Whitehorse Daily Star

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ON THEIR WAY – Fans watch the 2014 River Quest begin.

Registration for 17th River Quest opens Saturday

As of Nov. 1, registrations will be accepted for the 17th annual Yukon River Quest.

By Whitehorse Star on October 30, 2014

As of Nov. 1, registrations will be accepted for the 17th annual Yukon River Quest.

The 715-kilometre wilderness adventure paddling race will be held on the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Dawson City June 24 to 28, 2015.

The longest annual canoe and kayak race in the world is also known as the Race to the Midnight Sun, as paddlers race around the clock under a sky that never gets dark.

Beginning Saturday, entry forms will be available online on the race website www.yukonriverquest.com.

Entry fees remain $850 for tandem canoes and kayaks, $475 for solo canoes and kayaks, and $250 per person for voyageur canoe teams of six or more paddlers.

Registration deadline is May 15, but teams are encouraged to register early.

The race is capped at 100 teams, including a limit of 30 solo teams.

Individuals hoping to complete the race on their own are advised to register immediately and reserve a spot.

Paddlers should have race or wilderness paddling experience, and all boats must meet the specifications defined in the rules posted on the event website, said a press release.

The race purse will remain at C$36,500, based on a full roster of 100 teams. Barring a full roster, the purse will be lowered on a percentage basis.

Cash prizes are available in each boat class. A complete prize breakdown can be found on the race website in the rules section.

Last year, the marathon paddling race again drew racers from around the world to Whitehorse.

In total, 66 teams representing 13 countries started the race, with 48 reaching the finish line.

The winning team was ‘Two Numbnuts’ – a tandem kayak manned by Brit paddlers Shaun Thrower and Steve King.

The duo finished in 45 hours, 30 minutes, 32 seconds.

The course record is 39:32:43, a mark set in 2008 by the Canadian voyageur ‘Team Kisseynew.’

Comments (1)

Up 91 Down 86

Dawsonite on Nov 1, 2014 at 11:36 am

It's good to read about this so early before the event. Please give more consideration to the awards ceremony. The people who compete in this event come from all over the world, put in time, effort and stimulate the economy. Last years ceremony was a joke at best and an insult at worst. My family sponsors this event and we were frustrated with lack of organization and recognition for the entrants. At least have the times and team names written down before you try to announce them. To whoever is responsible for last years mess I hope you read this and get your ducks in a row for 2015. We spoke to many racing teams last year and not one had anything positive to say about the ceremony.

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