Next Défi:
Saturday, October 18, 2008
I'd love to read your stories about skating the Défi.
Did you get photos? Send me those too!

 

[December 11, 2007]   At last the All-time results list is up to date, thanks to Pascal Roy's painstaking work and creative genius as a programmer. Future results will be quickly and painlessly added to the list. Thanks, man!

 

The Défi de L'Île de Montréal (Montréal Island Challenge) is a 128-kilometer race on inline skates around the Island of Montréal. It has been held every year since 1996 on the third Saturday in October, when the weather is ideal for skating¾and the fall colors are at their best. The next Défi will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2008.

A race, you say? Officially the Défi is not a race, so how fast you take it is up to you. Speedskaters and fitness buffs¾anyone who loves inline skating¾will find the Défi a fun and rewarding experience. Since much of the route is through beautiful parks, no one will blame you if you take your time and enjoy the sights. On the other hand, if you like speed and a good hard challenge, this course will soak up everything you can give. To earn a gold medal, finish within 8 hours; for silver, within 10 hours; for bronze, within 12 hours.

Who's behind all this? The Défi de L'Île was founded in 1996 by Robert Fortier, a veteran of ski marathons who has made a solo crossing of the United States on inlines. Every year since then the event has grown in number of participants and quality of organization.

What's the course like? Over half of the course is on paved bike-paths, often through parks beside the St. Lawrence River and Rivière-des-Prairies. The rest is on quiet streets, with a few short sections where you do have to pay attention to traffic. In elevation, the course is fairly flat, with a single climb in the first half followed by an easy downhill. Naturally, "flat" means different things to different people. The bike-paths tend to dipsy-doodle in every direction, including up and down, but the results are fun, not difficult.

Are there 1000s of spectators? No, nor are there any policemen blocking intersections, or volunteers holding out food and drink for you to grab in passing. Even the speedsters must stop for red lights and obey the traffic laws. Except for water at the checkpoints, you'll have to carry your supplies or buy them along the way. You are however welcome to have friends or family with you for support, if not skating then bicycling. The Course Guide points out recommended parking for support vehicles.

 

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