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Get ready, get set, the Yukon River Quest is back

Wednesday, 9 June 2021 13:52

By Dylan MacNeil

Paddlers race in the 2019 Yukon River Quest (Photo: Harry KERN yukonriverquest.com)

Like the river changes the land, COVID-19 changes the quest.

The Yukon River Quest is back on. It was one of the many events to get COVID canceled last year, and this year, it will look a little different. The competition usually pulls in paddlers from all over the world, but for the 22nd quest, racers will only be able to compete if they meet the territory’s visitor requirements.

 

Instead of the normal mass start, racers will do a staggered launch from Rotary Park in Whitehorse and set off for the 715km jaunt to Dawson City.

 

Peter Coates is the President of the Yukon River Quest Board. They say that the quickly changing COVID situation pushed planning to the wire.

 

“We actually had two teams enter, oh I don’t know? A half an hour before the deadline. I phoned them up saying ‘are you going to be able to come into the race? Will you get your second shot?’ They said ‘we’re going to get our second shot in about fifteen minutes, we’re in the line.’ So, it’s been like that, just in time. It’s been a lot of work because everything has been compacted down into the last minute.” Says Coates.

 

They also say they have been working with local First Nations to make sure this year’s event goes off with out a hitch

 

“It’s really great to be building that relationship with the First Nations down the river. I think that’s a really important thing. We already are working closely with the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation because we have a monitoring point at Little Salmon. We have a check point at Carmacks So, getting more involved with some of the First Nations is great.” Says Coates.

 

Paddlers will hit the water on June 22. 

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