Arthur & his new friends (Krister Goransson/Peak Performance)
Mikael Lindnord and his three teammates trained 20 hours a week to prepare themselves for the Adventure Racing World Championships, an extreme athletic event that included biking, running and kayaking through the Ecuadorian rain forest. But they were completely unprepared to meet a new friend along the way: a stray dog they named Arthur.
The team was getting ready for a 24-mile hike through the jungle, just one part of the 6-day race, when they were approached by the sweet, muddy dog. The group shared a meatball with the stray, whom they began to call Arthur after the legendary King Arthur, and from there he never left their side.
Before beginning the next part of the race, a 41-mile kayak, the group attempted to say goodbye to their shaggy friend, fearing for his safety during the trek. Arthur was not about to be left behind, and jumped in to the water, swimming along beside the group. Touched by his loyalty, the group decided to bring him up on to the kayak.
After the race, Arthur was taken to a veterinary hospital for a few days to recover from minor injuries from the race. Afterwards, he found himself on a plane ride to Sweden with Lindnord, who decided to adopt him.
"He is a wonderful dog, maybe not the cutest, but he is Arthur," said Lindnord.