High, fast water played a part in quicker times this year, but it also made for challenging conditions. A number of boats capsized on Lake Laberge due to the strong headwind. One in seven boats dumped in Five Finger Rapids, where seasoned racers said the waves were higher than ever. More wind and rainstorms on Thursday night and Friday afternoon soaked some teams and made for slow going for others, but overall sixty-two boats finished the 715-kilometre race from Whitehorse to Dawson. Race Marshall Stephen Mooney said the number of racers who dropped this year was comparable to previous years.
After several days of heavy rain, water levels in the Yukon River and its tributaries rose faster than anticipated. Fast-flowing water with floating debris and “sweepers” can present challenges to even the skilled paddler.
Competing in the YRQ under such conditions demands a high degree of care and onlyl the most experience paddlers were able to complete the epic voyage across the Yukon.
Top results:
Solo canoe
Mens solo canoe NEW RECORD
1 – Half a Perfect Storm (Gaetan Plourde) 47:59:34
2 – Doggy Paddle (Matthew Smith) 59:47:00
Solo kayak
Mens solo kayak
1 – Wunnumut (Jeff Brainard) 44:10:35
2 – Golden Retriver (Wayne Anderson) 45:43:00
3 – Estonian Vikings (Mart Reimann) 48:46:32
Womens solo kayak
1 – Victorious Secret (Mirjam Fleming) 53:43:02
2 – Rough Cut Diamond (Patricia Jones) 55:46:34
Tandem canoe
Mens tandem canoe
1 – Soggy Bottom Boys 43:13:36
2 – Spirit of the Yukon 44:36:28
3 – Calgary Canoe Club 45:42:20
Womens tandem canoe
NEW RECORD
1 – Love of Paddling 47:43:24
2 – The Girls Next Door 56:51:23
Mixed tandem canoe
1 – The Bickersons 46:18:53
2 – Mennonites Don’t Tip 50:49:31
3 – Fermentation Vessel 53:43:17
Tandem kayak
Mens tandem kayak | NEW RECORD
1 – www.tyreorder.com Elite Team 40:05:43
2 – Yukon Wide Adventures 45:01:00
3 – World of Kayaks Team Estonia M&M 50:20:16
Womens tandem kayak | NEW RECORD
1 – Huum Sauna 43:44:39
Mixed tandem kayak
1 – Schaay Ventures 47:39:15
2 – RBA 62:28:13
Four-person canoe
Mens four-person canoe | NEW RECORD
1 – Something Else Entirely 39:08:12 (new overall race record)
2 – Team Quickblade 43:13:04
Womens four-person canoe | NEW RECORD
1 – Every Child Matters 50:23:11
2 – Sea Wings 57:22:08
Mixed four-person canoe | NEW RECORD
1 – Delta Heat 43:17:01
2 – VIP Bucket List 46:25:05
Voyageur
Mens voyageur
1 – Pagunpogo 40:05:43
2 – Hatchet Lake 42:35:37
3 – Buckwheat’s Howlers 46:40:05
Mixed voyageur
1 – High Voltage 54:17:00
Stand-up paddleboard
Mens SUP | NEW RECORD
1 – Lincoln Dews (Lincoln Dews) 47:46:32
2 – Halfway to Cina (Davide Cina) 49:28:11
3 – Standing Room Only (Jason Bennett) 50:23:54
Womens SUP
1 – Type 2 Fun (LouAnne Harris) 62:36:12
2 – Shara Dubeau (Shara Dubeau) 65:34:50
