Arctic Winter Games end with gruelling 'knuckle hop'

A man from the Northwest Territories pulled off an incredible run in the gruelling knuckle hop competition at the Arctic Winter Games in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday.

In front of an energized crowed,Chris Stipdonk, 30, from Fort Simpson, N.W.T.,hopped 54.8 metres to take home first place, represented by a gold ulu (Inuit knife). Hebeathis closest competitor by more than10 metres.

Theknuckle hop is one of the Inuit Games events. Competitors start off in apushup position, except they are on their knuckles. In a test of endurance, pain and technique, they must hopas far as they can, touching the floor with only theirtoes and knuckles.

Stipdonk, who was cheered on by his wife and two children,is already talking about the 2018 Arctic Winter Games.

"Today,I'm feeling tired and my hands are sore, but I should be able to get back on it in a couple of weeks," he said."I'm taking this time to relax andrecover before getting back into training."

Stipdonk's win was the last medalhanded out at the 2016Games, which welcomedathletes from Alaska, Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Nunavik (the northern part of Quebec), northern Alberta, Sapmi (Scandanavia), Yamal(Russia) and Greenland.

Most events are for youth, but the Inuit and Denegames have open men's and women's categories.

With files from Cheryl Kawaja