Quebec City, Sunday, October 5, 2025 – It’s a wrap for the 26th annual Beneva Quebec City Marathon presented by Montellier! Summer-like temperatures and glorious sunshine set the stage for a fabulous fall weekend. This year’s event was one for the record books, drawing more than 17,000 participants from 23 countries to Quebec City for one of Eastern Canada’s biggest and best celebrations of running. There were distance races for everyone, with the 2K Kids Race, Beneva Health 5K and Sports Experts 10K taking place on Saturday, followed by the Shop Santé 21.1K Half Marathon presented by WKND 91.9 and the Beneva 42.2K Marathon on Sunday.
Something a little different for Saturday
Saturday got the vibe going for the weekend, putting smiles on thousands of faces. Participants went through the finish arch on Wilfrid-Hamel Boulevard, a new location that made it possible for bigger crowds of cheering supporters to gather and encourage the runners through the final stretch. Some runners took the opportunity to try something a little different. Jean-François Drapeau ran the Beneva Health 5K in a full suit of armour weighing nearly 90 pounds to raise funds for the Enfant Soleil foundation. And Philip Goyer made a Guinness World Record attempt by running the Sports Experts 10K with a 20-pound weight on his back—because why not? Way to make the day even more memorable!
A thrilling finale on Sunday
Sunday’s main event, the 42.2K Beneva Marathon, delivered the goods. In the men’s category, 31-year-old Olympic triathlete Alexis Lepage was first across the line with a time of 02:24:51—an impressive result, especially for his first-ever marathon. It might have been his first time running this distance, but he set a lofty goal for himself. “I really wanted to set a course record. But around the 35-kilometre mark, I started to slow down and run low on energy. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t break the record, but I’m still happy with the race I ran,” he said at the finish line. Being used to shorter distances, running a marathon was quite an adaptation for Alexis. “A race like this is a world apart from the 5K and 10K distances I’ve always trained for. Running 42.2 kilometres is a real test of pace and patience. If you start the race too fast, you feel it pretty quickly. This kind of distance is much harder on the joints too.” For the record, his time was only 31 seconds shy of the record that was set in 2022 for the revamped course after the event was moved entirely to the Quebec City side of the river. Joining him on the podium were two other Quebec City athletes, making it a clean sweep for the locals.
In the women’s category, 26-year-old Rosalie Menard from Montreal took the top spot with a time of 02:51:58. Rosalie won the P’tit Train du Nord marathon in 2024 and was recently crowned Quebec’s marathon champion in Rimouski. She raved about the postcard-perfect scenery along the course in Quebec City. “This was such a scenic race. Running beside the river was stunning. The scenery was so varied and there were so many people cheering along the way. This is an amazing course.” She wasn’t too fazed by the climbs, either. “I heard the climbs were brutal, but they really weren’t as tough as I thought they were going to be. It was such a beautiful day. The weather was perfect.” Rosalie’s time set a new record for others to beat on the 100% Quebec City course.
A special shoutout goes to 75-year-old Benoit Rancourt, who has taken part in the Quebec City marathon event every year since it started. Today’s race marked his 200th marathon—that’s quite the achievement, and the combined equivalent distance of running from Montreal to Dubai.
The event site at Place Jean-Béliveau was reorganized for this year’s event, and the finish line was moved to Wilfrid-Hamel Boulevard. These changes were made with a view to making it possible for the event to keep growing, and they proved popular with runners and spectators alike. “We’re all extremely proud to organize an event of this scale that really puts Quebec City on the world stage,” said Marianne Pelchat, executive event producer for Gestev. “This record-setting edition highlights the phenomenal growth of the Beneva Quebec City Marathon presented by Montellier. It shows that the passion for running is here to stay. Our vision is crystal-clear and our ambition is great. We want to keep growing the Beneva Quebec City Marathon presented by Montellier. We want the whole city to live and breathe the marathon on the first weekend of October. The numbers we’ve seen this year speak volumes. People are charmed by Quebec City and they love the postcard-perfect course.”
Commitment and partnership
To see the event go from strength to strength is something that ties in perfectly with title sponsor Beneva’s values of promoting health, solidarity and achievement. “The Beneva Quebec City Marathon, presented by Montellier, reached a remarkable milestone this year with over 17,000 runners and walkers coming together to celebrate sport and healthy lifestyle,” said Martin Robert, Executive Vice-President and Leader – Talent, Culture and Communications for Beneva. “This record turnout reflects the growing enthusiasm for this flagship event, known for its stunning course and the festive atmosphere that fills the city. We are proud to support an initiative that embodies our mutualist values and our commitment to collective well-being. Congratulations to everyone who helped make this edition truly outstanding!”
