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Kasper Vanherpe is our last athlete into Faro

Belgian Kasper Vanherpe may be “last” in our 600 km race but he is one of only 6 finishers of 37 athletes who started with us in Teslin on February 2nd. So, really, as always is true in the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra, he is a winner. Kasper already did really well in our Lapland Arctic Ultra and arrived in Faro as a runner in an excellent time, on Feb. 12th at 04:17am. He ranks 6th overall and 3rd on foot.

Way to go Kasper!

Joaquin Candel does it again!

Joaquin Candel from the USA arrived in Faro on Feb. 11th at 23:37, ranking 3rd in the bike division and 5th overall. That means he is now the third athlete to have done our maximum length race in all three disciplines – he mastered our Dawson race on foot in 2019 and then followed up with a finish as a skier in 2023. Having no finished on bike in Faro earns him the “triple crown”. Like Jessie, he did not need 2nd attempts, either. Every time he started he also finished. Always with a BIG smile on his face.

Congratulations, Joaquin!

Jessie Gladish second fatbiker to reach Faro

Local hero Jessie Gladish from Dawson City reached our Faro finish line in the 600 km race on Feb. 11th at 19:20. It was not an easy race for her because she had not felt 100% from the start. Still it did not stop her. Once again, she finished what she started. Arriving as the 4th overall athlete, 2nd fatbiker and 1st female. For those of you who do not know, Jessie already did our “old” 430 mile race from Whitehorse to Dawson City on foot, on fatbike and skis. An achievement that only one other athlete had accomplished befor her.

It was so nice to have Jessie with us again on our new trail and to see her come across the finish line. Congratulations!

Guillaume Grima ranks 2nd in the 600 km

markkellyphoto.com
Copyright: markkellyphoto.com

At 17:21 today French athlete Guillaume Grima reached the finish line of the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra 600 km race. He had been close to Mathieu for all of the distance. Sometimes it looked like he may even be able to catch up to him. However, Mathieu was able to maintain a certain distance until the end. When Guillaume did finish, Mathieu was there to congratulate him. A very nice moment to witness.

It was really fun to see how well Guillaume was doing, always with a smile on his face – a very strong athlete with a great attitude and I am sure he will get in top results in many more races.

Congratulations, Guillaume!

Mathieu Blanchard first runner into Faro

Copyright: markkellyphoto.com

Mathieu Blanchard who has the dual citizenship of France and Canada, arrived at the Faro finish line 13:28. That means he is our winner in the 600 km race in the foot category and 2nd overall (after fatbiker Harm Feringa).

He said several times during the race and also at the finish line that “this was the hardest thing I have ever done” and looking at his relief, he was not exaggerating. It was a truly emotional moment and a great arrival at the finish line as not only crew but also many locals and all the school children came out to greet him.

Congratulations Mathieu!

Harm Feringa wins 600 km race

Copyright: markkellyphoto.com

Harm Feringa of Palmer USA has emerged victorious in the 600 km Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra 2025 on his fatbike. From start to finish, Harm displayed an unrelenting dominance over the course. The bitterly cold temperatures seemed to barely faze him as he powered through. He crossed the Faro finish line on February 8th at exactly 20:20.

The Dena Cho trail, notorious for its steep and relentless climbs, is no easy feat. It’s no longer an unploughed backcountry road but a rugged hiking trail deep in the remote Yukon wilderness. We weren’t sure how Harm would handle this final stretch, but he conquered it with ease.

Congratulations, Harm!

In case you are wondering, we of course have three different disciplines, i.e. foot, ski and fatbike. Harm is our overall winner. There are also the winners in their respective categories.

Daniel Benhammou wins The Shelley Spirit of the Yukon Award 2024

Copyright: MarkKellyPhotography.ca

I am late with The Shelley Spirit of the Yukon Award Winner 2024. However, with Christmas approaching and the winter ultra season upon us, it feels like a fitting moment to reflect on what truly matters to us and to remind ourselves of the reasons behind our passion for these “crazy” ultras. Each person’s motivation is of course unique. Shelley loved being out in nature and challenging herself. When racing, she pushed herself hard, yet equally cherished the connections she made with locals at the checkpoints and fellow MYAU athletes from around the globe. Her desire to help others led her to become deeply involved in the MYAU, contributing in various ways, including assisting with the training course.

