We can say that the activity is still popular given the traffic and passion. Gathered at Parc des Lions, in the village heart of the Knowlton sector, participants from across the province celebrated together the 44th presentation of the Tour du lac Brome, both family and competitive.
At the passage of The Voice of the East, Sunday morning, several runners had just finished the 21.1 km road event, which brought together nearly 720 participants. The start of this segment coincided with that of the 10 km run or walk. This stage invited around 800 people, a group made up of amateurs and followers.
“The Brome Lake course is one of the most beautiful! We run through rustic, forested landscapes. This is my second participation. Among other things, the event allows me to reconnect with the community of runners and meet new people,” confided Tommy Prévost, who came straight from Laval to participate.
A few minutes’ walk allowed us to chat with big names of all ages, young and wiser. We agreed on the quality of the courses, the beauty of the landscapes and the unifying aspect of the event.
Tommy Prévost beamed with joy at the finish. (Nicolas T. Parent/La Voix de l’Est)
Trails, roads or country paths… Walking or running, there was something for everyone’s tastes and ambitions. Depending on the terrain, distances varied between 1 km and 21.1 km.
At their own pace, some took part in the shorter events. The mini-marathon stage (1 km) held at the end of the curtain invited budding runners, just introduced to healthy lifestyle habits. Several seniors completed stages of slow or brisk walking. As for them, regulars and experts competed against their counterparts in more difficult events.
A success all the way
All the ingredients came together for a perfect event. The volunteers carried out the task and the temperature and freshness were there. We judge that the riders pushed the machine without exceeding the great limits. As proof, cases of medical interventions have been rare.
Co-organizer Éric Fleury was visibly proud of the result. (Nicolas T. Parent/La Voix de l’Est)
“The success of the event allows us to support local schools in need through funding. Without forgetting healthy lifestyle habits and physical activity. The Tour allows generations to move and this is an equally important objective,” admitted co-organizer Éric Fleury straight away.
On site, we found people who were participating in the event for the first time or for a long time. This is the case of Monique St-Cyr, an octogenarian who ran 10 km this weekend. She was on her 43rd participation.
“She has been participating since the second version! We are very happy to count on such an active, inspiring and friendly ambassador.”
— Eric Fleury
The results are to come, but the organizer was able to provide us with some figures related to attendance. In total, it is estimated that more than 2,500 people participated in the 44th version of the Tour du lac Brome. Remember that on Sunday, there were 720 participants in the 21.1 km road race (race) and nearly 800 in the 10 km road race (run or walk). Not forgetting the 1 km mini-marathon which attracted around 200 young and older people.
As always, the traditional Tour du lac Brome fulfilled its promises. (Brome Lake Tour)
Saturday was also very busy. The 5 km road event (walking or running) invited nearly 400 participants. It is estimated that nearly 500 people participated in the three trail distances (2, 4, 5 and 9 km). For their part, the country roads (21.1 km) were trodden by around 150 pairs of shoes.
The results of each event are available on the Sportstats website.
The Granby stage
People who missed the Bromois meeting will be able to catch up this fall, since the next regional gathering of runners will be held on October 6 at Daniel-Johnson Park in Granby.
Like the Brome Lake Tour, guests will be able to run or walk various distances depending on their ambitions and pace. By being active, they will be able to discover the tourist region and its beautiful scenery from a new angle.
Note that the Granby Marathon courses are eligible for the Boston Marathon, as well as the New York Half Marathon. For more information, simply visit the official website of the Granbyen event.
