The Canada Roller Marathon 2021: Moving forward

Although the heat was overwhelming at times, the atmosphere was light at the second edition of the Canada Roller Marathon.

Text and Photo: Carl Savard

In 2019, the organizers had pulled out all the stops to organize a major inline skating event. Some world famous French skaters had made the trip to Canada to take part in the inaugural edition. Hugo Gerard, a young skater from France, won the 42km event ahead of Canadians Jordan Belchos and Julien Armand. The world situation of the last months having forced the cancellation of the 2020 edition and complicated the organization this year, it is towards the local talent that the attention was turned on August 22nd.

Besides the heat, the wind was also present on the PMG Technologie track in Blainville for the second edition of the Canada Roller Marathon, but nothing was going to discourage the skaters from Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. If the main event of the day had started with a train of ten skaters during the first three or four 3km loops, the leading group went to six and then five athletes before a breakaway of two skaters sealed the outcome of the race. It was Julien Armand who completed the fourteen laps of the track in first place ahead of Peter Doucet who had made the trip from Toronto to Blainville in the early morning hours to participate in the event. Third place overall went to Chandra Mouli Danda. The three skaters had finished 3rd, 6th and 9th respectively in the first edition in 2019. Bethany Santourian was the only female athlete doing the marathon as a solo participant and finished 11th overall on the distance.

In addition to the 42km marathon, races of 350m, 6km, 9km and 12km as well as a half marathon were on the program this year.

For the complete results click HERE

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[Vidéo] «J'aime trouver des astuces pédagogiques pour aider les gens à aller plus vite et essayer d'avoir un maximum de plaisir sur les patins.»

Pascal Briand n'a plus besoin de présentation dans le monde du roller partout sur la planète.  En visite au Canada pour la première édition du Marathon Roller du Canada plus tôt cet été, le multiple champion du monde ayant également représenté la France aux Olympiques en patinage de vitesse longue piste, a pris un moment pour répondre aux questions de notre rédacteur Carl Savard.

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Les forces en présence au Marathon Roller du Canada 2019

La première édition du Marathon Roller du Canada se déroulera samedi au circuit PMG technologies de Blainville. 

Par Jackob Savard

Photo: @freddyrace, FF roller sport, Christophe Lahais, Peter Doucet, Passion/Patin/Vitesse et inconnu

De grandes pointures canadiennes et internationales seront au rendez-vous pour cette première édition du marathon organisé par VRL le club. 

Darren de Souza

L’une des grandes têtes d’affiche de ce marathon est nul autre que le Français Darren de Souza. Son palmarès sportif inclut notamment un titre de champion du monde au relais sur route en 2015 ainsi que des médailles en championnats du monde et d’Europe. Tout juste avant de s’envoler pour le Canada, Darren a pris le troisième rang du 500m aux Championnats d’Europe 2019. Frère d’Elton de Souza qui était venu donner un stage de patinage au Canada en 2018, il prendra part au marathon samedi et dirigera le stage avec Pascal Briand dimanche.

Hugo Gérard

Un autre Français qui sera au rendez-vous est le jeune Hugo Gérard. Étoile montante du patinage sur roulettes français, Gérard a effectué un top 10 lors de la Coupe du monde de Dijon et un top 20 au marathon des Championnats du monde 2019. Il sera à surveiller dans le peloton. 

Pascal Briand

Le Français Pascal Briand se passe de présentation dans le monde du roller. Multiple champion du monde de roller et olympien en patinage de vitesse longue piste à Vancouver en 2010, Briand partage maintenant son amour du sport sur sa chaîne Youtube et en étant entraîneur. Il participe encore à plusieurs compétitions majeures en Europe et dans le monde et ne vous surprenez pas de le voir dans le groupe des meneurs durant le Marathon du Canada. Il sera à la tête du stage lors de la journée de dimanche.

Jordan Belchos

L’Ontarien Jordan Belchos, vice-champion du monde 2015 à la poursuite par équipe en longue piste, olympien à Pyeongchang en 2018 et médaillé de bronze au 10 000m en roller lors des Jeux Panaméricains de 2015 sera l’un des patineurs à surveiller durant la compétition.

Valérie Maltais

La Québécoise Valérie Maltais, olympienne en patinage de vitesse courte piste en 2010, 2014 et 2018 ayant maintenant les Jeux de 2022 en patinage longue piste dans sa mire sera également au rendez-vous lors du marathon. Membre de l’équipe canadienne des Jeux panaméricains 2015 en roller, Valérie fait partie de la scène du roller de vitesse au Québec depuis longtemps et agit cette année à titre de marraine d’honneur de cette première édition du Marathon du Canada. 

