It was recently the Aniirajak Ski and Adventure Club鈥檚 turn to host what will hopefully be the first of many exchanges in Iqaluit with their Gatineau Ski Club counterpart.
Perfect skiing conditions on April 20 saw the junior members from both clubs competing for fun in a sprint race at the ski can during the Quebec club鈥檚 six-day stay.
鈥淸Going] around just on the tundra for us is special,鈥� said visiting parent, chaperone and adult ski club member Guillaume Goulet, who was busy making a fire in a portable ice cabin turned makeshift fire lodge. 鈥淲e brave the cold [here]. Minus thirty for us [in Gatineau] is a few days a year. Here, it鈥檚 normal all winter. We had a bad winter [with skiing conditions], so for us it鈥檚 a thrill to be here.鈥�
Goulet went on to explain that the two clubs first encountered each other when the Quebec skiers were on a prior exchange to Whitehorse. The younger members of the club 鈥� seven girls, two boys aged 12-15, most of whom are part of a special sports study program in Quebec 鈥� had been practising a 鈥渕ass start鈥� from the race start line.
The Gatineau Ski Club鈥檚 primary function is to serve as a social outlet to foster a spirit of camaraderie and team-building in what can be an isolating and sometimes solo sport, according to Goulet.
鈥淭his is a really good development skill for down the road,鈥� he said while chopping wood, showcasing yet another skill essential to both outdoor survival and bringing people together. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the emphasis of the [club]: they鈥檒l learn more if they have fun.鈥�
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 our turn to welcome them,鈥� commented Francois Fortin, treasurer for the Aniirajak club. 鈥淲e have organized a lot of activities for them with the help of our club鈥檚 partner, White Bear Adventures (Benoit Havard), and our coach, Shannon Chartr茅. We did a welcome pot lock at the French school on their first night with all the parents and youth鈥� We have lots of activities planned for their week in Iqaluit, including a trip on the ice to a parent鈥檚 cabin for dinner; an overnight at another cabin (White Bear鈥檚); a cultural and historical town tour, including a visit at the legislative assembly; the museum and Inukpak dog team; cultural activities at the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre; and lots and lots of skiing.鈥�
The Aniirajak Ski and Adventure Club was founded nearly a decade ago in Iqaluit, and is on the verge of entering into a memorandum of understanding with the city on a permanent land lot to support the club鈥檚 development of free and accessible recreational infrastructure for all Iqalummiut.
This year has already been a huge year in the Iqaluit ski club鈥檚 development, featuring events like the exchange with Gatineau, two school programs, training a biathalon cadet team in Arctic Bay, the Toonik Tyme fun race, and the club鈥檚 own loppet set for the first weekend in May.
Aniirajak also sent four skiers, for the first time, to the Arctic Winter Games (AWGs) in March.
鈥淪o now that we have a great team, we want to showcase them and put them in competition environments. We have several skiers aiming for AWG in 2026!鈥�
He added that the group has 鈥渙ther dreams,鈥� such as sending people to the Sisimiut Ski Race, competing in more in biathlons and summer training camps.
Fortin was also grateful for the visit by the Gatineau club.
鈥淭his exchange is great, energizing for everyone and very motivating for our athletes,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey get a lot of experience and have to compete with very good athletes鈥� Many want to do it again next year already.鈥�
Sprint race results
The Aniirajak club designed and plowed its own course for the sprint race with the help of everyone present and Havard on the side-by-side. The sprint race was contested on a loop that went uphill and downhill. The individual times are as follows (in minutes, seconds and tenths of seconds):
1. Alice Leblanc (Gatineau) 鈥� 1:36.2
2. Julianne Gagnon (Gatineau) 鈥� 1:41.3
3. Igimaq Williamson (Iqaluit) 鈥� 1:46.1
4. Callum Goddard (Iqaluit) 鈥� 1:54.5
5. 脡lisa Chouki Drapeau (Gatineau) 鈥� 1:56.4
6. Azriel Petnkeu (Iqaluit) 鈥� 1:57.9
7. Maxandre Goulet (Gatineau) 鈥� 1:57.9
8. Mah茅e Migneault (Gatineau) 鈥� 1:59.6
9. Stella Huneault (Gatineau) 鈥� 2:00.3
10. Louis Goulet (Gatineau) 鈥� 2:00.8
11. 脡milie Malatte (Gatineau) 鈥� 2:03.2
12. Gabriel Mossey (Iqaluit) 鈥� 2:10.2
13. Amaija Akearok (Iqaluit) 鈥� 2:14.8
14. Breton Didham (Iqaluit) 鈥� 2:38.7
