After the difficulties encountered along the trail during the first leg of the Ivakkak 2007, over the 185 kilometres or so covered between Quaqtaq and Kangiqsujuaq, men and dogs partaking in this seventh edition of the dog team race certainly deserved a break. Stopped for the day in Kangiqsujuaq, it gave the men a chance to tend to their dogs, mend their sleds, and dry their clothes, sleeping bags and tents. A meeting was also held in the afternoon by the race officials, with all the mushers and their partners, during which many things needed to be discussed in order to compile the overall results properly (see more details in the full story and overall results to date below). After their meeting, all went on to the local Co-op to shop for supplies and to the community freezer to get some more dog food for the road ahead, which will lead them towards the Raglan Mine and then Salluit, to finish in Ivujivik sometime next weekend, weather permits.

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For the help he brought to the young team of Etua Lucassie and Stanley Tukkiapik during the storm (see March 10′s race update for full story), all the Ivakkak 2007 participants decided, along with race officials, to give Juusipi Qisiiq and his team a two-hour time reward. The two hours were hence taken off his time from yesterday. Since the dog teams’ starting line up each day is based on their time the previous racing day’s time, his adjusted time now being the shortest of Sunday’s times, Juusipi’s team will therefore be the first ones to depart from Kangiqsujuaq tomorrow morning, ahead of three-time Ivakkak champion, Peter Kiatainaq. Juusipi’s overall time for this first portion of the race between Quaqtaq and Kangiqsujuaq, therefore also two hours shorter, brings him to the 11th position.

George Kritik Jr.’s team was also given a half an hour time reward for the help they provided George Nunga when he broke his sled on Saturday, as well as for picking up one of the safety patrol’s canvas tent left behind on the trail by accident.

Peter Kiatainaq was also given a two-minute time reward for helping Tamusi Sivuaraapik recover his whole dog team, which had become separated from the sled after their main line broke. While his son Johnny tried to hold on to the dogs’ ropes, Tamusi had to pull the sled forward himself. Fortunately for them, Peter was not too far ahead and managed to stop the dogs, which Johnny hadn’t been able to hold off. Peter helped Johnny secure the dogs with an anchor in the ice, while he waited for his father to come with the sled.

Some of the other teams were also given small time rewards of one minute for picking up various items lost on the trail by fellow participants, and others one-minute time penalty for having loose dogs on the trail causing disturbance to other teams.

Also note that, starting tomorrow, Etua Lucassie and his partner will now be wearing the race bib number 20, as they lost their original number 16 in the storm.

Finally, please note that George Nunga, who was brought in to Kangiqsujuaq by snowmobile yesterday, after getting sick during the storm, had to abandon the race and will not be continuing on to Ivujivik. He will be brought back home along with his partner, young Jackusie Alashuak, and their dogs.

As for the teams of Johnny “Aqutaq” Angnatuk and George Kritik Jr. of Tasiujaq, who were also brought in by snowmobile to Kangiqsujuaq, one due to problems with his sled and the other who’s foot got hurt, will try again tomorrow and if all goes well, will continue the race all the way until the end on their own.

We wish them all nice weather for the road ahead…