The Hudson Bay Quest is a world renowned dog sled race that happens each year in northern Manitoba, a subarctic region of Canada. Each year mushers race between the towns of Churchill and Gillam through extremely unpredictable weather conditions. The temperatures can be anywhere between -45°C and +5°C which is why the race is known to be one of the toughest long distance races in North America.

In 2019 I had the privilege of being the official photographer for the race and posted several updates as it happened. It was a truly amazing experience and I can’t wait for the next one!

@daniel.raiti.photography

March 13th 2019 - We made it to Gillam, Manitoba early this morning and helped Dave Daley unload his dogs, sled and supplies for the race! Stay tuned for more updates as the mushers arrive and commence the race on Friday at noon! Every musher will have a tracker so you’ll be able to follow the race as it’s happening! I will post the tracker link closer to the start of the race.

Most of the mushers have arrived in Gillam throughout the day. At the hydro camp Samyra Stuart-Altman the Head Veterinarian and her team are preparing supplies for the team checks which take place at the beginning, middle and end of the race to make sure all of the dogs are happy and healthy. Meanwhile Jim Cunningham the Race Marshal is preparing the trackers which will allow everyone to track the mushers throughout the race as well as ensure the safety of their teams.

March 15th 2019 - Yesterday was a big day of vet checks and meetings. The vets met with all of the mushers and checked that every dog was healthy and ready for the race. They check everything including their heart rate, teeth, flexibility and medical history. All of the dogs were in good shape and eager to run!

A meeting was held at the local school with the officials and mushers to ensure that everyone knows the trail and protocol for the race. Shortly after, it was time for the bib draw and musher meet and greet.

The mushers and their bib numbers are as follows;

1. Shawn McCarty
2. Dave Daley
3. Blake Freking
4. Denis Trembly
5. Kevin Malikowski
6. Ed Obrecht
7. Jake Leingang
8. Martin Massicotte
9. Peter McClelland

After some final preparations the race has begun! To follow the mushers on their quest go to www.hbqrace.com and check out the live tracker!

The vets, race marshal and myself are taking the high rail to McClintock (the half way point) and waiting for the teams to come through. There’s no service out there so the next update will be at the finish line.

March 16th 2019 - After a long night at the half way point (McClintock), most of the teams are on their last leg of the race with the leader Martin Massicotte expected to arrive at approximately 3.00pm. Last night teams started arriving at McClintock at around midnight for their mandatory 6 hour rest period. All of the dogs and their mushers were in good shape and showed barely any signs of fatigue. The Canadian Rangers clocked them in and recorded their arrival times as the vets begun to check that the dogs were still all happy and healthy. Most of the mushers departed McClintock before sunrise. Don’t forget to follow the teams across the finish line at www.hbqrace.com !!

March 17th 2019 - This afternoon #8 Martin Massicotte took out 1st place and over the next several hours was followed by #4 Denis Tremblay, #3 Blake Freking, #9 Peter McClelland, #7 Jacob Leingang and #1 Shawn McCarty. The vets did their final checks on the finishing teams and we were even treated to some northern lights as the sun was setting! There are still a few racers left to cross the finish line so keep checking their trackers on www.hbqrace.com and stay tuned for more photos from this epic race!

#2 Dave Daley crossed the finish line at 4.06am followed by #5 Kevin Malikowski at 4.31am! Only one racer #6 Ed Obrecht is left to finish!

March 19th 2019 - Well thats a wrap! The last musher Ed the sled came across the finish line at 2.49am yesterday morning taking home the red lantern. Last night we celebrated another successful Hudson Bay Quest with a banquet in Churchill. Thank you to all of the mushers, organizers, veterinarians, volunteers and sponsors that made it all happen. Congratulations to Martin Massicotte who not only came first but broke the record for the fastest HBQ finish by over 3 hours! Also a huge congratulations and thank you to all of the mushers that came to race this year. It was awesome meeting you all and I had a great time taking photos of you and your amazing dogs. Here are the results from the race!

1st Martin Massicotte (HBQ Record breaker)
2nd Denis Tremblay
3rd Blake Freking
4th Peter McClelland
5th Jacob Leingang (Winner of the Vet Choice Award for best cared for dog team)
6th Shawn McCarty
7th David Paul Daley (Winner of the Sportsmanship Award)
8th Kevin Malikowski
9th Ed Obrecht (Took home the Red Lantern)