Man’s best friend
Amazing tale of how a stray dog joined team of adventurers on gruelling race in rainforest
SOME might think it is a shaggy dog story – but an extreme sports team has told how a scruffy stray joined them on a gruelling trek during the final stages of a 430- mile race.
The four- strong Swedish team noticed the mutt, which they named Arthur, as they were starting a particularly tough section – a 20- mile hike through the Ecuadorian rainforest.
After feeding him a meatball they could not shake him off – instead they had secured his loyalty.
Arthur stuck by their sides throughout the rest of the endurance race, swimming alongside them when they kayaked down rivers, padding up hills, even dragging himself through knee- deep mud.
Efforts by the team to get rid of their new fifth member – out of concern for his safety during the Adventure Racing World Championship – were in vain as he refused to leave them.
Team member Mikael Lindnord said: “I had just opened a food pack when I saw a scruffy miserable dog in the corner of my eye.
“I thought he was hungry and gave him a meatball. Then I thought no more of it.”
He added: “At one stage we had to take a break and the dog was totally wrecked.
“We opened two cans of food and let him eat, because he could find no food at all in the jungle.”
‘ He jumped in and started to swim alongside’
After completing the trek, the team faced an exhausting 22- mile kayak trip but Arthur had no intention of quitting.
They tried to leave him behind but he jumped into the water and started swimming alongside them. Eventually they had to lift him on to the kayak and take him with them, fearing that he might otherwise drown.
Arthur remained with them until they finished the course days later. The team said Arthur had been an inspiration.
And in acknowledgement of his loyalty and endurance, they decided to take their new canine friend back to Sweden.
After clearing it with the Swedish authorities and having him treated by a vet, they are preparing to fly Arthur home with them.
Mr Lindnord said: “I came to Ecuador to win the world championship. Instead, I got a new friend.” The team finished 12th in the event.
Arthur’s feat has gone viral on the internet after starring on the team’s Facebook page.
The Adventure Racing World Championship covers three diverse geographical regions of Ecuador – the Andes, Pacific and Amazon rainforest.