Gran Canaria World Trail Majors is travelling to Canada for the Quebec Mega Trail, the eighth round of the series. Running through the mountains and forests less than an hour outside Quebec City but the Canadian wilderness features heavily throughout the 160 km, 6500 m elevation race as it follows the St. Lawrence River from Charlevoix to Mont-Sainte-Anne. In this pre race report you will fin all the information you need.
The Quebec Mega Trail is widely recognised for its beauty and toughness and is possibly the most important race in the country. The second race of the series on the North American continent gained interest for some runners who want to complete their second race for the overall rankings, it is expected to be an interesting race.
Quebec Mega Trail, ten races for everyone
The big races are much more than one race, they are events that bring together thousands of runners with a race to suit everyone. Quebec Mega Trail brings together over 3300 runners from 30 countries to race multiple distances and difficulties. From races for children – QMT 1, for people just starting out – QMT 6, 6 km, +177 m, a downhill race – QMT 10, 10 km, -705 m, a distance to suit most runners – QMT 15, QMT 25, QMT 32, then into Ultra running with the QMT 50 (52 km, +2300 m), the QMT 80 (80 km, +3290 m), and the QMT 110 (110 km, +4580 m), finally the maximum distance of the QMT event weekend and one of the most demanding 100 mile races in North America, the QMT 100 Mile.
From Friday 5th to Sunday 7th July, Quebec will temporarily become the world capital of trail running and more specifically Mont-Sainte-Anne, the outdoor epicentre of the Canadian east coast, a mountain resort that holds ski and snowboard World Cups in the winter and mountain bike World Cups in summer.
Over 200 km of trails are marked out, hundreds of volunteers look after the runners and as an alternative fact, over 4500 bananas have been purchased for the runners. Quebec is ready to give its best and to amaze thousands of runners from all over the world.
QMT 100 Mile, the feature race
Quebec Mega Trail takes place in the Laurentian Mountains, a 1500 km long and 600 km wide mountain range that is one of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth. The race starts in the small town of Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix region, a meteorite crater 54 kilometres in diameter that hit between 350 and 400 million years ago.
Following a ridgeline that follows the St. Lawrence River, running through forest and tundra environments where you can see foxes, squirrels, deer, moose, and occasionally black bears. The route heads towards Mont-Sainte-Anne where there are a few loops in a large forested area with repeated short inclines. The last of the snow can still be seen on the summits but with the high temperatures at the end of June it is likely to be almost gone by race day.
The time limit for 100 miles is 40 hours and there are thirteen well-stocked aid stations, the organisers consider this a technical race, far removed from the standard North American courses. Pacers are allowed in the final third of the 100 miles and runners receive a tradition belt buckle at the end of the race. The current course records are 24:34:58 for women, held by Canadian Kelsey Hogan and 19:35:52 for men, held by Sangé Sherpa.
The women’s battle in Mont-Sainte-Anne
Among the women’s field, a handful of runners will be fighting for glory in Quebec. Claire Bannwarth (France, Topo Athletic/Brubeck, ITRA 721) is perhaps the world’s most prolific ultra runner (28 last year!) and will take on the challenge at Quebec Mega Trail. In 2024 she has already run at least six races (winning four of them) totalling more than 1300 km of competition, she is not a slow runner, as her fourth place in the MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail shows, so a good result in Canada would allow her to move up several positions in the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors ranking, where she is currently 25th.
Just behind in 26th is Dominika Stelmach (Poland, On/Suunto, 752) who was fourth in The North Face Transgrancanaria and has numerous records to her credit in ultra-distance races including covering 152 km in 12 hours.
Alyssa Clark (USA, 699) will be another contender, she has wins at Ouray 100M, HURT 100 and San Diego 100, the latter in early June. She unfortunately dropped out in Portugal due to a fall and hypothermia, so the Canadian event is a good way for her to rejoin the circuit.
Finally, Quebec locals Myléne Sansoucy (678) – who won last year’s QMT 80 and represented her country at the World Cup in Innsbruck – and Kelsey Hogan (Norda, 643) – the current course record holder – defending her title from last year.
