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Canadian Championships, Golden Trail World Series and World Trail Majors: QMT continues to strengthen its position on the international stage
Just 7 days remain before the start of the Québec Mega Trail (QMT), which will bring together approximately 3,900 athletes from 25 countries on the trails of Mont-Sainte-Anne and Charlevoix across 11 events. Taking place from July 2 to 5, this 14th edition is set to be historic, featuring the most competitive elite field in its history, bringing together nearly one hundred elite athletes.
Driven by a record 315 registrations in the QMT135, the return of the Canadian Trail Running Championships for the 50 km and 80 km distances, the addition of the brand-new QMT30 to the prestigious Golden Trail World Series, as well as the presence of athletes targeting points in the World Trail Majors rankings, QMT is set to deliver an unprecedented weekend of competition. While the spotlight will be on many of the world’s top specialists in the discipline, the event continues to offer an outstanding experience for runners of all levels, with a renewed program designed for the entire community.
“Last year, significant efforts were dedicated to the QMT135, which was entirely new. This year, we wanted to please the long-time community with the addition of stage races, while continuing to develop the competitive side with the arrival of the Golden Trail World Series. The entire team has worked extremely hard over the past year to evolve the event, while keeping local runners at the core of decision-making. The weekend promises to be particularly electrifying.” — Jean Fortier, General Director and Founder of Québec Mega Trail
A complete race experience, enhanced by several new features
Among the 2026 additions, QMT is introducing stage race formats, an intentional nod to the Trans-Vallée, the event that inspired QMT. Participants in the Trans-QMT72 will complete on three days a 15 km night run, followed by a 32 km and a 25 km race, while participants in the Trans-QMT90 will link a 15 km night run, a 50 km, and a 25 km race.
Following the strong success of last year, QMT LIVE TV will return in an enhanced format featuring nearly 24 hours of live coverage starting July 3 at 7 p.m. Hosted by Yannick Vézina (Pas sorti du bois), Nicolas Danne (On), and Marie-Eve Pelland (Tout.trail), the broadcast will provide in-depth coverage of the QMT135. An English-language broadcast will also be introduced this year, led by Jonathan Van Geuns (Waybound Running) and Ilan Abikhzir (Altitude Sports), allowing the event to reach trail running fans worldwide.
The on-site festival programming at Mont-Sainte-Anne will further deliver an experience that is both deeply human and highly epic for participants, volunteers, and spectators alike.
QMT30: Quebec enters the elite circuit
Elevation gain : 1,300 metres
One of the major highlights of this 14th edition is Québec Mega Trail’s entry into the prestigious Golden Trail World Series. QMT will become the only North American stop on the circuit in 2026. For this occasion, a 30 km course has been designed, featuring technical sections, steep descents, and single tracks, with views over the Laurentians and the Jean-Larose stream.
Among the men, approximately 25 international athletes are expected, including a Kenyan delegation featuring Patrick Kipngeno (ITRA 946), Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (ITRA 948), winner of the 2025 Sierre-Zinal, Michael Selelo Saoli (ITRA 937), Nashon Kiplimo (ITRA 912), Samwel Kiprotich (ITRA 912), Paul Machoka (ITRA 926), and Timothy Kibett (ITRA 908). Moroccan-born runner Elhousine Elazzaoui (ITRA 950), winner of the legendary Zegama-Aizkorri in each of the last two years, Italian Isacco Costa (ITRA 908), Romanian Damian Bogdan (ITRA 921), as well as Americans Cameron Smith (ITRA 891), Taylor Stack (ITRA 923), and Meikael Rousseau-Beaudoin (ITRA 863), who surprised on the QMT25 in 2023, are also on the start list.
In the women’s field, around fifteen international athletes are expected, including Italians Caterina Stenta (ITRA 756), Elisa Presa (ITRA 692), and Madalina Florea (ITRA 804), recent winner of the 23 km Broken Arrow Skyrace (United States), Kenyan Caroline Kimutai (ITRA 794), winner of Sierre-Zinal 2025, Czech runner Barbora Bukovjan (ITRA 774), and French athlete Marie Nivet (ITRA 758). Several Americans including Sarah Carter (ITRA 739), Alexa Aragon (ITRA 721), and Callie Cooper (ITRA 694) are also targeting the top step of the podium.
This international field is joined by a strong Québec contingent, including Rémi Leroux (ITRA 874), who excels on the global circuit, Timothée Courtois (ITRA 767), Samuel Pöher (ITRA 794), Samuel Audet (ITRA 780), Paul Vanoostven (ITRA 780), Louis Moreau (ITRA 755), Xavier Lemaître (ITRA 775), Amélie Simard (ITRA 658), Andrée-Anne Cloutier (ITRA 651), Meggy Bourassa (ITRA 667), and Laurianne Lépine (ITRA 666).
