‘A perfect day for racing’: Skidoo racers zip from Rankin Inlet to Whale Cove, Nunavut, and back

The annual snowmobile race from Rankin Inlet to Whale Cove, Nunavut, and back was bigger than ever for its second year back after 41 years without the event. 

Last year, 13 racers hit the trails for the return of the Whale Cove snowmobile race — the first time the race was held since 1982 That number more than doubled this year, with 31 racers registered to compete for the event this past Sunday. 

Neco Towtongie, one of the organizers, said this second year back was a big success.

“I feel like the race turned out to be an amazing event and an amazing day, and amazing weather,” Towtongie said. 

The nearly 170-kilometre track goes from Rankin Inlet to Whale Cove and back, with multiple pits stops before returning to Rankin Inlet.

Race marshal Stanley Adjuk said the pit stops were exciting for Whale Cove residents who came out to watch the competitors. 

“It brings out the whole community outdoors [to] enjoy the whole five minutes, at least watching the racers come in and gas up and take off,” Adjuk said.

Taina Ashoona in Rankin Inlet led fundraising efforts for the race’s prizes. 

She said it was much tougher a year ago when they first brought the race back.

“Last year was our first year ever and it was within like two weeks that we had to come up with funds to pay out the racers,” Ashoona said. 

Ashoona described Sunday as “a perfect day for racing.”

“It was a very beautiful day. There was not a cloud in sight,” Ashoona said. 

Ashoona said racers came from all over Nunavut and one travelled all the way from just north of Toronto to compete. 

“It brought Rankin Inlet and even Whale Cove to come together,” she said. 

It also brought back memories for 83-year-old Paul Kablutsiak, a retired racer from Arviat.

Kablutsiak remembers the joy the event brings to people, but also how times have changed. 

“Back in the day we had tougher machines and we would file the parts down on the engine to make it go faster … we were fast dudes … it was great,” Kablutsiak said in Inuktitut. 

The winner of this year’s race was Nanauq Tanuyak, with a time of one hour, 21 minutes and one second. He took home $15,000 in prize money. 

With files from TJ Dhir

Related stories from around the North:

Canada: ‘An amazing thing’: Iditarod dog found 3 months after disappearing from race checkpoint, CBC News

Norway: Norway’s foreign minister on snowmobile patrol along Russian border, The Independent Barents Observer