Hudson Bay Quest photos by Joseph Lin. This year’s race has been action packed with great weather, lots of surprises and tremendous support. Enjoy the images. Check back for race results, highlights and more amazing photos in a day or so.
The annual Hudson Bay Quest between Churchill and Gillam started today and is expected to run over the the next two to three days. This year the Quest left from Churchill and the mushers and dog-teams will travel across the tundra to Gillam.
Check out the footage from the webcam with a birds-eye view of the race start in Churchill.
Here’s a list of the racers into the McClintock checkpoint.
McClintock Checkpoint
Bib#1 Ryan Anderson in 21:29
Bib#2 David Daley in 23:19
Bib#3 Justin Allen
Bib#4 Dan DiMuzio in 23:19
Bib#5 Blake Freking in 21:52
Bib#6 Ernest Azure in 20:40
Bib#7 Peter McClelland in 21:33
Bib#8 Bob Shanahan
Bib#9 Jim Oehlschlaeger in 23:19
Bib#10 Jacob Heigers
Bib#11 Josh Compton in 22:06
Bib#12 Troy Groeneveld in 21:36
Bib#13 Kevin Malikowski in 22:44
Bib#14 Charlie Lundie in 22:11
Bib#15 Shawn McCarty
A video near the start from Katie DeMeulles in Churchill.
These were the times for Lamprey checkpoint:
Bib#1 Ryan Anderson in 14:33 out 16:21
Bib#2 David Daley in 15:15 out 15:16
Bib#3 Justin Allen in 15:30 and resting
Bib#4 Dan DiMuzio in 15:09 out 15:15
Bib#5 Blake Freking in 14:45 and resting
Bib#6 Ernest Azure in 14:47 out 14:52
Bib#7 Peter McClelland in 14:55 and resting
Bib#8 Bob Shanahan in 15:42 and resting
Bib#9 Jim Oehlschlaeger in 15:13 and resting
Bib#10 Jacob Heigers not yet in
Bib#11 Josh Compton not yet in
Bib#12 Troy Groeneveld in 16:16 out 16:17
Bib#13 Kevin Malikowski in 16:02 and resting
Bib#14 Charlie Lundie in 15:44 out 15:46
Bib#15 Shawn McCarty in 15:40 out 15:44
A Natural Habitat Adventures group lead by Annie Van Dinther was lucky enough to be present at the start and decided a group photo was a way to celebrate.
Natural Habitat aurora group.
The annual Hudson Bay Quest will depart Churchill for Gillam on March 13, 2014. 17 mushers will compete for the title in this years race including five from Churchill,MB. Dave Daley, race organizer and Churchill native will draw first for his bib number and start position. This year’s race can be followed on trackleaders.com. If you have the urge to venture north and watch the race -start in person, Natural Habitat Adventures offers guided Northern lights tours at this time. An unforgettable experience.
Below is the up-to-date list of mushers ready to vie for the 2014 championship.
Churchill dogs running for the love of it. Photo Brad Josephs.
1. David Daley, Wapusk Adventures, Churchill, MB
2. Justin Allen, Wapusk Adventures, Churchill, MB
3. Dan DiMuzio, Sled Dog Energy, Churchill, MB
4. Jacob Heigers, isiBindi/Riverice, Whitehorse, YT
5. Blake Freking, Manitou Crossing Kennels, Finland, MN
6. Ryan Anderson, AnderTier Racing, Ray, MN
7. Ernest Azure, Cold Toes Wet Nose Kennel, Churchill, MB
8. Denis Tremblay, Makamic Kennel, St. Michel des Saints, QC
9. Shawn McCarty, White Wilderness, Ely, MN
10. Peter McClelland, White Wilderness, Ely, MN
11. Jim Oehlschlaeger, Newberry,MI
12. Martin Massicotte, Martin Massicotte Kennels, St-Tite, QC
13. Kevin Malikowski, Winternight Sleddogs, Outing, MN
14. Charlie Lundie, Charlie’s Kennel, Churchill, MB
15. Troy Groeneveld, Ten Squared Racing, Two Harbors, MN
16. Josh Compton, Ten Squared Racing, Two Harbors, MN
17. Bob Shanahan, Shanahan Sled Dogs, Mechanicsburg, Ohio
Churchill is buzzing these days with all kinds of excitement! Aurora trips are in full swing with this being one of the best years to view the “northern lights” due to incredible solar flaring. Also, Churchill’s annual Aurora festival begins in March and overlaps with the start of the Hudson Bay Quest which begins in Gillam, MB on March 15th and finishes in Churchill this year. And..oh yeah..polar bears are always in the news with the ongoing debates on how they should be listed on the endangered species list. Lots to think about in the heart of winter up north.
