DAWSON CITY – “There’s nothing like it in the world,” said Dave Hutchison, a paddler on this year’s winning team of the Yukon River Quest.

On the surface, he is right – no other annual race takes canoes and kayaks quite as far in distance, for starters.

But there’s more to it than that.

It starts with the race organizers and the countless hours spent on ensuring the race’s success and paddlers’ safety throughout.

“These people are not just volunteering,” said Bob Ross, the other winner this year. “This is almost like their child, something they’re growing. It’s really inspiring to be a part of it.”

At Sunday afternoon’s awards banquet in Dawson City, recognition was given to the community members who make the race possible.

“We wanted this year to show special appreciation to Valerie Ross, our secretary-treasurer,” said race marshal Roger Hanberg as he walked down the stairs of the stage and through the crowd with a bouquet of purple flowers in hand.

“She has worked tirelessly, year after year, to make this race happen. She is the key in the wheel that keeps this race going,” Hanberg continued, finally making his way to Ross at the back of the room and presenting the flowers to her.

Another notable characteristic of the marathon paddle is its band of selfless race veterans and uncounted acts of kindness.

The winning kayak in this year’s race came from Steve Mooney, a former race president and racer himself.

“Not only did Steve give us the boat, but he was extraordinarily helpful in getting it set up for us,” Ross said.

In fact, Mooney helped the two men for about six hours fixing the kayak to accommodate Hutchison’s tall frame.

Last year, Whitehorse residents Jake Paleczny and Karen Mann were a part of local voyageur team “Ts’alvit,” which came in third place overall last year.

When they decided to try the race in a tandem canoe this year, longtime racer Pat McKenna loaned them a canoe during training season, for about two months.

Near the end of their training, “Ts’alvit” paddlers Elizabeth Bosley and Andre Paul lent the pair their own tandem canoe to use. Paleczny told the Star it was an incredible favour that they did for them.

Their tandem team “Flannel Fantasy” went on to win the award for the top Yukon team at the River Quest this year, a feat earning them several cases of the Yukon’s best brew.

One of the best pieces of advice the team received, Mann said, was from Ingrid Wilcox – who completed her 14th River Quest this year.

“It seems too simple, but her advice was: ‘Just keep paddling,’ and I think that’s one of the things that made our race so successful.”

At the River Quest awards banquet, media director Jeff Brady asked two paddlers to share their river story, which he said was “emblematic of the spirit of the Yukon” that the race tends to bring out.

Solo kayaker Wayne Anderson, from Alberta, and Whitehorse paddler Thomas de Jager teamed up once they left Carmacks – vowing to paddle together through the night and keep each other company.

When the pair passed Fort Selkirk, de Jager suffered a blackout of sorts.

“All of a sudden there was (forest fire) smoke. I don’t know what happened, but I was in serious trouble,” he recounted.

“I couldn’t see the shape of my boat anymore ... and I was talking German to (Wayne).”

Anderson took de Jager to shore and eventually motivated him to get back on the water and paddle to Kirkman Creek, where there is a mandatory rest period of three hours.

The pair rested at the checkpoint and got back on the river, where de Jager said he felt much better all of a sudden.

“Then the story changed a little bit,” de Jager continued.

Anderson was exhausted, and struggling to continue his paddle.

“He said to me: ‘You’re strong, you can keep going (without me).’”

But de Jager did not feel comfortable going ahead, especially since Anderson had already lost time by taking care of him before Kirkman Creek.

So, the two stayed together, reaching Dawson with a tied finishing time of 51:21:26, good for 10th overall.

“I wouldn’t be happy going over the finish line before him. Without him, I would not have been in Dawson.”

Out of the 56 teams registered, there were 12 teams that withdrew from the race at various points.

Although the race brings people from near and far – 11 countries this year to be exact – the numbers aren’t as high as they used to be.

“At one time, we had our numbers up in the ’80s, ’90s. We’d really like to get back there,” Brady said at the banquet in Dawson City.

“It’s the lowest it has been in about eight or nine years. So, let’s get some more people here next year.”