Photo: Ivakkak teams arrive for March 16 race start-up

Ivakkak dog teams ready for the race: mushers participating in Nunavik’s annual Ivakkak race arrive in Kuujjuaraapik with their dogs for the March 16 start-up of the race to Puvirnituq, an 600-kilometre journey north. Makivik Corp. launched the first Ivakkak race in 2001, to promote dog sledding, a practice that was nearly lost following the killing of Inuit dogs in the 1950s and 1960s. You can follow this year’s race at ivakkak2015.com and on Nunatsiaqonline.ca. (PHOTO COURTESY OF IVAKKAK MARSHALL JOHNNY OOVAUT)