Tough uphill terrain on Day 3 doesn’t slow down Igloolik mushers
Slideshow | Nunavut Quest climb gives dogs, snowmobiles a workout
Nunavut Quest musher Lee Inuarak (#2) arrives at the evening’s check point on the third day of the 250-kilometre race from Arctic Bay to Pond Inlet. Ten dogsled teams are competing in the annual race, which has a first prize of $20,000. (Photo by Cadence Arnatsiaq, special to Nunatsiaq News)
It was a steep climb on the third day of the Nunavut Quest race, both for the dogs pulling the sleds and mushers but also for the snowmobiles accompanying the racers.
“There’s going to be a lot of climbing today,” said Charlie Inuarak, the elder guide. “It’s going to be rocky, you’ll have to be careful.”
The conditions were a little bit unfavourable but everyone wanted to continue forward.
The elders gave words of encouragement: there are going to be hardships, speak up to the leaders and others, that way we can talk about it and be happy.
Thursday was the third day of the Nunavut Quest, an annual dogsled race from Arctic Bay to Pond Inlet. Ten mushers set out Tuesday, competing for $54,500 in prize money, including a $20,000 first-place prize.
Daniel Inuarak works on his racing qamutik Thursday at the end of the third day of racing in the Nunavut Quest. Inuarak is one of 10 mushers competing in the 250-kilometre dogsled race from Arctic Bay to Pond Inlet (Photo by Shanshan Tian, special to Nunatsiaq News)
The plan was to go 80 kilometres on Thursday. Due to the tough trail anticipated ahead, it was decided that the drivers would leave two hours before the mushers in case there were major delays.
The total elevation gained on Thursday was 368 metres.
Alex Ootoowak, one of the race guides, warned the group that the machines would be pushed to their limits. At the top of the big climb, his statement proved true.
A few machines tipped but everybody was safe.
At the top of the big climb, the mechanics, young men and teenagers who were keen to learn and help worked on the machines that needed repairs. At the end of the day, everything was in good working order. If it was tough for the machines, it must have been tough for the dogs.
At the checkpoint, the top mushers were coming in neck and neck. It was a tight race. The dogs and mushers came in with big smiles despite the tough uphill terrain they travelled that day.
The Inuit sled dogs from these regions are built for these types of terrains. Nunavut Quest rules state that all dogs must be of Inuit sled dog ancestry in which “Inuit dog is known to be a working dog and not a sprinter.”
However, Igloolik island and area is very flat. That doesn’t seem to slow down the two Igloolik mushers who came in first and third in today’s order of arrival.
Day 3’s distance travelled was 47 kilometres and it took the drivers four hours to reach Camp 3, located at Pingualuk Ungataa.
Day 3’s order of arrival:
- Nanuraq Uttak (#9)
- Apak Taqtu (#11)
- Qiliqti Ivalu (#3)
- Tom Naqitarvik (#8)
- David Oyukuluk (#1)
- Lee Inuarak (#2)
- Jeremy Koonoo (#7)
- Daniel Inuarak (#5)
- Donovan Qaunaq (#4)
- Owen Jaworenko (#10)
Mushers and drivers in the Nunavut Quest dogsled race hold a morning meeting on Thursday, the third day of racing. Ten mushers are racing from Arctic Bay to Pond Inlet in the annual race that has $54,500 in prize money up for grabs. (Photo by Kenneth Owen Angilirq, special to Nunatsiaq News)
This article and the accompanying pictures are the result of a partnership between Nunatsiaq News and Igloolik youth participating in the Nunavut Quest Field Course, a project sponsored by QIA and the Ilagiiktunut Fund.
Thanks for the update,name from Chesterfield Inlet keeps popping-up so my interest in this race is cheering for Chester, although that person most likely is from Arctic Bay. Cheers!