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May 3, 2002
Crossing the line
Competitors finish dog
team race in nine days
KIRSTEN
MURPHY
Jacopie Avingaq of Igloolik
is $10,000 richer after winning the Nunavut Quest dog team race in nine days
on April 26.
Avingaq beat out 14 teams
to take first prize in the 370-kilometre race from Clyde River to Pond Inlet.
His winning time of 31 hours, 52 minutes and 17 seconds was two hours ahead
of Pond Inlets Panoeli Otkanguq. The races youngest competitor,
17-year-old Larry Kautuq of Clyde River, finished third with a time of 34 hours,
46 minutes and seven seconds. Each racer was limited to travelling 50 kilometres
per day. Whoever finished first one day started first the next day.
Jamesie Atagootak, chair
of the Iparautaq committee, was pleased with the results. "This is a cultural
activity bringing back our traditional Inuit culture," said Atagootak.
Nunavut Quest began in
1999 and is Nunavuts longest dog team race.
Racers lost two days of
racing due to bad weather this year. However, no one dropped out of the competition.
Competitors came from Igloolik, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Arctic Bay and Pond
Inlet.
Two days of feasting and
celebration followed the race.
Plans are under way for
next years race, Atagootak said. The host communities have yet to be announced.
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