For the first time in many years, the provincial cross-country championships will be held in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region, much to the delight of the Club d'athlétisme de Vaudreuil-Dorion. More than 1,300 athletes from 14 regional authorities, 43 CEGEPs and colleges, 10 universities and federated civilian clubs will take to the starting line on October 26, live from Parc Nature Les Forestiers in Saint-Lazare. 

“We really want to make this a cross-country celebration. The event will be held over several days, culminating on October 26 with the best athletes of all levels. Starting this Friday, October 11, school-level runners will be in action during the RSEQ Lac-Saint-Louis Cross-Country Festival. This will be followed by the Cross des couleurs on Sunday, October 13, with a Sud-Ouest collegiate conference final. During these three events, runners will be able to compete against each other on circuits ranging from 2 to 8 km,” explains Claude David of the Club d'athlétisme de Vaudreuil-Dorion, who will be overseeing the event in the region. 

As with major sporting competitions such as the Jeux du Québec, a bid had to be submitted for the chance to host the Provincial Cross Country Championships in Vaudreuil-Dorion. In this process, Vaudreuil-Soulanges was up against Quebec City.  

Major competitions 

To date, 1,030 young student-athletes, aged between 12 and 25, have registered for this Friday's race in the hope of achieving their best performance and surpassing themselves. This Sunday's event will bring together students from 20 Cégeps across the province. The best in each category will be eligible to take part in the Provincial Championships at the end of October. On this day, starts will be continuous, rain or shine, from 8am to 3:20pm. 

“This will be the first time since 2017 that all school categories will be represented at the Provincial Championships. We're hoping that local residents will turn out in large numbers to cheer on the runners around the course. We should also point out that this event will also be held here in 2025,” he added. 

For his part, Richard Dubois of Desjardins Vaudreuil-Soulanges, recalled that the financial institution is proud to be associated with the Club d'athlétisme de Vaudreuil-Dorion. “These are passionate, dynamic people who are bursting with ideas to make the region shine. Thank you for understanding and believing in our region's potential. We can achieve great things here if we work together,” he concluded. 

Among the competition's partners is the Collège Noir et Or, whose players will be setting up and dismantling the site on October 26.