RANKIN INLET/CHESTERFIELD INLET
It was the rookie's time to shine in the junior divisions of the Kivalliq's racing circuit earlier this month.

Tyrese Dias is lifted high on his machine after taking the junior flag at the Chesterfield Inlet championships earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Shawna Dias

Sidney Nichol took the checkered flag in Rankin's Kivalliq Challenge cross-country race, while Tyrese Dias took first at the Chesterfield Inlet racing championships.

It was Nichol's second race and Dias's first.

Nichol, 17, beat a field of eight to claim his flag.

The race excited the crowd with a three-way battle between Nichol, Quinton Karlik and Kane Komaksiutiksak.

Nichol said the battle lasted until the final corner of the race.

He said he and Karlik hit each other every single corner of the run.

"I got the hole shot and, after about the third lap, I started to realize I could take this race if I kept going

like this," said Nichol.

"I was pretty excited but I made sure I kept my cool to finish it off.

"I kept the same pace going the whole race.

"My goal going into the race was just to finish, so I was really pleased to win it."

Nichol borrowed Jason Todd's Bombardier MXZ 600-RS, which is almost identical to his own machine.

He said he intends to practice more going into next season, when he turns 18 and moves up with the big boys in the senior division.

"There were great crowds at the races but you have tunnel vision when you're on the track and you don't worry about anything else.

"All that matters is the stretch in front of you when you're going 100 mph.

"Quinton (Karlik) wasn't too pleased losing to me because he's a veteran racer who expected to win that race.

"Those guys are all racing guys, so it felt pretty good to be a hockey guy and win that race."

Dias, who turns 16 this week, said it was a wild experience to win the very first big race he ran.

He said with his dad (Tony) and brother (Tristen) being big racers, he decided to buy his own machine (also a 600-RS) and join his family.

"There were 11 of us in the one big race to take it all," said Diaz.

"I passed the guy who finished second (Christopher Kategatsiak) on the last lap, so he was right there until the final corner.

"I don't know if he let off the gas, or what, but in my GoPro video he wasn't that close behind me coming down the final stretch.

"My top speed was around 80 mph or more and there were a couple of times I got quite the rush when I almost fell off my machine, but I managed to stay focused on the track, and the person in front of me, and it all came together for me."