The third day of Cain’s Quest did not lack in excitement. Teams traveled through the Labrador Straits, some veering into the Province of Quebec before landing at Checkpoint #4, L’Anse au Loup. Team #00 Innu was first to reach L’Anse au Loup, followed by Team #99 The Great Ones and Team #5 Goose Bay. There they checked in and went on to Red Bay Checkpoint #5. Team #4 Back Country Racing made great time and landed into Checkpoint #6 Mary’s Harbour first along with Team #77 Backcountry Ravens registering a tied time into Mary’s Harbour. The front runners expressed through Mary’s Harbour before reaching their mandatory layover at Checkpoint #7, Port Hope Simpson.
Cain’s Quest regulated a layover split for all racers. Meaning, the first half of the active race teams would take their mandatory eight hours at Checkpoint #7, Port Hope Simpson, while the remaining teams would have to take their layover at Checkpoint #6 Mary’s Harbour. Teams were able to refuel their machines and their bodies, not to mention catch a little shut eye. Racer Mark Nui asked immediately after check-in, “Where is the bed?”
Team #4, Back Country Racing maintained their lead and checked into Checkpoint #7 at 7:21, followed by Teams #00 and #5.
We had our first report of a scratch due to medical circumstances. Luc Bourgault of Team #14 LM2S Racing Team reported frost on both hands. Emergency response was dispatched from Happy Valley-Goose Bay and also from Birchy Lake. They were transported to the hospital in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and are doing well. Bergeron explained, “I stayed at the machine to start removing parts but in trying to light a fire I froze two fingers and 4 more trying again! Team 6 support crew…. stopped to help me…but the fire went out until Shawn Adams from team 6 stopped. He saw how frozen I was and started a good fire…we are really sad today because we do not like giving up like that but we will be back for the next race don’t worry!”
Another team, Nord Cotier #36 traveled back to Happy Valley-Goose Bay along the highway and were officially scratched due to mechanical issues.
As the day passed, more teams in the middle of the pack checked through the checkpoints in the Labrador Straits. Teams 30, 72, 91 and 98 have completed their eight hour layover in Mary’s Harbour and are en route to Cartwright. Teams 6, 8, 82 are still on their layover and we anxiously await Team #88, Southern Sno Riders, checked through Red Bay at 19:07.
Team #7 and Team #17 overtook the wide lead from Teams #5 and #99 as a gamble to take the sea ice appeared to have helped for some time, but was blocked approximately 10 km from Cartwright, forcing the two teams to take a northern route. Other teams attempted the inland route only to find areas impassable and veered off course to follow Team #5’s track on the sea ice. Teams #7, #17 and #73 found an opening through the inland area however and were able to capture top position on the leader board with #5 and #99.
Racers will express through Cartwright and continue onto Rigolet, North West River, and then it will be an interesting game of strategy as they are on route into the four flexible layover checkpoints: Postville, Makkovik, Hopedale, and Natuashish. Eight hours of layover time can be split between the checkpoints, or racers can combine their eight with another eight in Nain for a total of 16 hours before leaving the North Coast of Labrador.
It is going to be an interesting night. Follow the race through our yellowbrick tracking and get constant updates from our Facebook page.
