Mont-Tremblant (QC), Canada – The organizers of Tremblant’s 24h have announced that the ski and walk marathon’s 15th edition held over the weekend raised a record CAN$2,639,374, surpassing the original target of $2.5 million. A total of 2,359 skiers, runners and walkers, grouped into 273 teams, made the most of mild weather and the festive atmosphere to tackle their 24-hour relay challenges. In numbers, the weekend tally was 12,173 downhill runs and 17,415 kilometers covered by walkers and runners.
“Wow! This is a truly amazing way to underscore 15 years of generosity,” said a visibly moved Patrice Malo, president of the Tremblant 24h Foundation. “Whether participants were here for the first time or their fifteenth, we thank them all. Without the participants, donors, partners and volunteers, this event would not be the huge success it has been, year after year. The dedication shown with each edition warms my heart. This 15th anniverary edition has shattered every record so far and raises the bar once again for next year.”
Tremblant’s 24h gives participants three ways to enjoy the event: skiing, walking or running. This year, nearly 1,600 skiers took to the slopes, while nearly 700 runners and walkers did their laps over the 24-hour period. The Walk & Run portion saw the number of participants double this year, giving the event fresh impetus. Organizers are confident that this aspect of the challenge will continue to grow in popularity and even match the number of skiers within a few years.
Year after year, Tremblant’s 24h and its participants have enjoyed the support of a distinguished roster of ambassadors. This year’s crew was composed of Benoit Gagnon, Philippe Fehmiu, Mario Tessier, Anne-Marie Withenshaw, Dustin Cook, Dominic Arpin, Marie-Claude Sabourin, Frédéric Plante and Yanick Bouchard, along with Lianne Laing et Stuntman Stu representing the Ottawa Senators Foundation. Also involved were Pierre Bruneau and Paul Doucet of the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau and a number of other public figures, who were there to cheer on the teams. They included Eric Salvail, Phil Roy, Patrick Langlois, Eve Landry, Hugo Giroux, Alexandre Dubé and Lyne Bessette, to name a few.
Each participating team is always symbolically paired with one of 10 sponsored children representing the three foundations that benefit from the fundraiser. “Since 2001, we have raised more than $20 million for children’s causes. Our superheroes – the sponsored kids – motivate us every year to do work even harder on their behalf, even after 15 years,” said Simon St-Arnaud, executive producer of the event. “Tremblant’s 24h has never been more accessible to anyone who wants to participate and experience something unique and unforgettable. We have already turned our attention to the 16th edition, which will be held December 9 to 11, 2016. We hope to see everyone there.”