The Chair of the Cain’s Quest Board says cancelling the iconic international event was a very difficult decision.
Chris Lacey says warm weather-related challenges proved too great.
He says the decision to cancel is hard on everyone, from the organizers to the racers and volunteers, sponsors and fundraisers. “It’s not something that we take lightly at all,” says Lacey.
Lacey says they looked at numerous solutions to deal with snow and ice melt on the route, which made a lot of routes impassable, but it proved far too difficult.
The conditions even made possible rescue attempts dangerous.
(Photo via Cain’s Quest.)
Markku Rytinki whose teammate on Team 66 Wild Nordic Finland went into the open water near Port Hope Simpson, says it was the right decision to make. He says the conditions between Cartwright and Port Hope Simpson were “catastrophic.”
He says about 30 km before reaching Port Hope Simpson they ran into very wet conditions, and they had no idea that there was open water in the area. He says in the pitch black of night his teammate, Esa Norokorpi, went straight into the open water.
(66 Wild Nordic Finland Facebook.)
Markku says Esa managed to get out of the water and a rescue team from Port Hope Simpson arrived after their emergency beacon sounded to offer assistance.
The team spent about 100,000 Euros to get to Labrador, and Markku says it’s not likely they’ll be back, but he calls the people of Labrador amazing. He’s very pleased with the hospitality and generosity they’ve been shown.
You can hear the full interview with Markku Rytinki on News Talk with Linda Swain this afternoon at 4 p.m.
