QUEBEC MEGA TRAIL 2024. Victories for Cauchon and Champagne. WORLD TRAIL MAJORS

Posted by Corriendo la Vida on July 9, 2024 in madeira island ultra trail, madeira island ultra trail 2024, miut 2024, trail running, trail running 2024, trail running calendar 2024, trail running spain, world trail majors, world trail majors 2024

QUEBEC MEGA TRAIL 2024. Victories for Cauchon and Champagne. WORLD TRAIL MAJORS. Our ULTRA TRAIL brings to us the results of the Quebec Mega Trail, the eighth event of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series

The main race was a tough route from Charlevoix to Mont-Sainte-Anne, 160 kilometres (100 miles) with 6500 metres of elevation and 6260 metres of descent. And was dominated by Jean-François Cauchon and Anne Champagne with new records.

QUEBEC MEGA TRAIL 2024

Victories for Cauchon and Champagne

WORLD TRAIL MAJORS

The eighth event of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series took place at the Quebec Mega Trail, featuring an arduous 160-kilometre (100 miles) race with a staggering 6500 metres of elevation gain and 6260 metres of descent. Set in the northeast of Quebec City, in the French-speaking part of Canada, this event drew around 3300 runners who came to challenge themselves, the rugged terrain, and each other. The main race route stretched from Charlevoix to Mont-Sainte-Anne, winding through dense forests and across rivers, culminating at the iconic mountain.

An Epic Night Run

The course provided a mix of beauty and difficulty, with variable temperatures that ranged from a daytime high of 26 ºC to a nighttime low of 17 ºC. Despite the moderate temperatures, rain and wind added an extra layer of difficulty, particularly during the night.

The race began on Friday at 20:00 from the town of Baie-Saint-Paul, a riverside town renowned for its vibrant art and cultural scene. Runners had a chance to soak in the serene atmosphere before plunging into the forests. As night fell, headtorches emerged, illuminating the challenging path ahead.

Photo World Trail Majors

Male race

The Quebec Mega Trail, part of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series, witnessed a thrilling race with unexpected turns and record-breaking performances. The initial stages of the race saw a fluid situation, with no clear frontrunners as small groups passed through the early aid stations. Key runners like Elliot Cardin, Ferdinand-Clovis Airault , Luís Fernandes, Robin Coinus, Abel Carretero, Jean-François Cauchon, and the record holder Sangé Sherpa were setting the pace.

By midnight, Cardin and Carretero were leading, closely followed by Fernandes and Sherpa. As dawn broke, illuminating the dense forests, Cardin solidified his lead with Sherpa, Carretero, and Airault forming a formidable chasing trio.

Mid-Race Shifts and Strategies

At the Saint-Tite-des-Caps aid station (km 80.8), the lead group expanded to four as Cardin took additional time. Meanwhile, Fernandes dropped to eighth, and the gap between the leading quartet and the rest of the pack, including Cauchon, Coinus, and Philippe Poulin (Canada), widened.

Sherpa eventually took the lead, with Cardin in second and Carretero easing his pace. The race dynamics shifted dramatically in the challenging loops around Mont-Sainte-Anne, where steep climbs and muscle fatigue started to take their toll.

Final Push to the Finish

As the race progressed, Airault and Cauchon overtook Sherpa and Carretero. By the 130-kilometer mark, Sherpa began losing ground, and Carretero, after a strong start, decided to withdraw after 120 kilometers.

Ferdinand-Clovis Airault surged from sixth place at km 80 to take a commanding lead by km 134. However, Jean-François Cauchon overtook Airault in the final loops. The race has several loops in the vicinity of Mont-Sainte-Anne, which streamlines the logistics, monitoring and aid stations. A large part of the elevation gain is on these loops, including the biggest climb of 630 metres over 3.6 kilometres. Several of the climbs are through firebreaks in the forest, steep and direct, which can take a large toll on some runners legs this far into a race. This phase of the race is where it is generally won and lost, those firebreaks, those loops and the accumulating muscle fatigue would make the difference.

Jean-François Cauchon emerged victorious, crossing the finish line in 19:01:28, smashing the previous course record by over half an hour. Ferdinand-Clovis Airault finished second, also beating the previous record, with a time of 19:32:28. Sangé Sherpa secured third place with a time of 20:23:42. Robin Coinus and Luís Fernandes rounded out the top five, with Fernandes steadily improving his position throughout the race.

Photo World Trail Majors

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female race

The women’s race at the Quebec Mega Trail 2024 proved to be an exhilarating contest marked by strategic moves and record-breaking performances. Local runner Myléne Sansoucy set a brisk early pace, closely followed by Anne Champagne, a former winner of QMT110, and Kelsey Hogan. The trio, along with Mélina Dubois-Verret and French runner Claire Bannwarth, remained competitive throughout the race.

