Quebec Mega Trail (QMT) is gearing up for a thrilling 13th edition, and this year’s lineup of elite athletes is stacked. With more than 40 top-tier runners—including international contenders and some of Canada’s strongest trail athletes—the competition is set to be fiercer than ever. From July 3 to 6, all eyes will be on Mont Ste-Anne, Que., as the race unfolds across multiple distances, with high stakes: finishing the QMT-135 earns runners a coveted ticket into the Western States 100 lottery.
This year’s QMT has 3,000 athletes registered across eight events, once again attesting to its reputation as one of the toughest and most scenic ultras in North America.
QMT-135: A challenging debut event
The 135 km race is making its debut this year, boasting a daunting 6,000 metres of elevation gain and taking a spot in the World Trail Majors series. That means top athletes won’t just be gunning for glory—they’ll also be chasing points in the global rankings.
The men’s field features Portugal’s Nelson Santos, fresh off a fourth-place finish at Madeira Island Ultra-Trail (MIUT), and France’s Sébastien Camus, a veteran with a seventh-place UTMB finish on his resume. Local talents Mathieu Saliou and Jeetesh Rao Lukea, both based in Québec, will take on the challenge alongside homegrown contenders David Jeker and Jacob Baril-Arnasson.
On the women’s side, Ontario’s Amanda Nelson, who holds multiple national ultra-distance records, will line up against a tough Quebec contingent, including Geneviève Asselin-Demers, Mylène Sansoucy and Elisabeth Cauchon. Big threats will come from abroad: France’s Maryline Nakache (who finished second at the Diagonale des Fous on Reunion Island) and Australia’s Kellie Angel Emmerson (a top-five finisher at UTMB) are both in the mix.
QMT 80 and QMT 50 to serve as Canadian Trail Running Championships
Adding to the high-stakes atmosphere, the QMT-80 and QMT-50 races will serve as the long and short distances, respectively, at the Canadian Trail Running Championships. Runners will be in an all-out battle for national titles and podium spots—and a share of the newly introduced $12,500 prize pool.
