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The 2nd Arctic Marathon took place in Douglas Harbour on Friday July 25th. The spectacular secluded fiord on the south shore of the Hudson Strait in Nunavik hosted 36 runners on a clear day with little wind and temperatures into the mid 20's which made for an unusually hot run at times.

Volunteers, participants and some spectators landed by zodiac and by 8:15 am with everyone ashore made their way from sea level to the 3000 foot high plateau on trucks provided by the nearby Canadian Royalties Nickel mine.

The out and back course was set up and ready for runners by 9:30 am. Proudly wearing their special shirts and building Inukshuks at each aid station, volunteers from the nearby village of Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) who were picked up by the ship the day before supported the participants at water stations and by ATV's along the gently rolling packed gravel course.

Bragging rights aside, all of the participants were unanimous in their praise of the serenity, pure air, waterfalls, glacial lakes and scenic beauty of the course, with the occasional curious caribou and arctic hare.

Stephan Miklos of Toronto won the race with a time of 4:03:35 with Fiona Savage, also of Toronto placing 2nd with a time of 4:12:00, and Kinga Miklos of Romania placed 3rd with a time of 4:30:41.

For a small race, we were well represented with international participants from England, Russia, Romania, the US, and Canada.

Special mention to our "bandit" Howard Stummer who supported his wife Karen and ran with her from the 21km point to the finish completing a Half Marathon.

There were 4 relay teams, with 6 participants each, completing 7km legs. The teams were made up of Cruise North staff, Russian crew members, Passengers and a team from Kangiqsujuaq.

All runners received a special "runners shirt" finishers medal and BRAGGING RIGHTS. A soapstone carving was awarded to Stephan Miklos who won the event.

Race Cruise: July 22nd to 31st 2009

The Adventure: Travel by expedition ship through one of the most picturesque and pristine places on earth. We explore the Arctic coastline, calling on Inuit villages and remote wildlife colonies. Daily excursions by zodiac take us up close and personal to icebergs, polar bears, walrus and whales.

Location: Douglas Harbour - South shore of the Hudson Strait in Nunavik, Canada.

Road Conditions: The road is packed gravel with some lose rocks and stones. We are above the tree line, therefore there is no shade. (Bring sunscreen)

The Course: Each km is marked, and the course is a point to point gently rolling road - no traffic lights, buses, or pollution with scenic vistas and the real possibility of spotting some amazing wildlife.

Aid Stations: Aid Stations are located every 7 km. Start, 7k, 14k, 21k, 28k, 35k, and Finish Line. Stations are provided with water, Gatorade, PowerBars / Gels, juice and fruit. We strongly suggest that all participants carry water with them. Trucks and ATV's are constantly patrolling the course to assist all participants. A doctor will be present during the race.

Weather: The weather can change Fast in the Arctic. Dress for it! A hat, glasses, and sunscreen are a must. At the start, it can be cold, warming up by mid morning and then cool 20 minutes later. We suggest that you bring clothes that can be discarded along the road and will be retrieved and returned to the finish line for you. The average temp is 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.

Polar Bears: It is highly unlikely that bears will venture this high and this far inland. If this is a concern, we recommend that you run with a partner that is slower and larger than yourself as this represents a better dinning experience. Aid stations are provided with rifles just in case.

All marathon participants will receive a Karbon technical running shirt, Arctic Marathon running hat, bib, medal and most importantly, Bragging Rights!