The 31st edition of the Ledová Jízda 2026 dog sled race in Velké Teplice. As is tradition, 11 teams – each comprising a ten-dog team, an experienced musher and a seasoned cross-country skier – competed on the ridges of the Krkonoše Mountains. Take a look at the battles that unfolded during this three-day showcase of Czech dog sledding.
Preparations for Ledová Jízda 2026
Ledová Jízda 2026 isn’t a race that is just about appearing like newbie. Especially after last year’s event when Aleš and I managed to win. We didn’t rest on our laurels. Report from Leodvá Jízda 2025 HERE! We train for the Ledová Jízda 2026 all year round. It actually began straight after the last shot at Racek sometime last March. It’s not often that winners and professionals publish their training plans, but we’ve decided to make an exception.
So how are we actually preparing for it? Aleš, reportedly the best musher in Pec, takes it very seriously. Spring, summer and autumn, he’s out there with his dogs harnessed to the sled, pushing on! Whether it’s pouring rain, snowing or the sun burns —day in, day out, he gets out there and really puts himself and his heart in it. Whether Aleš is training for Ledová Jízda 2026 is not for me to check. I trust him just as much as he trusts me.
Well, skiers train hard too. So I spend the whole year stuffing myself with fast food, practising drinking beer, and strategically waiting for Aleš to call and say we’re on! Of course, I start telling him straight away how motivated and pumped up I am, how I’m working out every day, how I’ve skied hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometres, and how I’m in top condition. Sweet, he believed me, so let’s go!
Race day is usually pretty stressful. I need to find that smelly rucksack I didn’t unpack from Ledovka last year. So I dash down to the cellar, brush the spiders off the skis and just pray that last year’s unpacked boots haven’t gone mouldy and will last another season. Where the hell did I put the harness?
The ceremonial start in Pec pod Sněžkou
Every year, sometime in February and March, the mountain town of Pec pod Sněžkou becomes a venue of ceremonies. It becomes the centre of the mushing world, much like Anchorage in Alaska during the Iditarod. Getting to Anchorage without a driving licence is just as tricky as getting to Pec pod Sněžkou, so the final hurdle is actually getting to Pec.
I arrive in Pec late, as usual. Luckily, my racing partner is even later, so I wait for him. He turns up sometime after the first team set off. Never mind – we secured pole position last year, which in this race means starting last to start. So we’ve got plenty of time to crack open a few bottles.
Stage 1 – Ledová Jízda 2026
3-2-1, Mush go!
The race starts, as is traditional, at the foot of the Javor slope, where teams set off in a beautifully lit corridor at five-minute intervals. Starting with the teams ranked lowest on paper and working up to the strongest. So it’s our turn at around 6:45 pm. But by then we’re both seeing red and the dogs are going wild, desperate to get going. After a brief interview with the crowd of thousands, Karel Vlček, the chief timekeeper of the Ledová Jízda 2026 race, takes the floor with his: 3-2-1 Mush Go!
Like every year, it’s a right whirlwind. At the start, I get such a jolt that my already battered discs shift a bit further out of place. I dash straight past Bullbar to the left onto the ski slope so we can get our heart rates up a bit. Then we traverse towards the service road leading to Husova bouda. Radek Havrda said something about bringing rock skis. Come on, Radek! I did that, but why didn’t he say I should bring asphalt skis?
As we hurtled past Pražská bouda and hopped over a few muddy puddles, I thought to myself that the worst was behind us, but no! A ten-dog sled team, used to tearing down the main trail towards Černá hora past Kolínská bouda, unfortunately doesn’t respond to “Gee”. Well, yes, but there’s now a puddle about half a metre to a metre deep on the road. The dogs have their snouts sticking out above the water surface, Aleš is sailing along on his sledge as on a boat, but what about me? I’d forgiven Radek for not mentioning that we were taking the asphalt skis, but he didn’t say a word about water skis either.
