Nunavut Quest Day 5 takes mushers to Milne Inlet
Racers and support teams follow trail along Mary River and Baffinland tote road
Nunavut Quest musher Owen Jaworenko and his dogsled team approach the finish line for Monday’s stretch of the 500-kilometre race from Igloolik to Pond Inlet. (Photo by Hezekiah Uttak, special to Nunatsiaq News)
The Nunavut Quest trail took mushers 90 kilometres on Monday, from Qaanniqtalik to Iluvilik.
The route followed the Mary River and Baffinland Iron Mine’s tote road, past the iron mine’s port and into Milne Inlet. They made camp on the sea ice, around 120 kilometres from the finish line in Pond Inlet.
Here is the order of arrival for mushers after Day 5:
1. Nanuraq Uttak
2. Lee Inuarak
3. Tom Naqitarvik
4. Daniel Inuarak
5. Donovan Qaunaq
6. Owen Jaworenko
7. Roland Taqtu
8. Peter Henry Arnatsiaq
9. Natalino Piugattuq
The nine dogsled teams are racing with a support crew of around 60 people of all ages.
Weather issues have hampered this year’s Quest, which runs 500 kilometres from Igloolik to Pond Inlet. The race’s start, originally set for April 7, was delayed by two days. Day 2 on Friday brought a later start as well because of weather.
On Sunday, mushers loaded their dogs into their qamutiit and pushed ahead on their snowmobiles instead of racing, again because of blizzard conditions.
The race is scheduled to continue Tuesday.
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