A polar bear keeps a watchful eye from the shelter of willows.
Polar bears were listed as endangered in 2008. in 2010 the United States petitioned the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) to upgrade the listing from appendix II to appendix I..which would prevent any international trade in polar bear parts. That year the motion was declined and now this March 3-14th the USA is once again trying to push the change through. Of course there are many sides to the issue but passage of the motion would surely have ramifications all over the planet. This article goes more deeply into the reasons many different proponents and opponents have interest in the upcoming symposium.
Avid sled dogs in Churchill,MB. Brad Josephs photo.
The Hudson Bay Quest is ramping up to full speed in preparation for the March 15th start date. An amazing field of mushers has already registered. Here’s the updated list below:
1. David Daley, from Churchill, Manitoba
2. Julie Robitaille, from Otter Lake, Quebec
3. Ryan Anderson, from Ray, Minnesota
4. Charlie Lundie, from Churchill, Manitoba
5. Stefan deMarie, from Christopher Lake, Saskatchewan
6. Alvin Hardman, from Ludington, Michigan
7. Dan DiMuzio, from Churchill, Manitoba
8. Jim Oehlschlaeger, from Newberry, Michigan
9. Ed the Sled Obrecht, from Otter Lake, Quebec
10. Blake Freking, from Finland, Minnesota
11. Troy Groeneveld, from Two Harbours, Minnesota
12. Jesse Terry, from Sioux Lookout, Ontario
13. Peter McClelland, Ely, Minnesota
14. Shawn McCarty, Ely, Minnesota
15. Matt Groth, from Two Harbours, Minnesota
16. Laura Daugereau, from Kingston, Washington
17. Hank DeBruin, from Haliburton, Ontario
This is shaping up as the most competitive field to date. Returning 2012 champion Shawn McCarty and 2011 hometown champion Charlie Lundie are both in the field with hopes to win again. Come on up to Churchill for St. Patty’s day and catch the racers as they mush into town on the16th and 17th.
Recently I posted some photo’s of one of Natural Habitat’s aurora groups building an igloo. Take a look at the finished product..fun was had by all. What an experience in cold temperatures!
The real thing in the Arctic. Photo Rhonda Reid.
Warm inside…frigid outside. Photo Rhonda Reid.
The cult-like following Hudson Bay Quest will depart Gillam, Manitoba on March 15th, and terminate in Churchill,MB this year. The two towns in the far north alternate starting positions every other year. Last year 16 mushers from North America contended for the mushing title and Shawn McCarty from Ely, Minnesota won the crown.
This year’s quest currently has 15 teams registered so far for the 220 mile (330 Km) race. 2011 was the first year the race changed courses and instead of braving life – threatening conditions along the ice edge of the Hudson Bay, the Gillam/Churchill route was employed. In that year, Charlie Lundie became the first HBQ winner from the host town of Churchill. He edged out Peter McClelland also from Ely, MN by just two minutes as the two raced toward Lundie’s home crowd filled with many family members of Lundie’s. After the win the crowd lifted Lundie on is sled in jubilation as goes the tradition in dog mushing. McCarty finished third that year and eventually won last year’s crown.
2012 winner Shawn McCarty from Ely, MN
Since the race has shifted more inland on the tundra following along the border of Wapusk National Parc and the Hudson Bay Railroad, a more consistent and recurring line-up of mushers have continued to return each year perpetuating a sort of rivalry between the southern mushers from the northern United States and the Churchill and other Canadian mushers. Any good competition thrives on repeat contestants challenging for the title year after year. The Hudson Bay Quest seems to be gaining that quality now that all the weather and danger issues of the bay are in the past.
Sled dogs yearn for this time of year. Brad Josephs photo.
While there’s still another month and a half before the race, the preparations are going strong. it takes enormous organization and communication to put on an event like this. Dave Daley of Wapusk Adventures in Churchill does the lions share of the work before hand and the Canadian Rangers volunteer their time during the race to insure safety of all the mushers and dogs is the priority. Even though the race is less dangerous these days, a winter storm can still make the trip dangerous…this is the high north after all.
As the race draws nearer I will keep you updated on the list of teams and any other new information regarding this year’s race. It looks to be an exciting time once again in the heart of winter in the sub-Arctic! With this also being the prime season for viewing aurora borealis in the northern sky, frequent updates from Churchill and Natural Habitat Northern lights tours will provide images and reports of activities and the lights.