Entertainment for everyone
The atmosphere was incredible all weekend long for the participants and spectators. A whopping 29 musical entertainment pop-ups at various points along the course kept the beat pumping for the crowds who turned out to support the runners in nine different neighbourhood and three districts around the city. Place Jean-Béliveau was the hub for the weekend’s events, bringing everyone together to celebrate the sport of running and enjoy the Expo Village, partner activation zones and an area set up especially for families.
Results for the 26th annual Beneva Quebec City Marathon presented by Montellier:
Super early bird registration and 2026 season launch
Running enthusiasts in search of a new challenge will be excited to hear that super early bird registration for the 2026 Beneva Quebec City Marathon presented by Montellier is already open—but only until this Tuesday, October 7, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. This exclusive presale also marks the official launch of the 2026 Je Cours Qc running event season, which promises to be one to remember for running enthusiasts of all abilities and ambitions everywhere!
Thanks to our partners
As event producer, Gestev would like to thank the partners who have made this 26th annual Beneva Quebec City Marathon even more memorable—starting with title partner Beneva, presenting partner Montellier, major event partners Brunet, Shop Santé and Sports Experts, followed by our public and tourism partners, the Gouvernement du Québec and its ministry of tourism, Secrétariat à la Capitale-Nationale and ministry of education, the Ville de Québec, Destination Québec Cité and Canada’s National Battlefields Commission. Huge thanks to our official partners Le Lait, Michelob, Athletic Brewing Co., Canac, XACT NUTRITION, Campus Coach, Polysleep, UltraHuman, Dermapure, Marsquest, Coros, PCN Physio and HOKA, official shoe of the Je Cours Qc running series. Thank you to our official transporter Boulevard Toyota Lexus and our official suppliers Core Power, Liberté, Krispy Kernels, Biscuits Leclerc, Maxi, àVélo, Château Laurier, Jardin de ville, Bel-Gaufre, Groupe Boucher Sports, Buffet St-Émile, Topla!, St-Hubert, Normandin, RTC, Smith Café, Colabor, Clinique des festivals and 2nd Skin. Finally, thank you to our media partners WKND 91.9, MétéoMédia, Coup de Pouce, Journal de Québec and TVA.
About Gestev
Founded in 1992, Gestev is a dynamic event and concert management company specializing in happenings that make their mark locally as well as on the world stage. Gestev leads the way in the design, production and promotion of events and concerts, venue management and, through its Gustav agency, experiential marketing. Gestev showcases homegrown and international talent throughout the market it serves. As a subsidiary of Quebecor Sports and Entertainment, which also includes the venues Videotron Centre, Baie de Beauport, Théâtre Capitole, Théâtre du Casino du Lac-Leamy and Cabaret du Casino de Montréal, Gestev is able to present high-quality events enhanced by the convergence opportunities offered by the Quebecor group’s scope and the magic touch known as the “Gestev experience.” They range from classic Gestev events such as Red Bull Crashed Ice, the Vélirium, the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and the FIS Cross-Country World Cup to current flagship events such as the Je Cours Qc running series, the Cigale festival, Igloofest Québec, Festivent de Lévis and Festibière.
About Quebec Running Events Corporation
Quebec Running Events Corporation exists to promote the sport of running in and around Quebec City. It presents the Je Cours Qc amateur event series, which draws thousands of runners and walkers to the region from near and far. As well as delivering running events for the general public, Quebec Running Events Corporation works tirelessly to further the development of the sport and encourage runners of all ages to pursue healthy life choices.
About Beneva
Created by the coming together of La Capitale and SSQ Insurance, Beneva is the largest insurance mutual in Canada with more than 3.5 million members and customers. Beneva employs over 5,500 dedicated employees: people looking out for people. Its human approach is rooted in mutualist values that are shared by its employees. With $25.2 billion in assets, Beneva positions itself as a major player in the insurance and financial services industry. Its head office is located in Quebec City. For more information, visit beneva.ca.
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Information:
Jessica Poirier-Roy, Communications Coordinator
jpoirirerroy@gestev.com | 581 998-2733