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Trail runners want more than an athletic event. They want to experience the best of the outdoors while moving through nature’s playground, tackling complex terrain, and immersing themselves in a community of runners. Québec Mega Trail delivers—and then some—which is why more than 3,500 runners showed up and showed out for the 2025 event in July.
First, there’s the world-class setting. The race takes place in the Côte-de-Beaupré region, where runners cross sweeping mountain terrain, cruise past cascading waterfalls, and follow miles of singletrack. There are distance options for every level, and this year, elite runners had the option to choose the Québec Mega Trail’s first-ever 135-kilometer race.
This new route offered more distance as well as a more holistic experience for runners. Jean Fortier, general director and founder of Québec Mega Trail, said he was pleased to see more than 300 registrations for the 135K alone.
“The idea behind this change is to make the most of the magnificent trails of Côte-de-Beaupré and Charlevoix and to refine our course to offer the most optimal and extraordinary experience for runners,” Fortier said. “The runners have the final say, but I sincerely think they appreciated this course that is both more strategic, more accessible, and yet hasn’t lost any of the technical bite that some experienced in the 100 miles before.”
And with a new race came new records. In the inaugural running of the QMT 135, Xavier St-Cyr—not even listed among the favorites to win— set the official course record of 17 hours, 18 minutes, and 5 seconds for the men’s roster. “I really wasn’t expecting this,” St-Cyr said in an interview. “I didn’t come here for a podium, so this [was] the cherry on top.”
French runner Maryline Nakache on the women’s side came in at 19 hours, 11 minutes, and 41 seconds and fourth overall.
The epic new route took runners across Québec for more than 19,000 feet of vertical gain, summiting Mont-Sainte-Anne not once, but twice. Spectators got a bonus of being able to watch the whole thing from near or far with QMT’s new live TV viewing option.
What remains the same at Québec Mega Trail is its reputation as a world-class trail running destination offering some of the most beautiful and difficult terrain in Canada. And while this legendary event has achieved global acclaim, it hasn’t lost its soul as a raw, real, and proudly homemade race. QMT’s commitment to community and runner well-being is also best in class, meaning athletes can go all out on the trail with total confidence in the support system—and the fun.
And while the event draws some of the world’s best trail athletes—it hosts part of the World Trail Majors—QMT offers numerous races across a range of distance and difficulty, giving runners of all levels a chance to join, whether they’re looking to just have a good time, set a PR, or stand on the podium.
“The records shattered this weekend once again speak to the fire that drives our Québec athletes,” Fortier said. “Our courses are demanding, and it’s a great point of pride to see that the international runners—who are showing up in greater numbers each year—also rose to the challenge on our trails, discovering along the way the raw beauty of our wild landscapes.”
Even though the mud has just barely dried on the runners’ calves, Québec Mega Trail organizers are already gearing up for the 14th edition of the event in July 2026. Want to see what all the fuss is about? Early bird pricing starts on August 1, 2025.
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QMT is a legendary ultra trail race, renowned as one of the most beautiful and one of the hardest in Canada. More than 3,500 racers meet there every year. Founded in 2012, the Québec Mega Trail actively promotes trail running while serving as a reference in terms of safety, sustainable development, and constant innovations.
