Carcross adventure duo Denise and Greg McHale came from behind to win the 24 Hours of Light overall title last weekend.

While the pair had held the lead in the co-ed division for the entire race, they were still just off of first overall, behind a two-person male team.

Greg pounded out his final lap, overtaking the other team to win the overall title.

The McHales were using the race as training for the Cowboy Tough World Championships qualifier in Wyoming, said the team’s manager, Doug Judson.

“If today’s win was any indication, the team’s training is peaking at the right time heading into major competition,” he said.

The McHales race under the Team Tecnu banner, and will join the rest of their teammates in July at the world championship qualifiers.

This year marked the 16th time the event has taken place, and it’s come a long ways from the days it was hosted in Riverdale.

About 240 riders riders took part in the event which doesn’t allow lights on the course. Instead, riders rely on the near 24 hours of daylight available in the Yukon around solstice.

The previous record attendance was about 160 riders.

Race organizer Sierra van der Meer said that word of mouth and a new, family category likely contributed to this year’s higher numbers.

New this year was the family category, where laps completed by youth and even those on run bikes, counted towards the family total. Team Beaukinnons (Beauregard and McKinnon family) won the category with 52 of their 81 laps completed on the mini lap course

Kelly Servinski won the solo men’s title with 25 laps, while Laurie Buxton took the women’s title with 16 laps.

As with previous years, there was some mischief on the course, when riders took advantage of the bonus laps offered by completing the course in their birthday suit.

A black bear also made an appearance, but no incidents were reported as she moved off course on her own.

“We’ve never had a year where we haven’t seen a bear,” said van der Meer. Seeing bears is just part of riding in Whitehorse and the race organizers keep people apprised of where on the course a bear may be.