The Laval Firefighters' Race reinvented

A virtual race to keep the flame alive

Laval, February 4, 2021 - The Laval Firefighters' Race, scheduled for Sunday, June 6, 2021, will be held in an adapted format this year. In the uncertain context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ville de Laval has turned to a virtual edition in order to ensure the safety of participants and to respect the directives of the Quebec Public Health. This decision follows the cancellation, for the same reasons, of the Grande Fête des pompiers 2021, which was also scheduled for June.

Several conditions of participation have been adjusted to accommodate as many people as possible. For example, runners will be able to choose the route of their choice in their neighborhood or even get active on their treadmill. In addition, they will not be limited to June 6: they will be able to take the challenge at any time between May 28 and June 13, 2021. They will ultimately have the option to walk the distance they want in the city.

"Held every year, the Course des pompiers is an event that is appreciated and awaited by Laval residents. Some of them even start training a year in advance to make sure they are fully fit. Citizens need, more than ever, to have opportunities to stay active; transforming the race into a virtual format is a great way to do so," said Sandra Desmeules, member of the executive committee and councillor for Concorde-Bois-de-Boulogne.

"Despite the current context, we wanted to maintain this annual event to continue to support the Quebec Firefighters Foundation for Burn Victims, as the needs are still great. That said, we had to ensure the safety of our participants while offering them an attractive formula," explains Patrick Taillefer, director of the Laval Fire Department. 

Registration is underway
Children and adults can register for the virtual race now. Laval residents 17 years of age and under will be able to take advantage of a special rate. The distances of this year's program are 1 km, 2 km, 5 km, 10 km, 21.1 km and 42.2 km. Each runner will receive a virtual bib, access to free training programs, an official T-shirt (for distances of 5 km and more), a participation medal, a voice in the partners' contests and access to the results platform. Participants will be able to register their time using a mobile application that will be linked to the platform. Those who have already registered will receive the different options by email.

A section dedicated to businesses and organizations
The Corporate Challenge offers 100 Laval organizations and businesses the opportunity to mobilize their troops around an activity and to enter competition mode with the goal of winning the very first edition of this challenge reserved for the business community.

The funds raised during the Firefighters' Race and the Corporate Challenge will be donated to the Quebec Firefighters' Foundation for Burn Victims. They will be used to finance research and rehabilitation programs, purchase specialized equipment, finance a summer camp for children and help victims and their families through the Foundation's emergency and direct assistance fund.

For more information, visit the event website

Media relations
Ville de Laval
Communications and Marketing Department
Anne-Marie Braconnier
Public Affairs Manager
450 680-2343
[email protected]

Mayor's Office
Alexandre Banville
Director of Communications
514 772-2984
[email protected]