Nunavik’s annual dogsled race departs Salluit next week

Nunavik’s annual dogsled race is set to take off from Salluit on Feb. 22.

This year’s Ivakkak marks the 20^th anniversary of the race, first launched by Makivik Corp. in 2001 to revive and promote the tradition of Inuit dogsledding in the region.

The race alternates its route from one coast to the next each year. This year, teams will depart from Salluit on Feb. 22 and head south along the Hudson coast, with stops in Ivujivik and Akulivik before reaching the finish line in Puvirnituq.

The race is expected to take 11 days, with teams scheduled to arrive in Puvirnituq on March 4, Makivik Corp. said in a news release.

“Over the years, Ivakkak has demonstrated and has kept alive the traditional way of winter travelling within our Arctic homeland, Nunavik,” said Maggie Emudluk, Makivik’s vice-president of economic development, in the same release.

Ivakkak organizers haven’t yet announced the teams participating in this year’s race.

Tasiujaq mushers Willie Cain Jr. and his partner, Ken Labbé, won last year’s race with a total time of 43 hours and 11 minutes.

Last year’s race saw tragedy, when 24-year-old Kangiqsujuaq musher Willia Qullialuk died on the race route. Seven teams entered the race that year, which left Kangirsuk and finished in Kangiqsualujjuaq.

Typically, communities along the race route will host activities for mushers and Ivakkak crews as they arrive. But Makivik said that this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the organization will have to approve those events on a case-by-case basis, depending on the alert level in each community.