The eighth event of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series was Quebec Mega Trail. 160 kilometres (100 miles) with 6500 metres of elevation and 6260 metres of descent. Set in the northeast of Quebec City, the French-speaking part of Canada. Jean-François Cauchon and Anne Champagne dominate 2024 race with records times in an amazing weekend of trail and ultra races where around 3300 runners gathered to test themselves against themselves, the terrain, and other runners.
The main race was a tough route from Charlevoix to Mont-Sainte-Anne through dense forests, fording rivers and finishing on the iconic mountain that serves as a year-round hub for outdoor sports. For the race, the temperatures were variable but not too cold overnight, with a maximum daytime temperature of 26 ºC and minimum night time temperature of 17 ºC over the weekend, but rain and wind would make the race more challenging for some, especially in the dark.
A long night in Quebec
On Friday at 20:00 the race set off from the town of Baie-Saint-Paul, a famous riverside town known for its art and cultural scene, the runners were able to take in the relaxed atmosphere before heading into the forests, and soon after headtorches were out of the packs and on heads as darkness fell.
Through the first aid stations it was not clear who the main contenders were, had some gone out too hard? Most knew that the race was long when running alone so small groups were passing through the first tens of kilometres. The pace was set initially by Elliot Cardin (Canada, Norda/Cièle), Ferdinand-Clovis Airault (France, T8), Luís Fernandes (Portugal, Madeira Ocean & Trails), Robin Coinus (France), Abel Carretero (Spain, Otso), Jean-François Cauchon (Canada, Norda/Cièle) and Sangé Sherpa (Nepal, Kailas), current record holder. With six hours in the race Cardin was hand in hand with Carretero followed by the couple Fernandes-Sherpa with a considerable gap with the peloton. By five in the morning daylight came, illuminating the dark, dense forests and as the first runners came through the aid stations in daylight, the leading runners turned North and Elliot Cardin consolidated a leadership. Sangé Sherpa knowing the course and his pace, Abel Carretero, who was new in the distance, and Ferdinand-Clovis Airault, a formidable trio. They were close to the Sainte-Anne river, a faster section of the route.
At the aid station of Saint-Tite-des-Caps (km 80,8) Elliot Cardin invested some more time and the trio became quartet. Meanwhile, the distance with Cauchon, Coinus and Philippe Poulin (Canada) was widening little by little with the Portuguese Fernandes losing a considerable amount of time but in a solid 8th position. Later it was Sherpa who took the leadership and made distance while Cardin was second and a now conservative Carretero decided to relax a little his pace.
Mont-Sainte-Anne, where the race was decided
Later on the French Airault and the local Cauchon passed Sherpa and Carretero opening a gap, times were clearly under course record but it’s easy to miscalculate the pace. With 130 kilometres in the pocket Sherpa lost ground, some more Coinus. From the look of some runners, they had definitely had a fast night and some were paying off.
One of them was Abel Carretero, after more than 120 km he decided that had enough, he run for the win since the start but it was not the day. With 134 km Ferdinand-Clovis Airault took a solid lead of over half an hour, from 6th in km 80 to 1st in 130. It would make him rise in the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors rankings as he was 12th in Black Canyon Ultras and 8th in MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail, so the win and those 1500 points would make him enter in the prize money positions.
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.
Another change: Couchon passed Airault and the top 4 positions remained stable with Couchon leading over Airault, Sherpa third and fourth a strong Robin Coinus. Less than 30 km to the finish line there was still time for some more changes.
Jean-François Cauchon triumphs in Quebec
Jean-François Cauchon had a considerable lead and behind there was a solid Ferdinand-Clovis Airault and Sangé Sherpa, still fighting for the second or a possible win if Cauchon could experience some problems. Robin Coinus was consolidating the fourth while Luís Fernandes was improving little by little. It remained to be seen whether the race record, held by Sangé Sherpa in 19:35:52 would be broken.
Finally Jean-François Cauchon crossed the finish line with a time of 19:01:28 beating the course record for more than half an hour. In second place, 31 minutes later, came Ferdinand-Clovis Airault that also beats the record, and Sangé Sherpa closed the podium with at time of 20:23:42. Another important gap until Robin Coinus saw the finish, followed by the Portuguese Luís Fernandes and the locals Paul Chisholm, Marc-Antoine Forand, Hugo Paradis, Antoine Barrette and Victor Cameron closing the top 10.
Women’s race. Victory to Anne Champagne
The women’s race was equally exciting. With a fast pace set by the locals Myléne Sansoucy (Hoka) in the first kilometres, only Anne Champagne (Salomon; former winner of QMT110) and Kelsey Hogan (Norda) followed in the distance. All three plus the also local Mélina Dubois-Verret and the French Claire Bannwarth (Topo Athletic/Brubeck), had battled for most of the race sometimes together, sometimes minutes away.
Little by little Champagne and Hogan were approaching to Sansoucy. After 100 km Champagne was leading with more than two kilometres over Hogan, the current course record holder. Sansoucy was not far after 16 hours of racing with Dubois-Verret fourth and Bannwarth fifth. Behind, some locals like Melissa Ahier, Louise Labbe or Jessica Ranalli were fighting to improve their positions.
The race became like a time trial between top women, solid performances, showing few weaknesses and getting closer to the finish line. The times were around the record set by Kelsey Hogan in 24:34:58 as Champagne had a little advantage over it but was slim.
Finally Anne Champagne crossed the finish line of the 2024 edition of Quebec Mega Trail in 24:28:27 establishing a new course record and earning 1500 points for the general standings of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors. Probably her best performance to date.
With 24:58:34 was Kelsey Hogan and third was Mélina Dubois-Verret in 27:01:36. The top 5 was full Canadian with Myléne Sansoucy and Melissa Ahier finishing in 28:57 and 31:05 respectively.
A good show in the other races
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.
Full results
Quebec Mega Trail: Full Results
At this point, want to know more. We have a page in which we resume the key data and if you want to go deeper, go to Quebec Mega Trail website, dates for 2025 are not confirmed when this is written but soon they will be available.
