Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Aimee O'Connor

CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS, CAN’T LOSE – Voyageur team ‘8 of Hearts’ heads back out on the Yukon River around 7 p.m. yesterday after spending seven hours at the Coal Mine Campground in Carmacks.

Senior ladies resolve to ‘keep calm and paddle on’

In a race with about 60 different teams, there are infinite ways to classify them – the fastest, the strongest, the best-prepared or the most spirited.

By Whitehorse Star on June 26, 2015

CARMACKS – In a race with about 60 different teams, there are infinite ways to classify them – the fastest, the strongest, the best-prepared or the most spirited.

“I think what makes us notorious is that we’re all over the age of 50,” Debra Eisel, a member of voyageur team “8 of Hearts,” told the Star over a team “breakfast” in Carmacks at 6 p.m. yesterday.

Among the eight women, the ages range from the “baby” of the team – Yukoner Deb Bartlette at 57 – to Ruth Ross, who at age 71 is the oldest woman to do the Quest this year.

But what sets the group of women apart from others is more than just their elderliness – they are the kind of team that gets out of their canoe at Carmacks and, before rushing off to the showers or beds, stops to hug each other.

Eight of hearts, indeed.

One team member, Isabelle Hamm, recruited her son Michael from Manitoba for part of the support crew.

“It makes coming in so much more pleasant,” she smiled.

The team is comprised of six women from British Columbia, and two Yukoners.

The women admit the distance was challenging for training, since they developed two different paddling routines by being in different places. But, earlier this week before the race, they finally had their chance to paddle altogether.

Along with training comes other difficulties that hit once racers are on the river.

Before leaving Carmacks yesterday evening, Ross popped a couple of Advil into her mouth, warding off the aches that would inevitably be coming her way.

She was worried about the team getting dehydrated in the heat, so time was spent at the rest stop making sure everyone brought enough liquids and power snacks with them. Another teammate prepped a Tupperware container filled with Rice Krispies treats and hard-boiled eggs – apparently the “breakfast of champions.”

When asked about their strategy for getting to Dawson City, the unanimous response was: “Keep calm and paddle on.”

After captain Katie Stein Sather completed the race last year, she wanted to get together a group of friends to do it this year. “It’s just much more convivial,” she said.

“We did this out of adventure and friendship,” added Carol Woodworth, another teammate.

And adventurous it would be for a team of primarily River Quest newbies.

For others, like Ingrid Wilcox, the race is its own kind of addiction.

It is the Yukoner’s 14th time participating in the race, 10 of those times in a solo kayak.

Back when the race was from Dyea, Alaska, to Dawson City, Wilcox would volunteer to help.

“One time I was standing on the bank at Minto, talking to the race marshal at the time and I said, ‘You know, I’ve got to do this race, but I want to do it in a kayak.’”

He didn’t think kayaks could make it, to which Wilcox fired back: “Come on. Kayaks can cross the ocean. Sure they can.”

Sure enough, by the race in 2000 there was a solo kayak category.

Wilcox entered, with just two other men.

She said doing the race is addictive.

“You think it will be the last time, but ask me in October and then…” she trailed off.

Then, one of her teammates asked her if it will be her last time this year.

She already knew the answer.

“No.”

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