NEW YORK – Quebec invaded Times Square on Sunday afternoon. The 243 runners in the eighth edition of the Montreal-New York Challenge concluded their relay race in the heart of Manhattan after covering 609 kilometers in 72 hours.
The runners made their way down Broadway in the blazing sun, escorted by New York Police. They finally arrived in Times Square around 2 p.m., where dozens of volunteers, family members and curious people alerted by the screams awaited them with posters, flowers and bottles of champagne.
The challenge was met in three days. They left Montreal on Thursday evening. Each participant ran approximately 84 km, the equivalent of two marathons. They suffered a day of pouring rain and the arrival in New York was particularly difficult due to the scorching heat and very humid weather. Some participants suffered from dehydration and could not finish the race.
The Montreal-New York Challenge is organized by the Esprit de Corps Foundation. The sporting event aims to raise funds for needy single-parent families in Quebec. Each runner raises funds of $ 3,500 to participate.
Participants were transported by recreational vehicles where they slept, ate and washed themselves with wipes. They ran day and night.
For arrival in New York, they obtained a permit from the Police Department (NYPD) to close the streets. “Those who gave us the permit came in person to congratulate us in Times Square. They are personally touched by our gesture, ”said Gilles Barbot, President of the Esprit de Corps Foundation.
The delegate general of Quebec in New York, André Boisclair, ran the last 10 kilometers of the race. Last year he took part in the full challenge. “It’s a unique experience for the participants to arrive in Times Square and it contributes to the influence of the city of Montreal in New York,” he said.
At the finish line, the Minister of Culture of Quebec, Maka Kotto, awaited his wife, Caroline St-Hilaire, the mayor of Longueuil. Host Alexandra Diaz was attending the event for the second time. “It was easier than last year, I recruited friends so that changes everything,” she said.
The event is growing in popularity. Three years ago they were 16 runners, last year they were 136 and this year they are almost double. Next year, we plan to add a New York component to the event. “Americans who train in New York will come and run with Quebecers”, explained President Gilles Barbot.
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