After a two-year hiatus, the Montreal Beneva Marathon will be back with great fanfare, reconnecting with its roots. The start of the 30th edition will take place on September 25 at Parc Jean-Drapeau, where the adventure began in 1979.
It is under the impetus of GPCQM Events, and therefore of the Arsenault family, that the new version of the event will come back to life after the COVID-19 pandemic. The president and CEO, Sébastien Arsenault, presented his new project on Tuesday, which will start at Espace 67, very close to the location of the offices where his father shaped the Marathon nearly 43 years earlier.
“As you know, it’s a homecoming for the Arsenault family, which created the event. This year, it’s the second generation who takes up the torch with the same passion and an equally qualified team,” said Sébastien at a press conference.
Later, he also invited his father, Serge Arsenault, to come and testify in a poignant moment of emotions for the two men.
“The word emotion can sometimes seem cliché, but it really is the right word here. [mardi], confessed the son. It’s a very, very positive emotion and we are pumped up for the last kilometers until the end of September.
For everyone
This year, 11 individual or team events, spread out from September 23 to 25, are offered to runners.
With host Alexandra Diaz and Olympian Charles Philibert-Thiboutot as spokespersons, the team wants to reach the widest audience possible. Support, consisting of training programs, expert advice and informative capsules, available on the event blog, will allow even novices to learn about running.
“Our offer will allow everyone – families, young people, people with reduced mobility as well as more seasoned runners and the elite – to set themselves a goal that they can achieve in an inspiring and well-supervised environment”, rejoiced Mr. Arsenault.
In short
The revisited route will pass through five boroughs: Ahuntsic–Cartierville, Plateau–Mont-Royal, Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Ville-Marie and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. The finish line will await participants at the Esplanade of the Olympic Park.
After the tragic death of runner Patrick Neely in 2019, Mr. Arsenault quickly focused on the safety of participants. He will work with operations director Mario Blain, doctor François de Champlain and emergency measures coordinator Eddy Afram. In total, more than 200 medical responders will be on site.
2026 UCI Worlds: Sébastien Arsenault is optimistic
On the sidelines of the Montreal Marathon, Sébastien Arsenault said he was optimistic about obtaining the Road Cycling World Championships in 2026.
The candidacy of GPCQM Events was announced last July. Then, in February, the City authorized financial support of $3.92 million. The file should be completely finalized this month and the UCI will proceed to the vote in September.
“The file is progressing well, launched Sébastien Arsenault with a broad smile. We are working hard for Montreal and I think we will have good news soon.
In his eyes, Quebec is always an attractive destination when the time comes to present events of this magnitude.
“You know, when there is an event – hockey, the marathon, Formula 1 for example – we participate a lot, and we also encourage a lot. It contributes a lot to the dynamism of each event. And that, the whole planet knows about it.”
As for the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal, which are to take place on September 9 and 11, we can also expect a return to normal after the cancellations due to COVID-19.
“The word ‘normal’ may need to be redefined. Every week, there are parameters that change, ”said Arsenault.