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By early Saturday afternoon, seven teams had finished the first training race for the Yukon River Quest.

Starting at Marsh Lake, racers paddled 30-kilometres downstream to the Schwatka Lake boat launch for the Icebreaker Race.

First to finish was the C-2 team of Ian Weir and Lee Hawkings in 2:20:00.

Last to the line was the father-son C-2 team of Jeff and Danny Brady in 3:08:42.

鈥淲e were trying for three hours, so we got pretty close to that, said Jeff Brady. 鈥淚 knew we wouldn鈥檛 win. Last at seventh place isn鈥檛 so bad either.鈥�

While Jeff has competed in the River Quest before, it will be his son鈥檚 first time.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a rookie,鈥� said Jeff. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been a volunteer for 10 years, now he鈥檚 ready to race.鈥�

Danny鈥檚 sister has done the race a few times as well.

The Bradys live in Skagway and Jeff said that training opportunities in the boat are a little harder to come by.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a river to train on. We鈥檙e kind of at the mercy of the ocean,鈥� he said.

They鈥檙e able to do loops on the Taiya River, although it鈥檚 not quite as long as they鈥檇 like and every Sunday they go out on Nahku Bay with the Skagway voyageur team that will also compete in the River Quest.

The Icebreaker was their first race in their canoe this season. The robin鈥檚 egg blue Clipper was in the shop all winter to get a crack repaired on the keel. They had a mishap with a rock during a camping trip last summer.

Now, the boat looks like new, although it鈥檚 a couple pounds heavier thanks to the reinforcing of the repair job.

With their boat back in hand, the duo will head out for some more training and will load up the boat with the gear they鈥檒l use during the River Quest.

鈥淲e鈥檒l do an overnight so he (Danny) gets used to the change in temperature,鈥� said Jeff as he refuelled at the Schwatka Boat Launch after the Icebreaker. 鈥淟earn how to pee in the boat, which he hasn鈥檛 done yet.鈥�

Danny issues a quick protest. He has performed the feat, on a trip down the Pelly River.

鈥淚 guess he鈥檚 a pro,鈥� said Jeff.

Danny, who鈥檚 grown up around the River Quest, will be one of the youngest to travel down the Yukon River.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about time that I鈥檓 getting to do it,鈥� said the 15-year-old. 鈥淚 was thinking today, in running it鈥檚 a matter of minutes and seconds and here it鈥檚 a matter of hours. It鈥檚 kind of a change of pace.鈥�

If the Bradys finish the River Quest at a reasonable hour, they鈥檒l be happy.

鈥淔inishing is the main thing,鈥� said Jeff. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot better men鈥檚 teams coming that鈥檒l blow teams like us out of the water.鈥�

The Icebreaker is just the first test for a lot of teams this year.

鈥淭he race is a long-standing tradition and is used by a number of local teams in the lead-up to the Yukon鈥圧iver Quest,鈥� said Icebreaker organizer Peter Coates. 鈥淓ven the time recorded for last place was quite fast compared to times we have seen in previous years.鈥�

With the exception of a few paddlers in the voyageurs, who were helping to fill up spots and a C-1, all the Icebreaker racers plan to be on the start line for the River Quest.

The River Quest starts at noon at Rotary Peace Park on June 29.