Quebec’s top age-group triathletes gathered yesterday in Joliette for the provincial sprint distance championship. The Antoine Manseau – Triathlon de Joliette challenge marked the kick-off of the 2022 Coupe Québec amateur event, and the athletes benefited from ideal race conditions and impeccable organization.
On the men’s side, Bionick Triathlon representative Antoine Michaud took top honours, having won the overall ranking of the Coupe Québec 2021. After emerging from the water among the frontrunners, he quickly took the lead on the bike and held on to it until the finish line, resisting the comeback of Rudy Husson (Mcgill), who finished second. Young Tyler Blais (16-19) rounded out the podium.
On the women’s side, the battle was tight right up to the very end as Maud Marel (Rouge et Or) and Laurie Desjarlais (Trimemphré) were neck and neck for the entire swim and bike portion. In the end, it was Maud Marel who came out on top thanks to a faster run, enabling her to overtake Laurie Desjarlais and Ariane Bijould on the podium.
Launch of the Grand Prix Series
The Joliette event also marked the start of the Grand Prix season for elite athletes. On the women’s side, the race was dominated by Emy Legault (Triathlon Côte St-Luc), who broke away solo on the bike and increased her lead on the run. The development team athlete is preparing for the Montreal World Series in three weeks’ time. Rouge et Or representative Noémie Beaulieu, qualified for the Junior World Championships which will also be held in Montreal at the end of June, took the silver medal. Kamille Larocque took third place.
In the men’s race, the dynamics were completely different, as a field of a dozen athletes remained bunched up until the second transition. Young Mathis Beaulieu, winner of the 2021 Grand Prix Series, was the fastest runner and won the event ahead of Filip Mainville and Zed Roy, who earned his first Grand Prix podium. Finally, the event served as the first selection stage for the Canada Games. Mathis Beaulieu and Sarah Hamel were the two athletes who passed the first automatic selection criterion. The second selection event will take place in Drummondville next Saturday.
Quebec Youth Cup
For U13 and U15 athletes, this race was the second stop on the 2022 calendar after the Nicolet triathlon two weeks ago. The competition also served as the regional final for the Lanaudière region. Already victorious in Nicolet, Sara Labrie (Hippocampes) and Robi Racine (Jet Triathlon) repeated the feat, taking top honours. Alexandre Lavigne (Club Espoir) and Christophe Bastien (Rouge et Or) completed the podium for the boys, while Alysson Lavallée (Jet Triathlon) and Catherine Chevrier (Tri-o-Lacs) followed suit for the girls.
In the U13 category, Samuel Forget, Édouard Savoie and Tristan Viau took the boys “podium, while Julianne Larose, Heidi Koszeigi and Sophiane Hébert shared the girls” medals.
Congratulations to all the athletes who took part! Finally, congratulations to the organizing committee and thanks to all the volunteers for delivering a great event after a three-year absence!
