The dog teams come out to face the cold


024DAAfter a weekend long spent in Kuujjuaq, the well-rested dog teams were ready to tackle more hills to climb. Instead, it’s the bitter cold they had to face, as they left from Kuujjuaq this morning. The cold wind, making the temperature drop to as low as -45 degrees Celcius, was their only obstacle today, as this section of the trail is relatively flat. But even though it was challenging, the wind was not the dog teams’ rival, as it made for nice hard packed snow on the trail, giving the dogs new wings to cover the 40 miles awaiting them before their next stop, halfway to Tasiujaq.

It is in haste that the dog teams left Stewart Lake this morning, after Nunavik’s Anglican Bishop, Benjamin Arreak, gave them his blessings. No matter how cold it was out there, the dogs were getting restless and were more than ready to go. So ready that Adamie Inukpuk had to hang on tight to his sled if he didn’t want to be left behind by his dogs!

For others, however, it was another story. George Annanack’s dogs didn’t seem too anxious to leave their home in Kuujjuaq, an incidence that cost him a good deal of time as he fell from ninth position to an eleventh place overall.

For Charlie Watt Jr., things got even worse. An injury to his lead dog’s paws forces him to reconsider his participation in the remainder of the race. In fact, not wanting to put his leader in even more pain than he already is, the Ivakkak 2003 champion is seriously thinking to call it quits, already making plans with his support crew, Robbie Kooktook, to bring his dogs back home to Kuujjuaq before it’s too late.

Other than the guys from Kuujjuaq, everybody else seemed to have had a good day. Some dogs went a little off track, smelling caribou nearby, but the incident was quickly forgotten, the extreme cold weather occupying everybody’s mind.

It is hence with relief that the dog teams reached their destination, 40 miles later, some in less then four hours. If you do the math, that means the dog teams have picked up a pace of about 10 miles an hour, on average.

The dog teams are spending the night at Qalialuk, about halfway between Kuujjuaq and Tasiujaq, some in the site’s cabin, others in their tents, as usual. Either way, the wood stoves will be burning logs tonight!

Rank Racer Today’s Time Total Time
1. Peter Kiatainaq 3h 40m 13s 20h 05m 26s
2. Willie Kulula Sr. 3h 40m 59s 20h 38m 10s
3. Novalinga Novalinga 3h 59m 10s 21h 18m 55s
4. Charlie Watt Jr. 4h 19m 40s 21h 34m 51s
5. Aisara Kenuajuak 3h 58m 07s 21h 35m 09s
6. Willie Cain Jr. 4h 08m 01s 22h 48m 34s
7. Tamusi Sivuaraapik 4h 08m 37s 23h 14m 22s
8. Adamie Inukpuk 4h 03m 32s 23h 43m 27s
9. John Jack Séguin 4h 08m 11s 24h 11m 19s
10. Juusipi Qisiiq 4h 28m 41s 24h 36m 21s
11. George Annanack 4h 49m 34s 24h 39m 59s
12. Masiu Nassak 4h 28m 19s 25h 11m 04s
13. Simeonie Elijassiapik 4h 48m 06s 25h 39m 00s
14. Harry Okpik 4h 29m 46s 25h 45m 28s
15. Nutaraaluk Iyaituk 4h 35m 19s 25h 58m 59s
16. Lucassie Alayco Sr. 5h 42m 55s 28h 42m 12s

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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.

These brave allies were central to seasonal Inuit movements, especially in the winter.Strongly built with a thick fur, huskies can withstand bitterly cold temperatures and are capable of lugging their share of supplies during long hours travelling across the endless tundra. Harnessed to a sled or simply keeping pace alongside their master, dogs made it possible for Inuit to cover great distances in their search for game to provide for their families, and to transport heavy loads (...).

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