Dan Moore – a.k.a. Yukon Dan -- is in search of gold this week in Finland.
After winning the $2,000 grand prize at the Dawson City Gold Panning Championships on July 6, Moore is representing Canada at the World Gold Panning Championships in Tankavaara, Finland, Aug. 5 to 10.
“I’m thrilled to have won the competition in Dawson City,” said Moore. “I’m the only gold panner to win the award outside of the Yukon since the competition started in late 1970s.”
The win was extra special for Moore as Dawson City was where it all began for him as a gold panner. It was in the rivers of the Yukon where he honed his skills and developed his craft.
Also adding to the sweetness of the victory is the fact this was the first year the competition was open to contestants from across Canada.
Although his reputation as a world-class panner had already been cemented, Moore was competing against the best gold panners Canada has to offer.
Moore will be competing at the worlds for the 18th year. Although he has won a few medals in the past, he is set on winning gold in Finland.
“When I’m going there, I’m going there to compete and to win. I’m not going there to have a holiday, I’m there to kick ass,” he said. “I had the same mindset in Dawson City. To me, it was not the prize money, it was beating the best to get to represent Canada in Finland.”
And he has a secret weapon at his disposal.
“In 2007 at the World Championships in Finland, the Finnish men had these gold pans that I had never seen before – it just blew me away,” he recalled. “So I offered to buy one and they declined because they knew I would use it against them in competition. Three days go past in the six-day event and I approached them again after a night of friendly drinking and I dropped $150 Euros down on the table and they sold me a pan. So that cost me about $240 Canadian. To me, that is what will bring home the gold medal. It’s the fastest pan in the world.”
Moore has been a long-time fixture at South Delta festivals and community events.
The Tsawwassen resident was honoured last year with the Gold Pan Award by the Association for Mineral Exploration for exceptional meritorious service to the mineral exploration community.
Moore has been doing outreach throughout B.C. for more than two decades. He builds awareness and educates the public about prospecting and exploring for gold in B.C. while communicating about the importance of minerals in our daily lives.
Through his many public engagements, Moore gives people of all ages an opportunity to try, first-hand, to discover gold in a pile of dirt through gold panning.
With more than 20 years of service, impacting more than 5,000 students each year and widespread public engagement at schools, conferences, field trips and events, Moore has contributed significantly to the industry.
“I love what I do. I have a passion for it,” he said. “I will never retire because I love teaching the kids.”
