Nanaouq Tanuyak claimed the checkered flag and $15,000 in prize money at the Rankin Inlet to Whale Cove snowmobile race before a large, boisterous crowd on Sunday, April 7.
Race committee member Silu Autut said the race went very well.
He said this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 event was far more successful than the 2023 edition, which the committee only had a week to prepare for.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had a full year to prepare ourselves this time and have everything organized properly,SA国际影视传媒� said Autut.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had a really great crew and the outcome was phenomenal.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was a very competitive race. I was using a duration calculator during the race and, when I was doing the times, I was like, wow, this guys are minutes, if not seconds, apart.SA国际影视传媒�
Autut said the crowd at the race was tremendous. He said they had everyone on the ice with people going all the way down to Johnston Cove in Rankin.
Those assembled on the ice were waving to Kelly Owlijoot as he flew a helicopter around the racers for the entire event, he said, chuckling.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had 35 racers at the start but there were a few who dropped out. One racer actually gave his uncle his snowmobile to race instead. He did the honorable thing, I think, in getting his family member to race instead of himself. Very cool.
SA国际影视传媒淎 couple of people, both before and during the race, broke down or wiped out.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e so thankful that nobody had serious injuries. Everyone made it home and everybody seemed to really have fun,SA国际影视传媒� said Autut.
Injuries are a concern with any snowmobile race.
Autut said he was nervous and often felt like he was racing himself.
He said the committeeSA国际影视传媒檚 top priority for the competition was everyoneSA国际影视传媒檚 safety.
SA国际影视传媒淚 got up early the day of the race to look at the weather and make sure everything was safe for the event.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had to delay the race for one day (originally scheduled for Saturday, April 6) due to weather issues and everything worked out perfectly.
SA国际影视传媒淚t all just came together better than weSA国际影视传媒檇 even hoped. Nobody complained about anything.SA国际影视传媒�
To the best of everyoneSA国际影视传媒檚 recollection, 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary for the start of the Rankin to Whale Race in 1975.
Autut said the event was not held for a number of years when everyone just simply seemed to forget about it for awhile.
He said the committee pulled a rabbit out of its hat to hold it in 2023 with just a weekSA国际影视传媒檚 notice, but this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 event more than made up for the lack of time in preparing for the previous race.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think we had 13 racers in 2023 and we even threw in some money out of our own pockets to make it work.
SA国际影视传媒淭here was really a great buzz around this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 race. The atmosphere, or vibe, from everyone was just incredible. People are already talking about next yearSA国际影视传媒檚 race.
SA国际影视传媒淭his year we were reaching out to people to help us as sponsors of the race, and now itSA国际影视传媒檚 them coming to us, so weSA国际影视传媒檙e on the right track.SA国际影视传媒�
Tanuyak, 32, took top spot and the $15,000 prize money in the race with a time of one hour, 21 minutes and one second.
It was TanuyakSA国际影视传媒檚 second time entered in the event, having also raced in 2023. He said he found the 102-mile (160 km return) course to be SA国际影视传媒減retty smoothSA国际影视传媒� overall.
SA国际影视传媒淚 just tried to go as fast as I could during the whole race,SA国际影视传媒� said Tanuyak, who drove an 850 Ski-Doo to victory.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 say my top speed during the race was about 115 mph.
SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 even realize I had won the race until they were giving out the awards later that day at the arena. I knew I was close but they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 post the times until later at the arena.SA国际影视传媒�
Tanuyak said the crowd this year was awesome.
He said moving forward, he can see the race growing even bigger.
SA国际影视传媒淚 love everything about my machine. You need the speed, of course, but your suspension is probably the most important thing during this race.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l be pumped to try and defend my championship in next yearSA国际影视传媒檚 race.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 pretty exciting to be racing at that speed.
SA国际影视传媒淭his yearSA国际影视传媒檚 race was pretty well organized. I liked it and ISA国际影视传媒檓 already looking forward to next yearSA国际影视传媒檚 race.SA国际影视传媒�
