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The Yukon River Quest gears up for a third try

Monday, 25 October 2021 12:57

By Dylan MacNeil

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

The 2022 quest has expanded to allow 150 teams in anticipation of eager racers.

 

The third time might be the charm for the Yukon River Quest.

 

The race was COVID cancelled in 2020 and in 2021, it was put on pause because of dangerously high-water levels on the Yukon River.

 

Paddlers will try their luck again next summer. Registration for the 2022 River Quest is opening soon.

 

Peter Coates, president of the Yukon River Marathon Paddlers Association says with the global COVID-19 situation, he’s feeling a little nervous planning next year's race.

 

“COVID hasn’t gone away. If you look at Europe, you look at much of Canada, look at the states, it’s still a bad situation. So, there’s a lot of uncertainty and doubt. We don’t want to be in the position we were in March of this year of having to refund thousands and thousands of dollars to people who’ve entered and then can’t get here for whatever reason,” says Coates.

 

There have been some cautious changes made to this year’s registration process. Team captains will only have to pay $50 to be added to a wait list. The full registration fee will be collected in the spring when things are a little clearer. Coates says he hopes their registration system can keep up after not being used to its full capacity in two years. He says in 2019, they had a “tidal wave” of registrations, at one point they were getting 10 a minute which caused glitches. The technical hiccups affected five teams. Coates describes the situation as “very stressful.” To smooth the process out, this year registrations will be staggered, starting with big boats, then a week later, tandems, and then solos the week after that.

 

“By taking those pre-emptive measures, it’s good magic and the problems won’t happen - and I probably shouldn’t have said that, because now they probably will,” Coates joked.

 

Racers are eager to get out on the water for the first race since 2019. So, for 2022, the quest has been expanded from 125 teams to 150.

 

Registration opens on November 1. Boats will launch for the 715-kilomete jaunt from Whitehorse to Dawson City on June 22.  

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