Cain's Quest 2016 route revealed as the longest ever

At 3,500 kilometres of racing through the frozen wilderness of Labrador, the 2016 edition of the snowmobiling endurance test Cain's Quest promises to be its longest route ever.

"We've been working hard this year to try and ensure that we encompassed all corners, all communities as best we could for Labrador. And we managed to figure out a way to do so," race chair Glenn Emberley told CBC'sLabrador Morning.

• Cain's Quest prepping for next trek across Labrador

The 2016 race will start in Labrador West, and will then headto Happy Valley-Goose Bay. From there, the route winds north up to Nain, and then skirts the coastline south to L'AnseauLoup, before turning back to the interior and finishing in Labrador West.

Emberley said the toughest leg in the 2014 race wasthe stretch between Nain and Mary's Harbour, averaging about 40 hours of race time.

"We intend to break that up a little bit," said Emberley."We are in fact going to put a short layover in between there, just to make sure people are taking the rest they need."

Night owl advantage

The 2016 race time has also changed. The clock will start at 6 p.m. on Mar. 4, instead of the originally planned morning start on Mar. 5.

"Some of the feedback that we have received from races in the pastis, is there a way we can maximize daylight racing," said Emberley.

"So, even though the first day or so is gonna be night racing, we'll find the schedule will flip itself. And as we come around, we're expecting to see four to five days of daylightracing."

The changes appear to have proved popular with racers, with 35 teams entered so far in advance ofthe Nov. 30 deadline, which Emberley said was the most ever.

It costs $6,500 plus HST per team to enter, with a $100,000 prize purse to be split among the top finishers.

'Not a cakewalk'

Emberleysaid Cain's Questalso features a new event, the1200-kilometre Trail Class, a non-competitive route he calls "an entry level event."

However, the Trail Class is not for the novice.

"You're gonna see the same type of terrain, the expectations are going to be the same," said Emberley, who added groomed trails are out of bounds for the racers.

"It's still not going to be a cakewalk by any means."

Registration for the Trail Class opens on Dec. 1.