Quebec City Marathon

Quebec City Marathon
Quebec City Marathon
	The Quebec City Marathon runs along both the; northern and southern shores of the St. Lawrence River
Date	October
Location	Lévis — Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Event type	Road
Distance	Marathon
Primary sponsor	Beneva
Established	1998
Course records	Men's: 2:23:06 (2001); ; Women's: 2:39:03 (1999);
Official site	Quebec City Marathon
Participants	1,096 (2019)

Quebec City Marathon in 2013.

The Beneva Quebec City Marathon (French: Marathon Beneva Québec), is an annual point-to-point Boston Marathon qualifying marathon (42.195 km/26.219 mi) race between Lévis and Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.^[1] It has been held in August every year since 1998 and currently can reach up to 12,700 participants in all of the events combined. Along with the full marathon, a half marathon, a 10 km, a 5 km and children's events are arranged as well.^[2]

The course distinguishes itself from other races in that kilometre markers are posted in reverse order, indicating the remaining distance to the finish line. Among other things, this allows all events to start at the same time and on the same course, from the appropriate distance away from the finish line.

The race is part of a series of races that go on around Quebec City each year called "Run Quebec City", with the Quebec City Marathon being the most well known event. Other events in the series include the Oasis International Half Marathon each May, the Quebec City Staircase Challenge, including many staircases on a 19 km or 13.5 km course, each June, the Descente Royale (which was postponed in 2013), the Bataille des Plainesa, a 5 km, 10 km and children's race, each June, and the Desjardins Ladies Challenge, a 5 km, 10 km and children's race, each July.^[3]

The 2020 in-person edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the 2021 edition of the race was cancelled after the city pulled funding for the marathon.^[4]^[5] Full refunds for registrants were offered in both cases.^[4]^[5]

Information[]

The race also features a spectacular event two days before the actual marathon race known as the SSQ Star Race. The race is giant loop which participants may run as many times as they wish within the hour and a half available. The race begins at night, usually around 8pm, and for the first hour and fifteen minutes a musical show will be put on around the course, which is well lit up by many multi-coloured lights, including the LED caps given to each participant. After and hour and thirty-five minutes, just five minutes after the participants finish running, a firework show begins to light up the night sky.^[6]

The race is often known for its flashy well-designed medals, given to participants in each event, including the SSQ Star Race and Kids Run.^[7]^[8]

The top three placers in the marathon, half marathon, 10 km, 5 km, and kids run, are also given prize money ranging from $5000 for first in the full marathon, to $50 for the winner of the kids run.^[9]

Past winners[]

Key: Course record

Edition	Year	Men's winner	Time (h:m:s)	Women's winner	Time (h:m:s)	Rf.
1st	1998	(CAN)	2:27:30	(CAN)	2:44:52
2nd	1999	(CAN)	2:29:55	(CAN)	2:39:03
3rd	2000	(KEN)	2:26:50	(CAN)	2:57:00
4th	2001	(KEN)	2:23:06	(CAN)	2:43:16
5th	2002	(BDI)	2:25:57	(PUR)	2:56:54
6th	2003	(ZIM)	2:33:05	(USA)	2:51:51
7th	2004	(KEN)	2:28:34	(CAN)	3:02:50
8th	2005	(CAN)	2:29:40	(CAN)	2:59:07
9th	2006	(ALG)	2:30:31	(CAN)	3:01:13
10th	2007	(ALG)	2:24:07	(CAN)	2:55:38
11th	2008	(KEN)	2:23:46	(CAN)	3:10:07
12th	2009	(CAN)	2:27:08	(CAN)	2:55:02
13th	2010	(CAN)	2:39:29	(CAN)	2:57:42
–	2011	Not held
14th	2012	(KEN)	2:28:36	(KEN)	2:53:40
15th	2013	(KEN)	2:26:28	(CAN)	2:54:48
16th	2014	(KEN)	2:36:46	(CAN)	3:06:34
17th	2015	(USA)	2:25:36	(CAN)	3:02:00
18th	2016	(ETH)	2:30:42	(CAN)	2:50:49
19th	2017	(ETH)	2:23:14	(ESP)	2:52:49
20th	2018	(MAR)	2:28:30	(CAN)	2:55:50
21st	2019	(KEN)	2:25:34	(USA)	3:05:40
	2020	cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic				^[4]
	2021	cancelled due to financial issues				^[5]