Nunavik’s Dog Team Race Set to Begin!


Sixteen dog teams from all around Nunavik will soon gather in Inukjuak to partake in the fourth edition of the Ivakkak Dog Team Race. Set to start on Tuesday morning, March 2nd, the annual event will begin in Inukjuak and head towards Umiujaq, to later end in Kuujjuaraapik, over 400 kilometers southward, following the eastern Hudson Bay’s coastline.

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Air Inuit will transport the dogs from the communities to bring them to the starting point in Inukjuak this coming weekend, on February 28 and 29th, and will then bring everybody back home at the end of the race.

The race is expected to last for about eight to ten days, depending on trail conditions and weather.

While the communities visited will provide meat and fish for the dogs, the FCNQ will be providing en route dry dog food to all the teams, and also making supplies available to the participants and support crew in the Co-op stores along the way.

Since the first edition of this ever popular event in 2001, the number of participants in has almost doubled, showing a huge amount of interest among Inuit in Nunavik and a growing number of dog team owners in the region.

The participating Inuit men are aiming for the Ivakkak Cup, and this year’s grand prize: a 24-foot freighter canoe (of a $8699.99 retail value) offered by the Federation of Cooperatives of Northern Quebec (FCNQ), $3500 offered by Makivik Corporation, a pair of plane tickets to Montreal or anywhere in Nunavik from First Air/Air Inuit, and two nights for two at the Dorval Airport Travelodge.

The second prize will be a 2005 Yamaha Four-Stroke 15 HP outboard motor (of a $4090 retail value) offered by Kuujjuaq Motosport, and $2500 from Makivik Corporation.

The third, fourth and fifth placed will also be granted money prizes, as well as other interesting prizes, notably a Handheld GPS and accessories (of a $800 value) offered by Umiak Builders, a down parka (of a $750 value) offered by Nunavik Creations, and camping gear from the Northern Stores.

Various awards recognizing the talents of the racers will also be given out during the celebrations held following the end of the race. Notably, the Avataq Cultural Institute will be giving out an award and a $500 money prize to a young person that shows will in keeping his elders’ tradition alive through his dog team’s performance.

Good luck to all!

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The return of the Inuit Dogs

At the end of the last century, the pure-breed Husky dog was nearly extinct in Nunavik. Nowadays, Inuit people mostly travel by snowmobile. Yet, the memories of another time when dogs were man’s most reliable partners are not so far behind. Long known to be man’s best friend, dogs were once essential to the survival of Inuit in the merciless arctic environment. In fact, only a few decades ago, sled dogs were a foundation of the Inuit nomadic way of life.

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