Ah, April in Arviat… Parkas are steeped in a cologne of two-stroke fumes and there’s a hum of vzzz-vz-vz-vz-vzzz in the air from everything the sure and steady 250cc Yamaha Bravo can muster. It’s springtime in the Bravo Capital of Nunavut.
Bravo strongholds remain, dotting the North with clubs and races. In Arviat, the Bravo’s used for everything from hunting to grocery hauling. It’s baby’s first snowmobile. And in April, Arviatmiut crowd the shore to watch more than 100 racers in the local Bravo Club’s cross-country race. This year is the 10th annual. “Bravo racing is pretty big here,” says St. John. Like other racers, he spends much of April fine-tuning his machine. Race rules require only a bona fide Bravo motor—how you trick that out is up to you.