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Cain’s Quest Update: Same Timing, New Year

Cain's Quest
This was the planned route for the Cain’s Quest snowmobile event for 2023.

The unique Cain’s Quest endurance snowmobile race in Canada came to an early ending this year due to weather conditions, and by standard practice that would normally mean racers and fans are in for a long, two-year wait for the next event.

Well, you remember that thing about “rules are made to be broken,” right?

Instead, the board recently voted to bring the event back next year instead. Below is the full press release from the Cain’s Quest group.

CAIN’S QUEST: 2024 Race Announcement 

Labrador City, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – The Cain’s Quest board of directors is excited to announce an early resumption of the toughest snowmobile endurance race in the world. 

In the wake of Cain’s Quest cancellation this spring with no winner declared, the board of directors has decided to host its next race in 2024, rather than 2025 as would be typical of the bi-annual race. 

“We can’t predict the behavior of Mother Nature, and Cain may have won this race, but we’ll get the next one,” says board chair Chris Lacey. “While there are a lot of logistics in play to host a race as soon as 2024, we are confident our board, Labrador’s communities, and our incredible racers are capable of putting together our best race yet.” 

The decision to host a 2024 race will be contingent on the approval of the essential federal, provincial, and local funding, as well as community and business partnerships; all of which are necessary for successful race operations. 

Lacey, speaking on behalf of the Cain’s Quest Board of Directors, expressed the dismay of all around the cancellation of the 2023 race due to weather and safety conditions on March 7. The cancellation resulted in no winner being named for the prize purses of $50,000 for the first-place winner, $30,000 for the second-place participant, and $20,000 for third place. 

While Cain’s Quest regulations include a provision for when all racers scratch and no winner can be announced, the cancellation of the race isn’t an anticipated outcome in the current regulations. 

Lacey says the board and racers collaboratively discussed options for distributing the purse and the board decided anyone still in the race as of 1:29 am on March 7 would split the entire prize pot. The prize purse has already been split between racers, which the board hopes will help offset costs associated with racing in the next Cain’s Quest. 

Lacey thanks the staff, board, and volunteers for their hard work and input on the outstanding issues around the 2023 cancellation and says he’s excited to see what comes of the 2024 race. 

The board anticipates registration to open this May, which will allow for racers to order sleds, begin fundraising, and do the work to prepare for the next race; which is tentatively scheduled to cross the start line on March 2, 2024. 

“We the board want to see a successful race come together,” Lacey says, “not only for us and our communities, but for the racers who deserve the excitement and opportunity to cross that Cain’s Quest finish line.”

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