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MITTIMATALIK/POND INLET - Mushers in the Nunavut Quest dog sled race arrived safely and in good spirits in Pond Inlet Sunday, April 26, after an epic journey over snowy land and sea ice from Arctic Bay.

Paul Malliki of Repulse Bay finished in first place, followed by Joanasi Sarpinak and Andy Attagutalukutuk of Iglulik in second and third place, respectively.

Mushers in the Nunavut Quest dog sled race arrived safely and in good spirits in Pond Inlet Sunday, April 26, after an epic journey over snowy land and sea ice from Arctic Bay. - photo courtesy of Niko Inuaraq

But the journey was about more than just racing to win.

"It's sort of a healing process," said Pond Inlet's Niko Inuaraq, who finished sixth. "We don't only dog mush. At the checkpoints we have meetings about the trip and plan the next day.

"There was an elder who would tell stories of the old days and travel and we got connected back to our roots and doing dog teams. We got to experience it and he made igluviga and he showed how to make it. He would name each one of the things and how they would travel and how some people would give birth and people would die. By going dog teaming and him telling stories, we got right down to our roots."

The five-day journey took the group approximately two days across sea ice and three more on hilly land, averaging 80 km of travel a day.

"There was soft snow climbing up," said Jake Awa, a Pond Inlet musher who placed 15th. "It was a slow trip for me because my dogs are not grown yet. They were tired on the soft snow."

After each day support teams on snowmachines set up camp at prearranged checkpoints with supplies they carried by qamutiik. The mushers themselves travelled light, with only emergency supplies in case of bad weather: some food, Coleman stove, tea and teapot, bedroll, knife, rifle and saw for building a snow shelter.

Weather conditions for the race could not have been better, apart from the 8-10 cm of soft snow cover.

"It was sunny all week and only a bit of wind, a light breeze," said Awa. "We didn't complain about the weather at all."

Upon arrival in Pond Inlet the mushers received a warm welcome, enjoying several days of feasts and dances into the wee hours.

"It has been very exciting for the community," said Pond Inlet mayor Abraham Kublu. "The dog teams arrived this Sunday and the community welcomed them at the Community Hall after church services."

Kublu said one of the mushers was an accordion player who had brought his instrument with him and played at one of the dances.

"It was a great dance," he said.