Through unforgiving conditions, wind chills near -40°C, and against an initial roster of 50 teams, Cain’s Quest 2020 officially has its champions.
Shortly before 4 p.m. local time, Team 21 – Mighty Haulers – brought their snowmobiles across the finish line in Labrador West to the applause of crowds, who gathered to witness the end of the endurance race.
The rookie team consists of 44-year-old Darryl Burdett of Cartwright and 54-year-old Roddrick Pye of Lodge Bay, Labrador.
The endurance race pits teams of two against 3,100-kilometres of Labrador wilderness, as they complete a circuit that begins at Labrador West and threads around the greater part of the Big Land.
This year’s race saw international attention, as teams came to Labrador from as far away as Finland and Switzerland. This year also featured, for the first time, two female teams.
Shawn Murphy of Cain’s Quest says this year’s conditions were particularly challenging, as Labrador had not gotten as much snow as they’d like. They had heard many stories of mechanical issues, and riders being thrown from their machines along the way. Murphy says the land is unforgiving, and even moreso when there’s little snow to be found in some areas.
(Photo courtesy Cain’s Quest.)
Teams set out on Saturday morning. By Tuesday, at least 10 teams were scratched from the race. That number continued to grow as teams reached the final stretch.
In one case, a competitor had to be airlifted to hospital following an accident near Hopedale.
Team 50 – Labrador South Racing – came in second place, with teammates Murray O’Brien and Blair Roberts on the throttle, around 4:32.
Third place was claimed by Team 02 – Rough & Wild – with racers Boyd Lavers and Tyson Ryan.