Some take two rounds, others just one
I usually go to bed after a swim, but we still had 30 kilometres to the finish line. So, a sharp left-hand turn right at Václavák, then along a beautifully groomed track towards Krausova bouda, and from there on, not quite such a smooth ride towards Vlašská bouda. Classic terrain, just like the Ledová Jízda 2026.
You might think, That cross-country skier is doing nothing there. Poor dogs, they have to pull him along while he just takes the easy ride. But! Anyone who thinks they can ski should give Ledovka a try! Ledovka will show them they can’t. Narrow tracks, at best cleared by a snowmobile, with icy snowdrifts on either side, and if you just want to stick to the flat bit, well, that’s not going to happen. There, your skis will sink about 30 cm into the snow. The skis don’t slide very well over dog shit either, and a moment’s inattention is all it takes to end up rolling in the shit.
The route isn’t usually difficult to navigate. Just sometimes you have to solve some puzzles. And here we come back to mr. Havrda – the experienced musher. He’s the one behind these brainteasers. He came up with the idea of doing two loops – Krausovka – Valšovka – twice. Everyone got it right except for one unnamed Austrian, who only needed one loop and powered off straight towards Tetřevky after the first one.
The return route via Václavák – Kolínská – Plynovod and Tetřevky was relatively fine. This time we bypassed the pool, hopped over the mud and, believe it or not, crossed the finish line a full 50 seconds ahead of Ledovka champions Jirka and David in first place. Karel Vlček elegantly resolved Robert’s failure with a light penalty.
A bath, brush your teeth, and good night
If only! We know Aleš has plenty of experience, and he organised the bivouac setup brilliantly. Often the worst part of the whole Ledová Jízda. But thanks to Aleš, it was a walk in a sun-drenched paradise. Ála says: “So, Leoš, you’re off now, to bring a water, right? I’ll feed the dogs, and in the meantime, you dig some holes for dogs and bring a straw for them. Once you’ve finished, there’ll be a tent in the sled, so I’ll have somewhere to sleep tonight, right?” The hard life of a musher.
I won’t complain, though – after all, I remember years when it was still raining on top of all this, and what sort of hut was there then? That was strictly forbidden, on threat of disqualification. I remember a small tent at Hanapetr where they served ice-cold goulash, and anyone who wasn’t cold enough or didn’t have enough water could pour themselves a cold beer! A lot has changed, and thanks are due to Barča and Martin for those gifts. We can go inside to keep warm, dry our gear in the drying room, have a meal, and just sit there, stinking of sweat, pondering the three-course menu.
We still have to spend the night in a tent, though. Aleš goes for the ultra-lightweight style, so a tent big enough for maybe one and a half people will have to do. I don’t cuddle with my girlfriend at home anyway, so at least I’ll enjoy it today with Alda. It wouldn’t be so bad, but I’m starting to understand what bothers women about sleeping next to drunk people. That’s why I won’t be outdone and I’m farting out warm air in the tent to mask the stench.
Stage 2 – Ledová Jízda 2026
A day out or a race?
The next day we wake up to a beautiful morning. It’s warm, the sun is shining, the dogs are barking, and we certainly don’t have a headache. The start comes quite early. Before I know it, I’m strapped into the sledge again and we’re already flying towards the first loop over Jelení Vrch. With an empty sledge, we’re flying so fast that I’m almost afraid of the bends.
The route continues uphill on the desitka stretch. Heart rate at 175, I’m giving it everything. We’re still in the run to win. A tricky section awaits us on the supply route below Rennerovky. That dreaded spot where dogs are used to run down the supply route. I ride ahead and form a barrier with the organisers and myself. Our train handles it perfectly, though; Hardy listens and turns upwards! Brilliant!
Our feeling that we’re still keeping up with Jirka and David fades as we climb past Rennerovky and Dvorská bouda. This is where they catch us. It’s abundantly clear that the dogs aren’t really up for it and that today will be more of a nice ride than a race. From Bouda na Rozcestí, the path leads us down to Klínové boudy, where, in one of the bends, we manage to knock down several navigation poles.
We continue to Svatý Petr and then back the same way. The climb to Bouda na Rozcestí is now at a leisurely pace. I’m skating ahead of the dogs on the climb on the desítka, and even pulling away from them, something’s wrong. We reach the finish line in second place behind Mr Vondrák who is in a noticeably better mood than yesterday. Not only he wipe out our lead, but they also put a 10-minute gap.
Wine, women and singing
The afternoon following the second stage is all about peace and quiet. The dogs have had everything they needed, and now it’s our turn to get what we need. The energy gels along the way didn’t really satisfy me, so after a rest, a dinner awaits us. As has already been said, the hard times defined by the word ‘Ledová Jízda’ are behind us. Now it’s the Ledová jízda 2026, and this trend, which began back in 2025, continues.
A three-course dinner in a luxury restaurant, where you’re not even allowed to hang your coat over the back of your chair, isn’t the highlight of the evening, however. After dinner, as is now our custom, there is a mushing event, which begins with a playing of historical educational films about Leodovka. This time, we were treated to the premiere of the Oscar-winning film Ledová Jízda 2011–2025, which is available here:
After the movie, we move on to the common room for a sing-along of folk songs, accompanied by Lukáš and Bořek. The touching atmosphere is enhanced by a light snowfall outside the windows. Is this really Ledovka? Isn’t it almost too good to be true?
Stage 3 – Ledová Jízda 2026
The life of racing teams
We wake up feeling that the race has been decided. The dogs are clear dead. One is going to the kennel and won’t be coming. The weather is even better than yesterday and there’s no need to think about the route. Today will be just the same as yesterday. So it’s simply a matter of getting there and enjoying it.
We set off before Jirka, and after my first face-plant into the ice – which left a bruise on my bum – we settle into a relaxed rhythm. We slowly catch up with and overtake the other teams, and we have plenty of time to observe the lives and dynamics of the other riders, which we’re actually quite enjoying.
For example, the ever-polite Mr Hanuš never forgets to offer his flask to the other teams along the route. Robert and Honza are always in race mode. Honza always half a kilometre ahead of Robert, whatever the terrain. Probably the best cross-country skier on Ledovka. It’s also great fun with Dr Koňáková and Bořek, who always have plenty of smiles to spare.
The most touching couple is undoubtedly Roman and Eva. Remmember we catch up with Eva in tears, about 300 metres behind Roman. She screamed so many explicit things about her future husband that if I published this, the article would be deleted. Leodvá Jízda 2026 is undoubtedly a test of future marriage.
Then there’s Jana and Zdenda, who nobody told it’s a race. Jana’s in her unmistakable, legendary jacket, which Ledovka will one day have to put in a museum and auction off for millions. They’re tackling Ledovka with the attitude of ‘just have fun’. They’re actually riding Ledovka 2x: twice the fun and time on the track for the same price.
The awards ceremony – but where’s the excitement?
At the finish line, located above Pec somewhere below Javorské boudy, Karel times us – we’re 30 minutes behind Jirka and David. So we head down behind the quad bike with the dogs to the transfer point in Pec. We take the snowmobile to get a celebratory Pilsner and clink glasses, but where’s the euphoria? Last year was a different euphoria, and even though second place is a success in such a competitive field, we’re not exactly over the moon.
The awards ceremony takes place once all teams have finished, just below the Javor slope, where everyone receives generous prizes, certificates and medals. The most poignant moment comes when the champion of the Ledová Jízda 2026 race climbs onto the top step of the podium and Aleš has to hand over ‘our darling’, the Ledová Jízda Challenge Cup, to his successor. Congratulations, Jirka!
Jirka won, but the real winners are none other than the organising team – both the core team and all the helpers. It takes courage to organise something this big in the heart of the Krkonoše Mountains under the conditions we’ve had this year. Thank you, Martin, Bára, Radek, Karel, Tomáš, and everyone else who was part of it. See you again next year – Dycky Ledovka!
The results?
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