麻豆社区

Lake Laberge is infamous on the Yukon River Quest.

When the wind picks up the open stretch of water can be one of the most harrowing aspects of the 715-km route.

"You've got to prepare for it because you never know what can happen out there,鈥� said Linda Rapp, a veteran member of the Paddlers Abreast team.

"If the wind's blowing it can be very dangerous.鈥�

On Wednesday evening, paddlers in the 2012 Yukon River Quest were in for a shock when they entered the passage.

Lake Laberge was completely still.

The teams cut through the water in the late afternoon, pushing ahead faster than expected.

Leading the way were two men's voyageur boats: Team Such A Blast from Santa Rosa, California and the Down Under Dogs from Australia.

The two teams kept up their pace, arriving at the Carmacks checkpoint early Thursday morning, maintaining their one and two positions.

The Californian team crossed the checkpoint marker at 6:59 a.m., about 20 minutes behind the 2008 record time.

The conditions on the water have been some of the best in years, with light wind, no rain and a strong current.

"I've never seen it like this before,鈥� said Derek Crook who is paddling for his sixth time in the Yukon River Quest.

"We had the wind at our backs and rollers pushing us forward, we were off the lake by 8 p.m. It was phenomenal.鈥�

"It's a great race so far, it's been perfect, the weather has been beautiful,鈥� said Bruce Hanson, assistant race marshal.

"We've had a few dumps but everyone has been in good spirits. It's a powerful river and it's going to play some tricks but we expect that and so do they. It's going to be a good finish.鈥�

Carl Rumscheidt, race president, said the high water levels have been helping push the paddlers along.

"We're seeing boats much earlier than we have in the past,鈥� he said.

"The conditions on Lake Laberge were really good. Other years it's been hard paddling through there.

There was a slight breeze from behind, no rain, it's been sunny and the water's flowing. The conditions have been ideal.鈥�

Dylan Switzer is competing in the River Quest for the second straight year.

He's paddling in the men's tandem canoe division alongside David McInirery, forming the Kelowna Kanoers.

They arrived at the Carmacks checkpoint just past quarter after 9 on Thursday morning, more than three hours ahead of their pace from last year.

Switzer said the superior weather conditions had much to do with their improvement.

"The lake last year was the real problem but this year if it wasn't glass, it was damn near it,鈥� he said.

"It was nice paddling, that was a nice break.鈥�

Swizter said the team's strategy leaving Carmacks is to find a rhythm early, hope to maintain it and pray the good weather continues.

"We're still feeling pretty rugged so we just want to try and hang in there,鈥� he said. "We want to get out to a smooth start and try and get a good tempo going. There are some really strong teams out there with strong boats and they're flying. We'll take on some fluids and food here and hope the weather keeps up.鈥