This weekend, Mont-Sainte-Anne will once again become the heart of Canadian mountain running as it hosts the Canadian Mountain Running Championships, held within the festive atmosphere of the Défi des Couleurs Simard. Against a backdrop of blazing autumn colours, runners from across the country and beyond will gather for an event that blends fierce competition, breathtaking scenery, and the unmistakable energy of 5,700 participants, making it North America’s most popular mountain and trail-running festival.

The weekend will feature two national-title events — the MSA Vertical (uphill-only) on Saturday and the Classic Up & Down on Sunday — each designed to showcase both the physical and emotional highs of the sport. The Vertical begins dramatically at the foot of the iconic Jean-Larose Falls, climbing nearly 800 metres over 4.5 kilometres to the summit.

With its shifting gradients, minimal technicality, and pure focus on effort, it’s a race that will test every runner’s power and grit. The Classic event (10,5km, +1000m/-1000m) adds impressively steep walls, fast rolling sections, and thrilling descents, offering a complete mountain-running experience. As a double ascent and descent, it promises dynamic and strategic racing from start to finish.

The Championships have drawn an exceptional lineup, featuring some of the continent’s strongest mountain and trail runners. Defending champions Alexandre Ricard and Rémi Leroux return to protect their national titles, while American star David Sinclair, fresh off a runner-up finish at CCC in Chamonix, joins a hungry Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau and long-distance specialist Adrian Macdonald to headline the international contingent.

Other standouts include Olympians Alexis Lepage and Léandre Bouchard, national short- and long-trail champions Dany Racine and Jean-Philippe Thibodeau, and rising Québec phenoms Robin Lefebvre and Kevin A. Robertson.

On the women’s side, the spotlight shines on Elisa Morin, triple Canadian champion and returning favourite, alongside Olympian Anne-Marie Comeau and trail icon Sarah Bergeron-Larouche. Canadian long-trail champion Claudine Soucie, versatile Valérie Arsenault, mountain athlete Courtney Brohart, British Columbia cross-country standout Elise Coates, young American phenom Gabby DeAngelis, and uphill specialist Andie Cornish add further international depth and intrigue.

Together, they form one of the most competitive fields ever assembled on Canadian soil, a thrilling showcase of the country’s mountain-running renaissance.

After a landmark inaugural edition in 2024, the Défi des Couleurs’s National Championships continue to write a new chapter in Canadian mountain running.

Mont-Sainte-Anne will once again welcome the nation’s best in 2025 and 2026, solidifying its status as a premier hub for endurance athletes. Already renowned internationally for its world-class ski and mountain bike venues, MSA’s natural vertical, accessibility, and atmosphere make it the ideal stage for the country’s fastest climbers and descenders.

With its proximity to Québec City and deep endurance culture, the region offers fertile ground for two of the most competitive trail races in Canadian history.

For local and recreational runners, this is also a rare chance to toe the line with the nation’s very best.

Few start lines can match the power of the majestic Jean-Larose Falls. From there, athletes ascend through forest trails, open ski slopes, and a series of breathtaking viewpoints, from Château Frontenac to Île d’Orléans, all framed by the shimmering waters of the St. Lawrence River.

True to its name, the Défi des Couleurs offers runners the chance to experience the mountain in full autumn splendour, as the colourful foliage reaches its peak.

Beyond the competition, the Défi des Couleurs Simard is a festival in motion. With nearly 6,000 participants across a dozen events, live music, cheering crowds, and contagious energy, the site buzzes from morning to night.

Add to that a $10,000 CAD prize purse for the Championship races, and the weekend becomes not just a competition, but a celebration of how far the sport has come in Canada.

Between the golden birches and crimson maples of Côte-de-Beaupré, the Canadian Mountain Running Championships promise to be as visually stunning as they are physically demanding. For one weekend, Mont-Sainte-Anne will belong to the strongest legs and the bravest hearts