Yukon River Quest starts in Whitehorse today

Almost 60 teams are setting off in canoes and kayaks at noon Wednesday in the 17th annual Yukon River Quest race from Whitehorse to Dawson City.

The paddlers will face sleep deprivation, cramps, rashes and for some, perhaps, a few scary moments over the 715 kilometre route.

The nine member voyageur team, Gale Force, from Nanaimo, B.C., has a mix of rookies and veterans.

RCMP officer Linsey Warren says she would probably have never come to the Yukon if it hadn't been for this race.

"I've only known one of these people on the boat for a couple of years," she says. "The other eight I don't know at all, so we're going to get know each other quite personally in the next couple of days."

The longest she's been in the canoe is three hours. On this trip, she could spend 24 hours or longer in the boat.

The only planned stop is in Carmacks, with no time for bathroom breaks.

'We hallucinated last year,' looking forward to this year

Her teammate and work colleague, Alan Ramey, organized the group. He was on a two-person team last year. He's looking forward to the increased camaraderie of the larger voyageur team and their visions.

"We hallucinated last year and I can hardly wait to hear what the people are seeing or hearing this year," he says.

The eight person voyageur Team CAP is representing several Yukon communities and First Nations, says member Donna Johns.

"We've got Dawson City represented, we've got Ta'an, we've got Tagish Kwan, and Champagne," and a couple others she says.

Johns says the worst part of the trip may be the sleep deprivation. The best part should be crossing the finish line.

Solo kayaker Wayne Anderson from Calgary facesa solitary journey.

He says he "crashed and burned" in Carmacks two years ago in his first river quest.

Last year he finished, and this year he's in the boat that won two years ago.

"A buddy actually won it a couple of years ago in this boat, Gus Oliveira, so the boat knows what it is doing," Anderson says. "Hopefully I just have to sit down and just follow the boat down the river."

The front runners are expected to begin arriving in Dawson Friday afternoon.