2005 HUDSON BAY QUEST

EARLY BIRD AMERICAN

John Stetson Wins Sprint to Churchill

After a close race, slowed by fresh snow and mild temperatures, John Stetson of Duluth, Minnesota was the first to cross the finish line of the second annual Hudson Bay Quest,arriving in Churchill at 6:57am CST Thursday, April 7th.

Stetson was followed by Andrew Panagoniak of Arviat at 8:00am. Moses and Phillip Kigusiutnak completed the top four shortly after noon. Jamie Kablutsiak, the final musher on the trail, arrived late Thursday night.

Panagoniak held the lead for much of the 400 kilometre race but Stetson broke camp around 3am Thursday morning for the final sprint to Churchill. For the bulk of the race, the top four mushers had travelled together, primarily for reasons of safety along the temperamental coastline of Hudson Bay.

The 2005 Hudson Bay Quest ran from Arviat, Nunavut to Churchill, Manitoba, with teams leaving Arviat at 10:00am on Monday, April 4th.

This year’s race route followed the coastline to Big River (the second checkpoint out of Arviat) where mushers turned inland for a 20 kilometre detour up river. This was the first safe crossing for dog teams due to excess tidal overflow. Mushers then had to return to the coast before continuing to Nunalla checkpoint.

The Nunalla Checkpoint is near the Manitoba-Nunavut border and the halfway point of the race. Here, they reported for a mandatory two-hour rest stop and veterinarian check, performed by Evan Fisk of Winnipeg’s Alpine Animal Hospital.

Nunalla was also the first checkpoint where teams may ‘drop’ a dog. Teams had to leave the equivalent of three days food for any dogs left at Nunalla. Dogs could also be dropped at Long Point and North River, but required two days and one day worth of food to be left in such a case.

A food drop was also available to teams without sufficient food for their dogs, but an eight hour penalty would have been assigned to any teams required to draw from this cache. No teams required this assistance.

Teams continued to checkpoints at Long Point and then North River before reaching the finish line in Churchill. Differing from 2004, this year’s race route crossed Button Bay and bypassed Prince of Wales Fort.

In keeping with the historic link to the fur trade, teams were be given one fur in Arviat to carry with them and ‘trade’ with a Parks Canada representative at the finish line along the Churchill River. Upon ‘trading’ this fur, the racers time were officially recorded.

Official race results and awards will be announced at a race banquet in Churchill, Manitoba on Saturday, April 9th. This year’s purse is $15,000 with $5,000 going to first place, $3,000 to second and $1,500 for third. Remaining cash awards for the top ten finishers will be divided between the five 2005 finishers.

A race banquet and official awards ceremony was held in Churchill on Saturday, April 9th.

- prepared by Kelsey Eliasson
- courtesy of the Hudson Bay Post, Churchill's Community Newspaper

- return to Hudson Bay Quest race results -

1 - John Stetson - Duluth, Minnesota - eleven dogs
          Arrived in Churchill at 6:57am- Thursday, April 7
2 - Andrew Panagoniak - Arviat, Nunavut - nine dogs
          Arrived in Churchill at 8:05am- Thursday, April 7 
3 - Moses Kigusiutnak - Arviat, Nunavut - nine dogs
         Arrived in Churchill at 12:25pm- Thursday, April 7
4 - Phillip Kigusiutnak - Arviat, Nunavut - eight dogs
        Arrived in Churchill at 12:40pm- Thursday, April 7 
5 - Jamie Kablutsiak - Arviat, Nunavut - ten dogs
        Arrived in Churchill 11:20pm - Thursday, April 7 
6 - George Sinclair - Churchill, Manitoba - nine dogs - DNF 
7 - David Daley - Churchill, Manitoba - nine dogs - DNF
8 - Gerald Azure - Churchill, Manitoba - nine dogs - DNF 

David Oolooyak - Rankin Inlet - withdrew 
Harry Towtongie - Rankin Inlet -withdrew
John Tinashlu - Repulse Bay - withdrew 

- return to Hudson Bay Quest race results -