Finland pro snowmobile team to compete in Cain's Quest

A team of professional snowmobile racers from Finland are heading to Labrador to tackle Cain's Quest, Canada's longest snowmobile endurance race.

• Cain's Quest 2016 route revealed as the longest ever

Sami Paivike, a member of Team Wild Nordic Finland, told CBC Radio that he first heard about the racethrough the snowmobile company Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) Lynx.

"We were looking for an extreme race, a good reputation race that we could participate [in] and try out our Lynx over there," Paivike said.

The team has a partnership with BRP and, after winning a seven-day ATV expedition race in Russia, Lynx asked the group if it would be interested in trying a similar race on snowmobiles.

Paivike said it will take five weeks to ship the snowmobiles from Finland.

In the meantime, he said the team's biggest challenge is not knowing what to expect once they arrive in Labrador.

"Amazingly, the teams have been contacting us a lot and suggesting a lot of support and information about everything," he said.

"Teams have said, 'We go scouting like three weeks before and if you have any questions we're happy to help and share information on the trails and the GPS and the tracks."

"I've been amazed about the support and the excitement the teams have had over there."

The 2016race will start in Labrador West before heading to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

From there, the route winds north to Nain and skirts the coastline south to L'Anse au Loup, before turning back to the interior and ending in Labrador West.

Ourbasic strategy is take it easy, stay aliveand keep the machines running.- SamiPaivike, professional racer from Finland

The race is expected to take about a week to complete, but Paivike said he and his team are prepared.

"We are aware that the teams who are participating, they're serious, they're actually racing hard," he said.

"If I remember right, last time there was like 29 teams and only 8 teams reached the finish line. So our basic strategy is take it easy, stay alive and keep the machines running."

Paivike, who has been professionally racing for about 20 years, said timing will be key.

"I wouldn't talk about winning," he said. "I would say that we're really happy if we reach the finish line. But, of course, we've been racing a lot."