On July 31, 2016, Sveg and Sweden were awarded the Sled Dog World Championship 2018 by WSA, World Sled Dog Association at their annual congress in Germany. For the first time in the history of Härjedalen, a world championship will be decided in the municipality. This championship is a starting point to strengthen Sveg's attractiveness not only in winter sports but for the entire region. The championship project is supported by the business community in the region and Härjedalen municipality is very positive. The project will last for 2 years and the championship is the highlight of the project. Several competitions and events are planned to strengthen cooperation in Sveg and Härjedalen in various areas during the project period.

LAG board's justification

The Sled Dog World Championship project in Sveg aims to create a new international platform for sled dog sports in Härjedalen, which has not existed previously in the region. Several stakeholders have worked on the application for the championship, which was granted at the end of July by a unanimous international committee in WSA, World Sled Dog Association. There is local engagement for the project which ultimately aims to make Sveg an organizer of internationally high-quality sled dog events both in summer and winter. The project is expected to contribute to increased employment, more networks and meeting places, and the events are expected to enhance community in the village. The project thus fits well into the intervention area Living Local Communities for All, Rural Fund, where it is assessed to contribute to the fulfillment of the goals and thereby to the vision for Leader Lake, Forest & Mountain: ”Innovative thinking in mountain-adjacent future communities for togetherness and sustainable growth.”.