2017 Race Events Schedule

19th annual Yukon River Quest • June 28-July 2, 2017

Pre-Race Schedule

Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 2-3-4

Marathon Paddling Clinics with Jim & Fiona Vincent – $30 per 3-hour session, an extra $10 if you want a seat in a YRQ Jensen Canoe for training.

SCHEDULE

Friday June 2 – 6 to 9 pm at Chadburn Lake.

Saturday June 3 – 9 am to 12 noon & 1 to 4 pm at Chadburn Lake

Sunday June 4 – 9 am to 12 noon at Chadburn Lake.

Saturday, June 3

Ice Breaker Race: Marsh Lake dam to Schwatka Lake (28 kms)

Meet at Schwatka Lake parking lot beginning at 9:30 a.m. Up North boat and paddler shuttle leaves parking lot at 10 a.m. Race begins at approximately 11 a.m. Hosted by Yukon Canoe & Kayak Club and Sponsored by Up North Adventures.

Saturday, June 24

Afternoon – Yukon River training run : Whitehorse-Burma (30 kms.)

Put-in next to Kanoe People at 1st and Strickland. Free shuttle available for registered racers at Burma Road pullout at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. to bring teams and boats back to Whitehorse. Sponsored by Kanoe People.

Sunday, June 25

Afternoon – Yukon River training run : Whitehorse-Takhini (20 kms.)

Sign up at Up North Adventures  on Strickland near river. Free shuttle available for registered racers at Takhini River pullout at 1 and 5 p.m. to bring teams and boats back to Whitehorse. Sponsored by Up North Adventures.

Monday, June 26

Afternoon – Yukon River training run : Whitehorse-Takhini (20 kms.)

Put-in next to Kanoe People at 1st and Strickland. Free shuttle available for registered racers at Takhini River pullout at 1 and 4 p.m. to bring teams and boats back to Whitehorse. Sponsored by Kanoe People.

6-9 p.m. – YRQ Meet & Greet welcoming reception at the Trolley Station, 1st and Wood (across street from MacBride Museum). Appetizers available. Welcome from YRMPA officials and guests.

Registration Day Schedule

Tuesday, June 27

10:00 am-2:30 p.m. – Registration, Boat Measuring and Gear Inspection on lawn behind Yukon Visitor Information Centre, 1st & Hanson. Hosted by Yukon Tourism & Culture with beverages  Sponsored by Northland Beverages/Aquafina

3:00-3:45 p.m. – Mandatory pre-race briefing for All Support Crews in Yukon Visitor Information Centre theatre.

4:00-4:45 p.m. – Mandatory pre-race briefing for All Voyageur Teams in Yukon Visitor Information Centre theatre.

5:00-5:45 p.m. – Mandatory pre-race briefing for All Solo and Tandem Teams in Yukon Visitor Information Centre theatre.

Race Day Schedule

Wednesday, June 28

7:30-10:30 a.m. – Positioning of boats & final inspections at Rotary Park.

IMPORTANT –Volunteers will be coordinating vehicle access to avoid congestion. Voyageurs will be launched by number and moved to their starting locations on the river beginning at 7:30 a.m. Then solo and tandem boats will be lined up by groups of numbers every half hour in their shore launch positions per the schedule below. After boat/gear are in starting place and vehicle is moved, then there will be a final inspection with paddlers.

Voyageurs (by number):  7:30-8:30 am

Single and double canoes/kayaks:

#1-25 8:30-9 am

#26-50 9-9:30 am

#51-75 9:30-10 am

#76-100 10-10:30 a.m.

11:15 a.m. – Welcome and Introduction of Teams – All teams need to be at starting line under YRQ banner in middle of Rotary Park at 11:15 a.m. Pre-start includes brief speeches by Yukon dignitaries and all teams are introduced along with their bib sponsors at the starting line. Hosted by City of Whitehorse Parks Dept.

12 Noon – Start of 2017 Yukon River Quest – Listen for the SS Klondike whistle!
Teams run from the banner to the Canada Trail and down to the launch area. Each
team may have 1 support person assisting them for the launch. Great views of teams
on river downtown, and at Takhini River, Burma Rd., and Policeman’s Pt. checkpoint.

River & Checkpoint Race Schedule

Thursday, June 29

2:00 a.m. – Teams must be by CP3 Lower Lake Laberge to remain in the race.

6:00 a.m. – Carmacks Checkpoint opens at Coal Mine Campground, about 2K past the bridge (for drivers), on the right just before the Campbell Hwy. intersection.

Friday, June 30

6:00 a.m. – Carmacks Checkpoint closes. All teams in race must depart by this
time.

12 noon – Dawson City Finish Line checkpoint opens on Yukon River dike between gazebo and historic CIBC bank building. After teams finish, they will be directed to docking area downstream on the right.

Saturday, July 1

Evening – Diamond Tooth Gerties (1 drink ticket for each racer), 4th & Queen.  Sponsored by Klondike Visitors Association.

11:59 p.m. (or sooner) – Dawson Checkpoint Closes. Cut-off time for official finish is 11:59 p.m. Checkpoint will shut down at midnight or earlier.

Sunday, July 2

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Awards banquet at Robert Service School. Banquet tickets added to racer packets. Extras may be purchased by support crews from YRMPA at registration. Catered by Percy De Wolfe Society and Northland Beverages. We will have the awards presentation first, and then eat and tell stories!