As the race progressed, Champagne and Hogan steadily closed the gap on Sansoucy. By the 100-kilometer mark, Champagne had taken the lead, pulling more than two kilometers ahead of Hogan, the current course record holder. Sansoucy remained close behind after 16 hours of intense racing, followed by Dubois-Verret in fourth and Bannwarth in fifth. Local runners Melissa Ahier, Louise Labbe, and Jessica Ranalli also demonstrated strong performances, vying for better positions.

The competition intensified, resembling a time trial as the top women displayed unwavering determination and stamina. With the finish line approaching, Champagne maintained a slim advantage over the existing course record set by Hogan at 24:34:58.

Ultimately, Anne Champagne crossed the finish line in 24:28:27, setting a new course record and earning 1500 points for the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors standings. This performance marks a significant achievement in her career.

Kelsey Hogan finished second in 24:58:34, while Mélina Dubois-Verret secured third place with a time of 27:01:36. The top five were rounded out by Canadians Myléne Sansoucy and Melissa Ahier, finishing in 28:57 and 31:05, respectively.

Photo World Trail Majors

QMT 100 MILE – LEGENDARY

QMT’s premier event has earned its place amongst America’s legendary 100 miles races. It starts from the magnificent town of Baie-Saint-Paul. The first part of the course runs along the St. Lawrence River and takes the La Baie Trail, Gabrielle Roy Est, Louise-Gasnier and Gabrielle Roy Ouest trails to Mount Ligorie. Then, the route follows almost entirely the Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix Trail to the village of Saint-Tite-des-Caps. From this point, participants cross the Dalle Humide, a trail that bears witness to the era of log drivers. Then, the infamous Mestashibo Trail awaits, leading participants through the Sainte-Anne River Canyon and towards the majestic Jean-Larose waterfall. This will be followed by climbing the colossal Mont-Sainte-Anne (MSA) almost twice. Finally, the last 40 kilometers run north of the mountain, bordering the immense mountainous terrain of the Laurentians until the return to the southern base of the Mont Saint-Anne.

The Quebec Mega Trail is much more than 100 miles. Every runner has its distance, every elite can compete in a race that fits its characteristics and in Quebec an incredible field was reunited.

Some remarkable results were the wins by David Savard-Gagnon (Canada) and Dania Belisle (Canada, La Boutique du Lac/Upika) in the QMT110 (km). Ryan Sullivan (USA, Aravaipa Running) and Geneviève Asselin-Demers (Canada, On) were victorious in the QMT80 race. And the QMT50 saw the ones by Eric LiPuma (USA, Terrex) and Alex Castonguay (Canada).

Quebec Mega Trail validates its place as part of Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series. The benchmark event in trail running in Canada. An idyllic setting for running in the mountains, an organisation that celebrated its twelfth edition of this race in 2024, a tasty treat for those who want to challenge themselves in one of the best race events in the world with ten races of all distances and difficulties allow you to enjoy the Quebec Mega Trail in all its essence with a challenge to suit you, combining sport and nature in a fantastic area for a holiday.

WORLD TRAIL MAJORS 2024

1. Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon: January 18-21, 2024. 102 km, +5314 m. Hong Kong, China. one of the events that internationalized trail running in China
2. Black Canyon Ultras: February 10-11, 2024. 100 km, +1250 m. Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Pure American trail running on old ethnic trails and stagecoaches
3. The North Face Transgrancanaria: February 21-25, 2024. 126 km, +6804 m. Canary Islands, Spain. One of the classics on the world trail running calendar
4. Mt.FUJI 100: April 26-27, 2024. 165 km, +7574 m. Fujiyoshida, Japan. Japanese-style trail running with the great symbolic meaning of the highest mountain in the country
5. MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail: April 27-28, 2024. 115 km, +7100 m. Madeira, Portugal. Iconic event on the spectacular island of Madeira
6. Swiss Canyon Trail: June 7-9, 2024. 111 km, +5350 m. Val de Travers, Switzerland. Originating in 1994, one of the most relevant tests in Central Europe
7. South Downs Way 100: June 8-9, 2024. 161 km, +3800 m. Winchester, United Kingdom. 100 miles following the historic South Downs Way route is a classic on the British calendar
8. Quebec Mega Trail: July 5-7, 2024. 160 km, +6500 m. Quebec, Canada. Authentic trail running in the mountains near Quebec
9. RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town: November 22-24, 2024. 166 km, +7516 m. Cape Town, South Africa. Pure mountains next to one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa