They trained for months, even years, to compete in the epic Yukon River Quest — and they weren’t about to stay put on dry land even when the race was cancelled.

“We like paddling and we’ve trained hard for this race,” said Stephen Mooney, preparing his vessel on the riverbank in Whitehorse on Wednesday morning.

“We want to get in and paddle as hard as we can and perhaps break a time record.”

The annual race was set to begin at noon in Whitehorse, with an armada of canoes and kayaks setting off on a gruelling 715-kilometre journey downriver to Dawson City. But less