Darren Kinvig

Team: Dog Mushing

Year Received: 2012

Bio: Darren Kinvig’s career in dog mushing extends decades. He is the person Team Yukon turns to for anything Dog Mushing.  

Darren was the coach who knew how to draw excellence from athletes and their canine partners, but didn’t do it all for them. He expected them to take responsibility, genuinely care, manage their time and race preparation, and run a good, fair race. This is also a coach who operated around fair play, even providing dogs to a young Nunavut competitor at the 2010 Arctic Winter Games, to compete against his own athletes. That’s the kind of person Darren Kinvig is, he just wants to see success through experience and cooperation.  Darren has helped Yukon athletes win something like 18 Arctic Winter Games medals through the years.

Darren coached hisdaughter Rachel and her dogs to the title of most decorated musher in Games history, having never lost a race in 2008, 2010, and then in 2012, winning her 7th and 8th gold ulus. These accomplishments are shared with titles at Junior World Championships for both son Ben and Rachel, along with accolades including sportsmanship awards.