Dog teams participating in the 2003 edition of the Ivakkak dog team race were flown in to Kangiqsujuaq, except for one local team that was already on site. The dogs air transport was a courtesy of Air Inuit, Makivik’s major partner in this venture. Carrying two or three teams at a time, the aircraft, a HS 748, made a few trips to the starting point to fly a total of 13 teams from six other communities in Nunavik -Puvirnituq, Akulivik, Quaqtaq, Inukjuak, Kuujjuaq and Tasiujaq.

____________________________

At each stop,dogs were loaded onto the plane by their owners to be settled into cages specifically designed for the event. All dogs on board, the sleds and various equipment needed for the race, not to mention a stack of dog food, frozen fish and meat, were then brought in the plane, ready for take off. By Saturday afternoon, all teams had arrived in Kangiqsujuaq, ready to embark on another journey, this time on the land of their ancestors. Around 140 Inuit huskies were settled on the sea ice, in front of the village, generating a great deal of attention from local people, as well as some tourists present in Kangiqsujuaq to witness the teams’ departure, scheduled for the following Monday. Those who had arrived went out with their dogs on the bay. Aisara Kenuayuak had a little accident on a rough part of the trail. Going over broken ice, his sled tipped over and he fell face down on a block of ice, causing him a swollen black eye (see participants photos). By late evening, all members of the support crew and the two race officials had also arrived by snowmobile. Everybody lodging in private homes, the rest of the evening was spent catching up with old friends and relatives, telling stories reminded by the arrival of the dog teams in the community.

Note that George Annanack was replaced by Rina Snowball, also of Kuujjuaq. Unfortunately, George’s father, Elijah Annanack, passed away the morning George was supposed to leave for Kangiqsujuaq with his dogs. Having suffered heart problems for a couple of years, the respected elder died peacefully at the hospital in Kuujjuaq, surrounded by his family. Rina, who had been training George’s dogs with him all winter long, will hence be racing in George’s place.