Quebec’s Jean-François (Jeff) Coachon was running for redemption at the Quebec Mega Trail (QMT), beginning Friday evening. Coachon finished second in 2022—and in 2023 led for most of the first half of the race but struggled with stomach issues and ultimately dropped out at 124 km. This year, Coachon ran a speedy 19:01:25, bettering Nepalese runner Sangé Sherpa’s record of 19:35, set in 2021.
This year’s edition of QMT brought together a deep field of talented athletes, ready to race against the stunning backdrop of Mont-Sainte-Anne and the Massif de Charlevoix. 3,500 runners from 18 countries tackled some of the most challenging trails in North America. The QMT 100-miler was only added to the event three years ago, but it’s a popular distance —nearly 200 runners headed out into the dark 160K course on Friday night, ready to climb 6,500 metres of elevation during their race, Participants at QMT aren’t limited to ultra distance races—the event also offers 110K, 80K, 50K, 32K, 25K, 15K, 10K, 6K and 1K races.
Coachon faced some fierce competition. Second-place-Ferdinand-Clovis Airaut finished in 19:32:02. He’s had an impressive season already, taking 12th place at Black Canyon 100K in Arizona in February and eighth at Madeira Island Ultra-trail. Former record holder Sherpa, who lives and trains in France, rounded out the podium in 20:23:24. Sherpa took 11th in the 2023 edition of Tor des Geants (330K) and won the LAAN Ultra Trail 100K 2023 in Vietnam.
Coachon, who is a civil engineer by day, says he loves QMT because it’s in his backyard, where he plays and trains. His family and friends come out to support him—his sister was even his pacer for a stretch of the race. Coachon has an impressive running resume with plans to build on it; his next race will be the Squamish 50/50, with a slight twist—he’ll be running the 50-miler, on the first day, as part of the Canadian Mountain & Trail Running Championships. He hypes up QMT for those who haven’t tried it: “If you want to experience the beast coast, you have to try that race,” he says. In the immediate future, Coachon’s onlygoals are rehydrating and eating.
Photo: Christian Dionne
World Trail Majors spotlight
QMT’s inclusion in the World Trail Majors cements its status as a prestigious race that draws from trail running enthusiasts worldwide. As the only Canadian race in this series, QMT stands alongside other iconic races in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. To learn more about the race, head to the QMT website.
To check out the live stream of the finish line on YouTube throughout the QMT races, click here.