QMT135: a meeting point between local elite and the international scene
Elevation gain : 6,000 metres
With a record number of nearly 315 registrations, the QMT135 is set to deliver a highly competitive field. On the men’s side, the start list includes Gill Quinton (Australia, ITRA 806), Manuel Anguita Bayo (Spain, ITRA 877), Robbie Britton (Great Britain, ITRA 849), Kamil Lesniak (Poland, ITRA 883), recent winner of the 100 km Ultra-Trail des Païens at Alsace Trail by UTMB (France), and Simon Withers (Great Britain, ITRA 823). They will face Sherbrooke’s Antoine Jolicoeur-Desroches (ITRA 761), former professional triathlete, Victor Larocque (ITRA 798), winner of the 2025 Chihuahua by UTMB (Mexico), David Savard-Gagnon (ITRA 785) and Philippe Poulin (ITRA 743).
On the women’s side, Valérie Arsenault (ITRA 729), capable of winning it all as she so often does, is among the favorites. Anne Champagne (ITRA 664), winner of the 2024 QMT100 MILES, will not give up easily. Amanda Nelson (ITRA 667), Canadian record holder in 24-hour and Backyard Ultra formats, returns after finishing sixth in 2025. Julie Lesage (ITRA 670), Elisabeth Cauchon (ITRA 602) and China’s Junyue Zheng (ITRA 606) also add depth to a highly competitive field.
QMT80: major names in Beaupré!
Elevation gain: 3,370 metres
Mont-Sainte-Anne will host the Canadian Trail Running Championships over 80 km (long trail), in a race expected to be highly unpredictable.
On the men’s side, Xavier St-Cyr (ITRA 802), breakout athlete of last season and winner of the 2025 QMT135, is highly anticipated. He will compete against Jean-Philippe Thibodeau (ITRA 808), reigning Canadian champion at this distance and Canada’s top performer at three World Trail Running Championships. Jean-François Cauchon (ITRA 833), course record holder on the former QMT100 MILES format, Elliot Cardin (ITRA 841), former UTHC champion, Benoit Gaillard (ITRA 768), and Dylan Pust (ITRA 809) complete a strong field. The presence of American runner Dakota Jones (ITRA 887), a legendary figure in global trail running for over a decade, marks a major addition to the men’s field, with podium finishes at races such as CCC (UTMB, France) and Hardrock (United States). He will be joined by fellow American Mead Binhammer (ITRA 798), fifth in the event last year.
In the women’s field, defending champion Claudine Soucie (ITRA 696) returns to defend her title against Geneviève Asselin-Demers (ITRA 710), winner of the 2024 QMT80. They will face strong competition from Jenny Quilty (ITRA 680), Sara Bergen (ITRA 698), Caitlin Schindel (ITRA 738), Maïka Lamoureux (ITRA 671), Sarah Bergeron-Larouche (ITRA 747), and Kelsey Hogan (ITRA 668), double winner of the QMT100 MILES and second last year.
QMT50 : a high-intensity Canadian Championship race
Elevation gain: 2,300 metres
The QMT50 stands as a flagship race of the weekend, part of the Canadian Trail Running Championships (short trail) and included in the World Trail Majors – Short Series calendar.
On the men’s side, Dany Racine (ITRA 831), reigning champion and course record holder, returns to defend his title. He will face, among others, Marc Fawcett-Atkinson (ITRA 778), Joshua Potvin (ITRA 843), Brandon Gardiner (ITRA 789), Alexandre Ricard (ITRA 863), Canadian trail short course champion in 2024, and Christopher Lévesque-Savard (ITRA 813), second last year. Louis-Philippe Côté (ITRA 740), Shaun Stephens-Whale (ITRA 803), Maxime Leboeuf (ITRA 790), François Leboeuf (ITRA 813), and Chris Balestrini (ITRA 818) complete a field in which several athletes can contend for the podium.
In the women’s race, Elisa Morin (ITRA 778) will look to defend her title, following a ninth-place finish at the 2025 OCC (UTMB, France) and a string of strong results since then. She will, however, have to watch her back, as Spain’s Ikram Rharsalla Laktab (ITRA 811) heads to Québec fresh off a victory at the recent Transvulcania Marathon. Jade Belzberg (ITRA 758), winner of several international races in 2025 including the Chuckanut 50K and JFK 50 Mile, along with Carol-Ann Rolle (ITRA 677), Leya Masson (ITRA 670), Karol-Ann Roy (ITRA 682), Stephanie Ryall (ITRA 700), Samantha Stimac (ITRA 609), Courtney Brohart (ITRA 662), Rose Vigneault (ITRA 661), and Emilie Mann (ITRA 708), are also among those to watch.
Special Thanks to Our Partners
The entire QMT organization wishes to thank official presenter Salomon and all our dedicated partners:
Gouvernement du Québec, Desjardins, Destination Québec Cité, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Mont-Sainte-Anne, Centre de villégiature et de congrès, Mouvement Mont-Sainte-Anne, MRC de la Côte-de-Beaupré, Développement Côte-de-Beaupré, Sépaq, Canadian Running, Tourisme Charlevoix, MRC de Charlevoix, MRC de Charlevoix-Est et Hôtel & Spa Le Germain Charlevoix.
