Quebec Mega Trail and Défi des Couleurs to host Canadian Mountain and Trail running championships

QMT will host the 50K short trail and 80K long trail events and a separate event, Défi des Couleurs, will host the Vertical Ascent and Classic Up & Down

Photo by: Quebec Mega Trail, Jean-Sébastien Chartier-Plante

Keeley Milne February 28, 2024

*This article has been updated; incomplete information appeared in a previous version of the piece.

This week, Athletics Canada announced two new host cities and events for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions of several Canadian championship series. Québec Mega Trail (QMT) was selected as the host for the 2025 and 2026 Canadian Trail Running Championships (50K short trail and 80K long trail events) and a separate event, Défi des Couleurs in Monte Saint Anne, will host the Canadian Mountain Running Championships, with the Vertical Ascent and Classic Up & Down events in October 2024, 2025 and 2026. (The 2024 Canadian Trail Running Championships 30K short trail and 50K long trail events will be held in Squamish, B.C. in August.)

World Trail Majors series — Photo: Catherine Tetreault

Quebec Mega Trail to host 30K short trail and 50K long trail events

Set against the picturesque trails of Côte-de-Beaupré and Charlevoix, the Canadian Trail Running championships will unfold during the QMT weekend, scheduled from July 3-6 for the 2025 edition.

The prestigious competition encompasses a 50K short trail championship and an 80K long trail championship. QMT, renowned for its challenging and scenic routes, will provide a fitting backdrop for these championships, attracting both local athletes and elite participants from across the country.

General director and founder of QMT, Jean Fortier, expressed enthusiasm about hosting the Canadian Championships in a press release on Monday, emphasizing the popularity of trail running in the region and the desire to showcase the beauty of the local terrain and the unique atmosphere of the QMT event. Fortier believes that holding these championships will not only benefit the region but also contribute to enhancing the event’s visibility on a national scale.

QMT 2022 — Photo: Quebec Mega Trail, Jean-Sébastien Chartier-Plante

Chris Winter, director of Safe Sport at Athletics Canada, commended QMT’s distinguished status, citing its recent inclusion in the World Trail Majors. Winter highlighted the event’s appeal to elite athletes and recreational runners alike. “Athletics Canada also feels that for the continued growth and development of the sport, it is important to move these Canadian championships around the country, and having held the championships in Squamish, BC in both 2023 and 2024, we were very excited by the prospect of hosting these championships in Québec where mountain and trail running has an enthusiastic following.”

Quebec Mega Trail joins new World Trail Majors global race series

Défi des Couleurs to Mountain Running Championships beginning this year

Défi des Couleurs, held over the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend in Mont Saint Anne, Quebec, is one of the largest trail running events in Canada and will be the host of the Canadian Mountain Running Championships that include the Vertical Ascent and Classic Up & Down mountain running events in October of this year, as well as 2025 and 2026.

Two new courses will be unveiled for the championship events, and the Défi des Couleurs website explains that their trails “stand out in the Quebec trail landscape for their significant elevation gain per kilometre, including a continuous climb of 800 metres in elevation, as well as a picturesque start at the foot of the magnificent Jean-Larose Falls.”

Défi des Couleurs is known for the glorious autumn colours the races are held in. “We have made sure that our mountain running courses are steep and challenging, yet also varied and accessible to athletes without a trail running background,” the website explains. The race directors hope to encourage sports background diversity in their races by designing their courses to minimize technical sections while still providing very challenging races: “With the region potentially housing the largest concentration of mountain athletes on the East Coast, this gives us the opportunity to organize two of the most competitive trail races in Quebec’s history.”

Quebec Mega Trail to host 30K short trail and 50K long trail events

Défi des Couleurs to Mountain Running Championships beginning this year

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