Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Aimee O'Connor

MISSION COMPLETED – ‘Tough Birches,’ one of Whitehorse’s all-women voyageur teams, makes its way across Lake Laberge last Wednesday. Only captain Carmen Gustafson has completed a previous YRQ before this year.

Paleczny, Mann named top Yukoners

The final results are in.

By Marcel Vander Wier on July 3, 2015

The final results are in.

The 2015 Yukon River Quest wrapped up last weekend in Dawson City with cash prizes and other gifts being awarded at a ceremony Sunday.

While tandem kayakers Dave Hutchison and Bob Ross were the big winners after crossing the finish line first with a time of 44:51:07, everyone who completed the 715-kilometre raced took home a coveted finisher’s pin, among other prizes.

The win by Hutchison, from Montana, and Ross, from Kingston, Ont., earned each of them $650 alongside free entry into next year’s race – if they decide to enter as the same team.

They also will have their names etched onto the River Quest trophy.

Other special cash award winners included top Yukon finishers Jake Paleczny and Karen Mann, who finished in 50:05.

Dubbed “Flannel Fantasy,” the duo finished seventh overall, and was also awarded a prize from Yukon Brewing.

Yukon Brewing also issued a prize to the top female team “3-2-1-Go,” which finished fourth overall in 49:29:17 – tops among voyageurs.

The top Yukon solo kayaker was Thomas de Jager, who finished tied for 10th in 51:21:26.

For his efforts, de Jager took home a small cash prize as did voyageur team “CAP,” the race’s top First Nations team which finished 34th in 67:18:31.

The fastest senior 55-plus team was “8 of Hearts.” The all-female voyageur squad took home a prize from Skaguay News Depot and Books.

Earning the Spirit of the Yukon award was “Cockleshell Endeavour,” solo kayaker Mick Dawson of the United Kingdom.

Dawson was one of four boats paddling to raise awareness for PTSD in the service community, as well as funds for the U.K. charity Care After Combat.

Dawson, 50, reportedly rowed both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans prior to his latest endeavour.

Hungarian canoeists Dr. Kristóf Szám and Dr. István Münch took home the infamous Red Stove Award, courtesy of Haywire Industries and Harry Kern Photography, for finishing second last in the race.

The duo finished more than two hours ahead of last-place paddlers Laura Maclean and Lisa Brougham.

A total of 57 teams started the race. Fifty-nine were registered, but one withdrew and another did not start.

Following 12 scratches, a total of 44 teams reached Dawson City before the race cutoff time at midnight Saturday.

One team – 56-year-old solo kayaker Wolfgang Drescher – finished after the cutoff time.

Top race results by boat class are as follows:

Overall Solo / Men’s Solo Kayak

  1. The Northshore Paddler (49:29:30)
  2. Paddling Forward (50:01:09)
  3. Veni Vidi Vici, Akita (51:21:26)

Solo Canoe

  1. Gold Oariented (62:13:36)

Women’s Solo Kayak

  1. Erinfroglady (64:15:23)

Overall Tandem Kayak

  1. Time to GO! (44:51:07)
  2. Bald and Sexy (46:40:51)
  3. Spirit of America (57:35:44)

Mixed Tandem Kayak

  1. Spirit of America

Men’s Tandem Kayak

  1. Time to GO!
  2. Bald and Sexy
  3. MaD Kiwis (60:41:36)

Women’s Tandem Kayak

  1. Team NIGOR Parula, Team NIGOR Guam (68:27:27)
  2. Alpine Start (72:31:13)

Overall Tandem Canoe

  1. Perfect Storm (45:33:46)
  2. Flannel Fantasy (50:05:32)
  3. Pure Insanity (51:10:55)

Mixed Tandem Canoe

  1. Flannel Fantasy
  2. Pure Insanity
  3. Dawson Before Dawn (54:13:42)

Men’s Tandem Canoe

  1. Perfect Storm
  2. Lazing Paddles XI (63:46:13)
  3. Strokes of Genius (65:55:44)

Women’s Tandem Canoe

  1. Too Tall for Y’all (63:19:42)

Overall Voyageur

  1. 3-2-1 Go (49:29:17)
  2. Team Ts’alvit (50:34:18)
  3. Gale Force (51:58:13)

Mixed Voyageur

  1. Team Ts’alvit
  2. Gale Force
  3. Alfred E. Paddlers (52:43:08)

Men’s Voyageur

  1. Yukon Do It (67:36:14)

Women’s Voyageur

  1. 3-2-1-Go
  2. 8 of Hearts (52:47:35)
  3. Paddlers Abreast (52:54:49)

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