The award in her name allows me to highlight what should be meaningful to all of us and to celebrate the kindheartedness of individuals like Shelley. It is with great pleasure that I announce that The Shelley Spirit of the Yukon Award 2024 goes to Daniel Benhammou from the United States. Daniel has participated in the MYAU in 2015 (300 miles), 2017 (430 miles), 2019 (DNF due to frostbite), 2022 (300 miles), and 2024 (300 miles). In the years he finished, he secured either 2nd or 3rd place, showcasing his competitive spirit. But Daniel is much more than just a competitor. Upon arriving in Whitehorse, he consistently offers help to our crew, embodying a calm demeanor that is truly admirable. While I know he strives to finish strongly, his relaxed nature during the race stands out. He remains patient, friendly, and understanding, even in challenging moments. To me, Daniel exemplifies the spirit of the Yukon. His participation in five events and his commitment to return in 2025 illustrate how he is drawn to the North, the wilderness, and the adventure – even when our ultra pushes him to his limits, somehow it revitalizes his spirit. When Daniel could not finish in 2019 due to frostbite, I feared he might feel very frustrated. However, despite the disappointment, he maintained a positive outlook, focusing on the adventure’s enriching aspects and returning in 2022.

While not everyone can be as patient and calm as Daniel — that would be a tall order — these qualities are invaluable in any ultra-adventure. Daniel represents all athletes who inspire us each year with their determination and competitive spirit while also demonstrating kindness and respect. Congratulations, Daniel. Thank you for being who you are, and we look forward to seeing you at many more editions of the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra.

If you are new to the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra and don’t know about Shelley Gellatly and the award we created in her name, you can find more information – also about other winners from past years – on our Awards page.

Galileo X-Plorer broadcast goes “MYAU”

Last winter, the German Pro 7 TV station sent two reporter teams to two pretty challenging places, the Yukon Territory in winter and a remote region in Kazakhstan. On December 8th they featured the result in one of their Galileo X-Plorer broadcasts.

The Yukon part of the broadcast explains a bit about life in the cold. They show this through a visit with MYAU crew member Hendrik Weise and his family and by reporter Christoph Karrasch participating in the first 20 km of the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. It’s a fun watch because it’s not something Christoph would normally do and you can see our adventure through his eyes. Also, viewers learn about how tough the freezing temperatures make something like filming 😉

Below link will take you to the broadcast (German only). It’s free but you may have to register with Joyn.

https://www.joyn.de/play/serien/galileo-x-plorer/2024-30-am-limit-am-limit-atombomben-und-eiseskaelte

Looking forward to Teslin, Ross River and Faro

Copyright: MarkKellyPhotography.ca

The last few months have been busy with analyzing some options for our 2025 Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. One of the challenges has been to verify if we can find some “extra” trails that would lead us to Teslin. After collecting a lot of feedback and expertise from locals, we decided to play it safe. Some of the interesting trails involve rivers and lakes. Without having tested these routes ourselves, we feel it is not fair towards our athletes to announce something that we can only test a couple of weeks before the race – with there being a good chance that it would be deemed unsafe.

So, we will stick to the initial plan of starting the MYAU 2025 on February 2nd in Teslin. We are still looking into ways to make a marathon distance possible. Hopefully, we can have a final verdict on that soon. What we do know is that our 340 km distance athletes will head to Johnson’s Crossing, go on the South Canol Road to Ross River and from there head on the Dena Cho trail to Faro. Our athletes in the 640 km race will do the same but when they get to Ross River they will add an out-and-back on the North Canol Road.

One of the results of us having our race in this beautiful part of the Yukon is that it will be more remote. The distance to the nearest highway in some areas is significant. We also have more remote checkpoints than ever before. The area will feel more alpine and there is usually more snow. Crews need to travel longer distances on snowmobile and athlete transports – if they quit in a remote location – will take longer. However, it’s exciting country and we are all looking forward to seeing it and working with the communities of Teslin, Ross River and Faro.

The Race Info page has now been update to reflect the above. Also, there was an update to the Rules – mainly regarding drop bags and meals at the remote checkpoints on the North Canol Road.

Anyone intersted in signing up, please not that the entry fees will go up after the end of July!

Pelly Farm: Oasis of humanity

Copyright: MarkKellyPhotography.ca

Our sponsor Pertex just released a great story about Pelly Farm!

From the first year, Sue and Dale Bradley, who own Pelly Farm, have supported the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. It is such a special place in many ways! So, it’s really nice to see this story.

If you check it out, you will also see many photos by our super talented race photographer Mark Kelly that had not previously been shown. A click on the below photo will take you rigth to the story on the Pertex website.

Enjoy!

Copyright: MarkKellyPhotography.ca