Lena
In 1979 Pulka class. I was young and
small, and fell off on the first hill.
What was your favourite race?
Lena
Pirena. Vindelälvsdraget. And of
course all the races and memories I
have from the championships I won.
What was personally your biggest
success in the sport?
Lena
To be a world champion 23 times
over period of 25 years (1991 – 2015).
When did you decide to become serious
about sleddog sports and
have your own kennel?
Lena
From the start I guess.
When did you breed for the first
time? And why Greysthers?
Lena
I don’t remember, but the first
Greysthers were born in 1986. My
first Greysther from that litter was
Turboprinsen.
How do you juggle family life and
training/racing sleddogs?
Lena
All the family are doing the sport
too. But you need structure.
Do you still work or are you a fulltime
athlete and mother?
Lena
I sell about 170 Kickbikes every year,
and I have one or two litters of
puppies.
dog & sport | 19