Aiming for the honours among the men
Several men are returning to the series with a clear eye on the general classification of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors without forgetting the attractiveness of the Canadian event. Among them is Sangé Sherpa (Nepal, Kailas, ITRA 839) who won QMT 100 mile in 2022 and is the current record holder, he also has two results in the series, Hong Kong and Transgrancanaria, which places him in the top 25.
It will not be easy for the Nepalese to defend his title as he has several fearsome runners such as Abel Carretero (Spain, Otso, 886) who has already finished fourth in The North Face Transgrancanaria and closed the podium in the Swiss Canyon Trail where he was convinced to go to Quebec to try to improve his fourth place in the series: given that the two best results count in the general classification and he is behind the Chinese Meng, Deng and Qin.
On the Portuguese side will be the phenomenal Luís Fernandes (Madeira Ocean & Trails, 867) who was sixth in MIUT this year and a second result would climb him up the the standings. Anthony Lee (USA, Topo, 829) who won Big Horn 100 after almost 22 hours of effort, we will see if it takes its toll or if it has given him the confidence to compete, as this race was only three weeks ago. Also interesting is the presence of Ferdinand Airault (France, T8, 803) currently sixth in the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series with a twelfth in Black Canyon Ultras and eighth in MIUT, so improving his position would make him move up in the general classification.
Two runners from the area and with obvious good knowledge of the terrain are Elliot Cardin (Norda/Cièle, 804), who was second in QMT 50 in 2022 and eighth in Black Canyon Ultras in 2023, and Philippe Poulin (705) third last year at the age of just 20. Finally, Reunion Island runner Robin Coinus (France, 774) who won the Grand Raid des Pyrenees in 2022 and has a top 15 finish in the highly competitive Diagonal des Fous.
QMT 110, QMT 80, QMT 50…
As we said, the Quebec Mega Trail is much more than the 100-mile race. Even inf the hundred mile version is the one that gives points for the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors in this pre race article we are not going to forget the other races and we are sure will be interesting too.
QMT 110 (110 km, +4580 m) will have Maria Fátima Buchas (Portugal, Tailwind, ITRA 680) and Samantha Stimac (USA, 677) as main contenders for the women’s title and Yannick Bernard (Canada, 745), Marvin Foucher (France, Salomon/XACT, 743), Benoit Gallard (Canada, 735) and David Savard-Gagnon (Canada, 720) are the top men running for glory.
In the QMT 80 (80 km, +3290 m) the race could be between Geneviève Asselin-Demers (Canada, On, ITRA 710), currently third in Gran Canaria World Trail Majors thanks to her sixth in Black Canyon Ultra and eighth in MIUT, but opts for this distance, Alex Castonguay (Canada, 644) and Mélanie Beetz (Canada, 595) should be her rivals. The men’s field includes Ryan Sullivan (USA, Aravaipa Running, 781), Francis Malenfant (Canada, 729), Samuel Audet (Canada, 726) and Jérôme Bresson (Canada).
In the QMT 50 (52 km, +2300 m), the best ITRA qualifiers are Amélie Simard (Canada, 672) and Eric LiPuma (USA, Terrex, 885), 7th in Black Canyon Ultra 2024.
Finally, in the QMT 25, Maude Mathys (Switzerland, Asics, ITRA 805) will be the standout runner in a race that is expected to be fast due to its 25.9 km and 950 metres of elevation.
How to follow Quebec Mega Trail
You can follow Quebec Mega Trail on social networks, live timing, and the live streaming of the finish line.
Web: https://ultratrailcanada.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuebecMegaTrail/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qcmegatrail/
YouTube (French and English):
https://www.youtube.com/@quebecmegatrail/streams and https://www.youtube.com/@WorldTrailMajors/streams
Live standings: Ultra Trail Canada
Gran Canaria World Trail Majors Rankings: Provisional Ranking
Please see image attached for timetable according to time zones.
