It was five days of subarctic cold and complete mental and physical exhaustion for Canadian couple Ryan Smith and Chantal MacKenzie, who were crowned the winners of the 2012 Fulda Challenge on Tuesday.

The challenge staged 10 events in and around Whitehorse, Dawson City, Eagle Plains, the Arctic Circle and Inuvik.

Smith and MacKenzie competed against teams from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, in events that challenged strength, endurance, and an ability to adapt to the elements.

The couple entered the competition with just one month of training under their belts and MacKenzie said they had no expectations when it began.

"It was extremely challenging, I've never done anything like it before,” MacKenzie said. "But it was totally worth it, I loved it.”

The challenge worked on a points system, with the teams competing in two to three events a day.

Smith, who recently returned from the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand as a member of Team Canada, was apprehensive before the competition about how he would fare in the endurance events but credited MacKenzie's efforts for balancing their attack.

"She really picked it up on that side of things,” he said.

The endurance competitions, which included snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and a run in Dawson City, proved to be the most challenging events for the team.

"Running in -47C with the wind-chill was one of the hardest things I've ever done, " said MacKenzie.

In the cross-country event, the couple elected to go with the classical skiing style while the competition used the skating technique.

"We'd only done it twice before and we were going against the wind,” said MacKenzie, who said she was lapped twice in the event. "It was the hardest aspect for both Ryan and I.”

MacKenzie said the team held an advantage over the competition because of their familiarity with each other.

"I think it was great being a married couple,” she said. "We excelled in the team events and communicated really well.”

The team suffered a setback on the third day of the competition in the ski-joring event, where the athletes were towed behind a Kia SUV.

The cold air and wind penetrated though Smith's facemask which resulted in a bad case of frostbite.

"It was going well but towards the end they told me I had to get into the car right away,” said Smith.

"I have to go into the office on Thursday and I look like I got in a ten-round fight with somebody.”

The couple was also challenged by the last event of the competition, crossing the Yukon River on a rope.

"We both have bruises down the centre of our bodies,” said MacKenzie, who took around four minutes to cross the river.

"I thought they were joking when we saw it, I didn't think it was possible.”

The cold temperatures affected the competition across the board, as the teams were required to camp outside and brave the elements.

"When you sleep outside in weather like that you don't really sleep,” said Smith.

"The fire goes out and you're just waiting for somebody else to get up and stoke it.”

Despite the cold conditions, which dropped as low as -49, Smith had nothing but positive things to say about the event and the Yukon.

"It was so far removed from anything I've ever done, it made it one of the most memorable weeks I've had in a long time,” he said. "And having just got back from the World Cup, I'd say that puts it in pretty good standing.”

For their efforts the couple was awarded with several gold nuggets from Dawson.

"It's a pretty cool prize,” said Smith. "We'll probably put them up on the mantle.”

The team says if they are invited back to the event next year they would love the opportunity to defend their title.

"We made some great friends and it's gorgeous up here,” said Smith.

"We'd love to come back.”