麻豆社区

DAWSON CITY 鈥� Two Alberta paddlers are crediting Whitehorse kayaker Ken Gibbons for saving their lives on the Yukon River Quest.

Spruce Grove canoeist Jessica Zimny, 28, and teammate Julie Greening-Winkel, 27, of St. Michael, were suffering from shock and hypothermia Thursday morning after capsizing in the Yukon River when Gibbons spotted them along the shore.

Just after 5 a.m., the duo's canoe went through a whirlpool that flipped them into the frigid river.

"I couldn't believe what just happened,鈥� Greening-Winkel recalled Sunday. "We must have spent 20 minutes in the water, and it was only five degrees. It was the scariest moment of my life. I thought I was going to drown. My mom flashed before my eyes, telling me not to drown.鈥�

Because the spill occurred between two cliff faces, the two had to swim several hundred metres to reach shore.

Somehow, Greening-Winkel found the strength to haul the overturned canoe with her.

Despite their circumstances, the two were determined to warm themselves over a fire and then move on.

"We are very stubborn girls,鈥� said the brown-haired Greening-Winkel, who works as a freelancer producing sports television alongside Zimny in Edmonton. "It wasn't until our waterproof matches wouldn't work that we said 鈥榃e need help. We're going to die out here.'鈥�

Desperate, the two stripped out of their clothes and hunkered down in their bivy sacks to wait for help.

Greening-Winkel said her lips were blue and her hair was beginning to ice over before they finally spotted a solo kayaker in the distance.

It was Gibbons, and he immediately made for shore.

"It was like a guardian angel had appeared,鈥� said Zimny.

Gibbons, who works as the director of finance with Northwestel, was the last entry into the 715-km race.

The 45-year-old had passed the two girls on Lake Laberge, but they had subsequently returned the favour when he pulled ashore feeling queasy and disoriented.

Just after 6 a.m., Gibbons went through the series of whirlpools before spotting an overturned canoe on the shoreline.

"The girls called me over,鈥� he recalled of the event. "They had capsized and were wrapped in blankets. They couldn't start a fire.鈥�

Upon reaching shore, the race rookie went right to work building a fire, and handing each girl a set of his extra clothes. He also offered them hot soup and coffee.

"I knew I had to do things really fast,鈥� he said. "The girls were in shock and hypothermic.鈥�

Gibbons pushed his emergency help button on his canoe to summon a safety boat, but after no sign of a rescuer for two hours, he pulled out his satellite phone and called 911.

With police alerted to the situation, the group bailed water out of the capsized canoe and decided to continue on together until the next checkpoint.

Despite urges from Zimny and Greening-Winkel for Gibbons to continue his race rather than stick with them, he refused to leave them until they reached a safety boat.

Gibbons spent more than three hours on shore.

"We all do the race for different reasons,鈥� he said. "Mine wasn't to win. It was to get in before the cutoff. Somebody's life is much more valuable than the race.

More than 24 hours later, a fatigued Gibbons nearly withdrew himself from the race in Minto, but memories of the Thursday-morning incident spurred him on.

"They actually inspired me to go on,鈥� Gibbons admitted. "It's such a long race, and you need inspiration.鈥�

He would eventually cross the finish line in Dawson late Saturday afternoon in a time of 67:10:39 鈥� good for 43rd overall.

"It's a huge accomplishment,鈥� he said of his finish. "It's the hardest I've ever pushed myself in my life. You learn so much about yourself.

"It was absolutely physically exhausting, so much more than I thought it would be. No amount of training can prepare you for this race.鈥�

Gibbons was met at the finish line by his wife, Kim, his son, Jack, and Zimny and Greening-Winkel 鈥� who tearfully embraced him.

Zimny, who completed the 2012 race with a voyageur team, said she thought the worst was over after she and Greening-Winkel made it through Lake Laberge unscathed.

"The lake was scary, but we were feeling strong and didn't stop,鈥� she said. "I never really thought we would be in danger, but this river is so unpredictable.鈥�

The blonde-haired Zimny, who manned the bow of the canoe, said she and Greening-Winkel were unaware they were in shock.

"He was so selfless,鈥� she said of Gibbons. "He would not leave us. It makes me want to cry 鈥� We owe him so much.鈥�

By MARCEL VANDER WIER

Star Sports Editor