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The 6th Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 will be held!

Gaspé, May 20, 2021 – It’s confirmed! From June 18 to 20, the City of Percé will host the 6th Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 (UTG100), an annual event of trail running for runners of all levels powered by Näak! Adapted to the current public health context, Events Gaspesia will host an unsupported 150-mile (241 km) challenge from Cap-Gaspé to Percé, making it the very first of its kind in the Province of Quebec.

Established trail runners will find the “ultra” races of 160, 106 and 53 km, while amateurs will get to enjoy courses of 35, 25, 12 and 6 km. All of these challenges are to be taking place in the territory that has allowed the Gaspésie region and the area to be recognized not only as one of the most beautiful natural destinations in the world according to the National Geographic Society, but also as a UNESCO Global Geopark!

Runners wishing to discover the exceptional playground that is the Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 Näak in all of its glory can take part in Trans-Percé, an event which consists of the completion of 3 races in 3 days for a total of 50 or 100 km. The feasibility of the races planned in the Parc national de l’Île-Bonaventure et du Rocher-Percé, which were very successful in 2018, will be assessed in the coming days with the management of the Park and the boat companies providing transport to the Bonaventure Island.

Children are not to be left out with an event of their own – the Defi des Moussaillons, specifically designed for those 10 and under in the green spaces of downtown Percé!

Given the changing context of deconfinement, Events Gaspesia reserves the right to modify certain elements of the program according to the recommendations of Public Health. For the moment, starts in groups of 25 runners are planned to avoid crowds.

The challenges of the pandemic

While Events Gaspesia had to cancel the 2020 edition of the Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was still able to deliver a private race that was organized in the heat of the moment. The Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 relay edition was presented at the end of one last year’s most popular virtual challenges: the #gaspesia100naak challenge.

This year, the Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 Näak will still limit to 100 the number of runners per race. The schedule will be reorganized to limit gatherings as much as possible, and several aspects of the event will be adapted to ensure the safety of our runners and the 100 volunteers needed to host our guests!

Never short of new features!

In addition to a tried-and-tested hit formula, some new features are on the 2021 Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 program to enhance the athlete experience.

  1. A 150-mile XXL Ultra Race

It is our adventurer friend Hélène Dumais that gave us the idea to create the very first 150-mile race in the history of trail running in Quebec. Affectionately called Hélène’s 60 hours, the race’s name is a reference to our muse and the time frame to complete the 241 kilometers from Cap-Gaspé to Percé. Endurance runners who choose this unique experience will get to run the best of the terrain that hosts the Ultra Trail du Bout du Monde, the Gaspesia 100 MTB Marathon and the Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 Näak!

  1. A comeback for the G5, the 6-km mountain course

The #gaspesia100naak challenge enabled thousands of runners from all over Quebec to discover our event and even trail running. To allow for more athletes to run the Percé course and enjoy a typical Gaspé experience, we have decided to bring back the G5, our entry-level run that was redesigned to a 6-km format especially for the occasion. This course is also open to children accompanied by an adult. A perfect opportunity to discover trail running!

The importance of volunteers

It will be quite a challenge to find the 100 or so volunteers needed to deliver the 30 hours event in one month! This is why participating runners will be invited to give their time outside of their participation to ensure the success of the event. The volunteer policy allowing the accumulation of points redeemable for participation credits will obviously be offered as recognition!

Courses with world-class landscapes!

Again this year, the event will offer the best off-road trails in the sector of Percé which are
characterized by their great beauty and high level of difficulty. Runners will also be able to
witness on both the public courses and ultra courses, stunning scenery featuring the some
of the most beautiful seascapes in North America. All the routes of the Ultra Trail Gaspesia
100 Näak take the UNESCO World Geopark trails from Percé, offering world-class views.

The UTG100: an international experience

For a fourth year, the Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 Näak is recognized by the International Trail Running Association. The 25, 35, 53, 106, 160 and 241-km race courses will allow
finishing runners to accumulate ITRA points applicable towards their eligibility for
participation in major international events like the Ultra Trail of Mont-Blanc, the world summit of trail running held in Chamonix, France.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic will prevent international and outside PQ runners, who typically represent 20% of our athletes, to take part in the Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 Näak.

All of these runners will have their registration postponed until 2022. In the event that they are unable to attend next year, the credit may be postponed until 2025.

Registration

Since the 2020 entries were transferred to the 2021 edition, 60% of the 1,200 bibs have already been reserved. Details and registration are available at https://gaspesia.org/en/ultra-trail-gaspesia-100/ .

Runners wishing to change the distance of their race can do it via their registration confirmation email before June 1st.

Registration closes June 1, 2021 for all Ultra Trail Gaspesia 100 Näak races, with the exception of the Défi des Mousaillons for children aged 11 and under.

New official sponsor

Building on the virtual partnership achieved as part of the #gaspesia100naak challenge during the covid-19 pandemic, Gaspesia Events is proud to announce the continuation of a major partnership with, Näak a young Quebec sports nutrition company in full growth! According to Gaspesia Events Race Director, Jean-François Tapp, «Näak is a company with human roots deeply rooted in eco-responsibility, sustainable development and innovation with which we share the values and we are happy to team up again to ensure the growth of our organizations ».