Peter Coates can't help having mixed emotions about the upcoming start of the first-ever Yukon 1,000 Canoe and Kayak Race. Despite being excited about the beginning of what he hopes becomes an annual tradition in the territory, the race's organizer and founder admitted to having a few pre-race jitters.

"I just want it to go well," he said laughing. "Fingers and toes crossed really at this point."The race field is nearly double what organizers were hoping for and includes 19 teams (13 tandem canoes, five tandem kayaks and one voyageur).

The race includes a number of paddlers from Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and the United Kingdom. Despite it taking place in the Yukon, there are no individuals from the territory signed up to race it.

Coates said this is a busy time of year for Yukoners, but hopes that next year's field can include some people from the territory.

"It's very difficult for anyone to enter this race, because it just takes up so much time," he said. "The summer is a busy time up here. It is harder for Yukoners to put aside that two weeks that is needed for the race than it might be for people Outside, but I would really like to see more Yukoners, especially me to be able to enter the race next year."

The race is expected to take between seven and 10 days to finish. It runs from Whitehorse to the bridge where the Alaska Pipeline crosses the river, north of Fairbanks.

Recently the start was changed from the Visitor Information Centre to Shipyards Park. The race is scheduled to begin on Monday.

Each team must carry a spot device, which will be used for to track the racers on the website yukon1000.com.

Another requirement is all racers have to stop each night and camp for at least six hours. This will be checked on telemetry received from their spot devices and will be verified from the track data in their GPS when they finish.

Coates said the camping aspect should add some intrigue to the race.

"It's going to be a fascinating race and I am really looking forward to hearing what people are going to say afterwards, because I think this race is going to be won and lost as much on dry land as it is on the water," he said.

"People have to camp, they have to look after themselves. It's going to be a big exercises in how good are you at looking after yourself in the bush as it is how quickly can you push your boat through the water."

One of Coates' primary concerns is how the paddlers will do with using the spot device.

Despite him being a little worried about how the technology in this type of race will work, he said the Yukon 1,000 is coming together.

"We have the first few racers in town and it looks like they are going to have good weather for the first few days on the river."