Mont-Tremblant, September 17, 2019 – The third edition of the Défi 808 Bonneville, presented by Fenplast and Lowe’s Canada in collaboration with Samson Groupe Conseil, raised more than 500,000 $ for the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ).
The event took place this weekend in Mont-Tremblant, and more than 350 cyclists took on the challenge of riding the distance of their choice: 115 km solo, 125 km solo, the combo of both loops for 240 km, the 202 km solo or duo, 404 km or 808 km solo, duo, or in a team of 4.
Of the 10 ultra-cyclists registered for the 808 km solo event, half managed to complete the distance, pedaling day and night through wind, rain, and cold. A page of history was even written at the Défi 808 Bonneville: the very first woman to cross the finish line, Geneviève Healey from Quebec City, arrived Sunday morning after a quest that lasted 47 hours. Although the Défi 808 Bonneville is not a race, the competition among the 808 km soloists was palpable. Patrick Melfi (34:32:44) finished first, followed by Dany Bonneville (35:08:11), Benoit Desjardins (36:50:44), and Benoît Joanis (41:09:56).
What they said:
«As we anticipated following the first two editions, the 2019 Défi 808 Bonneville was filled with strong emotions. Gusts of wind and thunderstorms increased the difficulty level of the routes. I would like to congratulate all the participants who dared to take on a challenge and, in doing so, stepped out of their comfort zones. In their own way, they each represent a source of inspiration for those around them. This weekend, we pedaled for our leaders of tomorrow, our student-athletes who stand out on the national and international stages and who, in turn, will inspire all our youth.»
Dany Bonneville, founder and president of the Défi 808 Bonneville
Claude Chagnon, President of the FAEQ
Fellows and partners involved
Several active and retired scholarship holders as well as FAEQ partners were encountered during this edition, notably the alpine skiing world champion. Erik Guay, the two-time Olympic freestyle mogul skier Marc-Antoine Gagnon, the Olympic triathlete Amélie Kretz, the Olympic cyclist Joëlle Numainville, Élisabeth Boutin in triathlon, Félix Bertrand in freestyle moguls skiing, Alexis Turgeon in cross-country skiing, Mathieu Laforest in badminton and the Olympic track and field champion and FAEQ partner, Bruny Surin.
Dedicated sponsors and partners
For this third edition, the Défi 808 Bonneville was able to count on the support of numerous sponsors, partners, and suppliers such as Fenplast, Lowe’s Canada, Samson groupe conseil, Industries Bonneville, Planète Courrier, Saputo, Stelpro, Lefebvre & Benoît, National Bank, and National Bank Financial,
H Grégoire, SS Lacasse, Bicycle Quilicot, Soprema, Kronobar, Alithya, Metro, Cogeco Média, Tremblant Resort Association, Powerwatts, Physio Extra and Imprimerie BBM-Lanctôt.
