Kuujjuaq woman killed in Easter snowmobile race

Betsy Adams-Gordon, 26, died April 9 after she lost control of her snowmobile during an annual Easter race in Kuujjuaq. (FACEBOOK PHOTO)

(Updated April 12)

A young Kuujjuaq mother died April 9 after losing control of her snowmobile while competing in a well-known annual cross-country race.

Betsy Adams-Gordon, 25, died at the Tulattavik hospital in Kuujjuaq from injuries she suffered after she lost control of her snowmobile during Kuujjuaq’s annual Easter race, Pingnuatitsijiit.

The Kativik Regional Police Force investigated the incident, concluding April 12 it was “an unfortunate accident.” Police would not provide any other information.

The Quebec coroner’s office said it could take months to determine the woman’s cause of death.

Spokeswoman Genevieve Guilbault said the coroner’s office investigates any incident where the cause of death cannot be identified. In this case, the coroner will wait on autopsy, toxicology and police reports before ruling on the cause of the death.

The mother of a young boy and girl, Adams-Gordon was active in her community, where she had trained as a firefighter and volunteered with the local youth committee.

Adams-Gordon studied career development at Nunavut Arctic College and recently began a job with Youth Employment Services Nunavik as a co-ordinator trainee.

Adams-Gordon even took to her Facebook page April 2 to promote the well-known Kuujjuaq cross-country race.

“Excited, nervous & anxious all at the same time,” Adams-Gordon wrote. “Can’t wait for the events [races] that we get to have and be part of every year!!!”

Following news of the accident, friends and family flooded the young victim’s Facebook page with tributes.

“You were such an honest, real, kind person,” someone wrote. “You were a great friend and a loving mother, always smiling and laughing… a beautiful young woman.”