'Kind of surprising': Yukon sisters denied switch to shorter Yukon Quest race

Two sistersfrom Mendenhall, Yukon, say they're disappointed they won't be able to compete in the Yukon Quest this year, in part, because it's too late to switch to a shorter sled-dog race.

Lori Tweddell, 18, and her twin sister Louve Tweddellplanned to compete in the annual 1,609 kilometre sled-dog racebetweenFairbanks, Alaska, andWhitehorse this winter. Those plans changed after the twinsrecently failedto finish a qualification race.

In order to qualify for the Yukon Quest, racers must have completed a 483-kilometre race and a 322-kilometre race in the previous three and a half years.

Last year, the Tweddells successfully completed the Yukon Quest's shorter race, known as the Yukon Quest 300. They set out to completea 483-kilometre race in Alaska earlier this month, but decided to quit halfway through.

"Sadly, I could not finish the race, and the condition that the trail was [in], and the weather, and I guess bad luck as well played a major role," Lori said.

While this meant they couldn't compete in the longerYukon Quest race, the sisters hopedthey'd be able to instead run theYukon Quest 300 again this year.

But that's not possible,according to Shayna Hammer, executive director of the Yukon Quest International Association (Canada).The deadline to apply for or switch to either race was Jan. 3.

Others have tried to join after that datebut were declined, Hammer said.

"I was really upset because we prepared for years," said Lori.

"It could be understandable, but we had registered, we paid for everything," Louve said. "It was just kind of surprising not to be accepted."

Should be allowed to participate: former winner

Frank Turner, a previousYukon Quest winner, said the Tweddells should be allowed to participate.

"You don't protect the bad rule by saying, 'That's the way it was done in the past.' If it's a bad rule now, then itshould be dealt with now," hetold Radio-Canada.

Hammer said the Yukon Quest's board, which consists of representatives from the U.S. and Canada, will make a recommendation to the rules committee to prevent a situation like the Tweddells' from happening again.

There is currently an acting rules committee for the event, since the previous six-member committee resigned last summer after reviewing the rules.

Speaking on Tuesday, Hammer referred to "some differing directions between the [former] rules committee and the organization," but said she didn't know the exact reasons for the schism.

The acting rules committee plans to meet thisspring.

Fifteen teams are registered for the longer race this year, and 21 teams are set to run the Yukon Quest 300. Both events begin Feb. 1 in Fairbanks.