A Calgary couple that includes former Team Canada rugby player Ryan Smith, 32, and his wife Chantal MacKenzie, 29, have been extra busy this holiday season.

They are trading chocolate and eggnog for snowshoes and cross country skis as they train for the Fulda Challenge, an extreme sporting event kicking off in Whitehorse on Jan. 12.

Five action-packed days will take eight international teams to Skagway, Dawson City, and points in between, as they compete in 10 grueling outdoor challenges.

Fulda, a German tire manufacturer, puts on the event each year in partnership with Yukon Tourism.

In the wake of the veteran player's strong performance at the recent Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, it's no surprise that Smith was approached in November to compete in the northern event, now in its 12th year.

"It was good timing,” said Smith, having just announced his retirement from rugby after a career that included 51 international matches and three World Cup appearances.

"It's going to be really cool because it's so far outside of anything we have done before. It's so far removed from rugby training.”

Certain events, like snowshoe racing, log sawing and sled pulling, replicate the hardships endured by Klondikers, and are decidedly northern.

Other events are more adrenaline-inducing, like skijoring (getting towed on skis) behind a speeding vehicle, directing a helicopter supply drop and snowmobile racing.

MacKenzie, a recreational athlete who stays fit in the winter by running, practising yoga and downhill skiing, shares Smith's enthusiasm about the upcoming competition.

"I'm ecstatic; it's exciting to represent your country,” she said from their Calgary home.

Smith and MacKenzie, who both work as account managers in Calgary's oil and gas sector, are the only married couple in the event.

Originally, Kia Motors, the major Canadian event sponsor, planned on pairing Smith with a female Olympian. When that failed to materialize, Smith suggested that MacKenzie, his university sweetheart and wife of three years, might be a suitable replacement.

Kia readily agreed.

The couple is the only team representing Canada in a competition heavily weighted in favour of a German win, with five German teams in addition to one Austrian and one Swiss team.

Most of the European competitors, such as a twenty-time male Ironman triathlete, a high-profile female biathlete and other more recreational athletes, had to vie for their spots in the competition.

Three of the German teams are considered celebrity teams and include kick-boxing champion Dr. Christine Theiss, host of Germany's upcoming season of "The Biggest Loser,” as well as a former ski racer, a T.V personality and an ex-Formula 1 driver.

Smith and MacKenzie are aware of their weaknesses relative to their competition and are especially nervous about the three endurance events: road running, snowshoe racing and cross-country skiing 20 kilometres, which are worth double the points of the other events.

"That's going to make it hard for us because I'm not an endurance athlete,” confesses Smith, who grew up in Ontario and played professional rugby in France before moving to Calgary.

He is most excited about the log-sawing event, highlighting that he's always wanted to do a "lumberjack challenge.”

MacKenzie believes that their familiarity with each other may give them an advantage in the SUV skijoring event.

"We're the only team that actually knows each other well, so I'm not afraid of hurting Ryan and he's not afraid of hurting me. If he says to go slower, I'll just go faster,” she said with a playful smile.

It is evident that this dynamic duo is not only competitive, but also fearless. And they certainly don't come across as the type to give up easily. After all, this competition isn't just about their pride, they are also contending for a grand prize that is typically Klondike: a gold nugget valued at around $10,000.

The Fulda Challenge won't be without its trials for all the competitors, who have to sleep outside in tents for the duration of the competition, using gear supplied by organizers.

Aware that night time temperatures could dip to -40 C, MacKenzie, a self-confessed sun and heat-worshipper, is apprehensive.

"I'm afraid of getting frost-bite,” she said.

While the unseasonably warm Calgary weather would normally be welcomed by the couple, it hasn't helped them acclimatize to the extremes they could face in the Yukon.

"This is the only time I've ever cheered for cold weather,” Smith laughed. "It's probably going to come after the Fulda [Challenge].”

Regardless of the end results, the Fulda Challenge will be an exhilarating event for both competitors and viewers alike.

Although event coverage is extensive in Germany, 2012 marks the first year that the Canadian team will also be receiving significant media exposure.

A one-hour documentary spotlighting Smith and MacKenzie and their participation in the event will air on TSN in March or April.

Daily event coverage will also be available by linking to participant blogs on the Fulda

Challenge website at www.fulda-challenge.com.

By KAREN MCCOLL

Special to the Star