Julien Armand

Le Québécois Julien Armand est un patineur bien connu des patineurs à roues alignées du Québec et du Canada. Ancien patineur sur courte piste et ayant pris part aux Championnats du monde de roller 2018 aux Pays-Bas, Armand est maintenant concentré sur ses études, mais reste tout de même un solide patineur qui aura son mot à dire durant le marathon.

Anaïs Laurent

La Française Anaïs Laurent sera de la partie lors de cette première édition du Marathon roller du Canada. Déjà dans l’entourage du VRL et habituée de patiner au Québec, la vice-championne du monde de roller aura probablement des objectifs élevés pour ce marathon.

Jérôme Comtois-Urbain

Autre figure du roller Québécois, Jérôme Comtois-Urbain fera également partie de ce marathon. Comtois-Urbain est un habitué des podiums en Amérique du nord, il a notamment terminé troisième du 140km du Athens to Atlanta (A2A) 2018 et a tout récemment été couronné champion canadien 2019 de la course à points. 

Sara Bak

Originaire du Danemark, Sara Bak a pris part à plusieurs championnats d’Europe et mondiaux en roller au début des années 2000 et a œuvré sur le circuit international en patinage de vitesse longue piste plus tard dans sa carrière. 

Nicko Laborde

Le Colombien Nicko Laborde sera à surveiller ce samedi à Blainville. Natif de la puissance mondial du roller et ayant remporté plusieurs compétitions en sol canadien dans les dernières années, Laborde représente maintenant son pays sur le circuit de la Coupe du monde en courte piste. Jetez un œil sur Laborde durant la course, une échappée est vite arrivée avec lui.

Qui l'emportera? La réponse samedi à Blainville!

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Skaters to watch at the 2019 Canada Roller Marathon

The first edition of the Canada Roller Marathon will be held this weekend at the PMG technologies circuit in Blainville.

By Jackob Savard

Photos: Christophe Lahais, @freddyrace, Peter Doucet, Passion/Patin/Vitesse

Strong national and international skaters will be in Blainville for this first edition of the Canada Roller Marathon organized by the VRL Club.

Darren de Souza

One of the skaters to watch for this marathon is none other than French skater Darren de Souza. He is the brother of Elton de Souza who came to Canada last year to give a skating clinic. Darren will skate the competition on Saturday and support Pascal Briand during the training camp on Sunday. He took part in France’s victory in the road relay at the 2015 World championships and has a good collection of world and european championships medals. Just before flying to Canada, Darren took bronze on 500m at the 2019 European championships.

Hugo Gérard

Another French skater who will skate the marathon is young Hugo Gérard. Rising inline speed skating star in France, Gérard finished in the top 10 of the Dijon World Inline Cup and in the top 20 of the World championships marathon this season. Look for him in Saturday's peloton.

Pascal Briand

Frenchman Pascal Briand doesn’t need any introduction in the inline speed skating world. Multiple time world and european champion in inline sport and Vancouver 2010 Olympian on the ice, Briand now shares his love for skating on his youtube channel and through coaching. The 34-year-old skater still takes part in major competitions in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Don’t be surprised to see him in the leading group this weekend. Pascal Briand will be in charge of the training camp on Sunday.

Jordan Belchos

Ontarian Jordan Belchos, 2015 team pursuit vice world champion in long track speed skating, Pyeongchang 2018 Olympian and Pan American games bronze medalist on 10 000m in inline speed skating will be one of the skaters to watch during the marathon. 

Valérie Maltais

Three-time short track speed skating Olympian Valérie Maltais was named honorary spokesperson of the event and will skate the marathon. After competing on the international circuit in short track, she’s now aiming for the 2022 Olympics in long track. She was part of the Canadian team that competed at the 2015 Pan American games in inline speed skating. 

Julien Armand

Julien Armand is a well-known skater in Quebec and Canada. Former short track speed skater and member of the 2018 Canadian team at the Inline world championships, Armand is now focused on school but still is a strong skater who will battle hard this weekend. 

Anaïs Laurent

French skater Anaïs Laurent will be another skater to watch this weekend. Already in the entourage of VRL skating club and accustomed to Quebec’s competitions, the former world vice-champion probably has high expectations for this marathon.

Jérôme Comtois-Urbain

Another well-known figure of inline speed skating in Canada who will compete at the marathon is Jérôme Comtois-Urbain. Comtois-Urbain is the 24h Montréal duo world record holder, finished third at last year’s Athens to Atlanta (A2A) 140km and was recently crowned Canadian champion in the points race. 

Sara Bak 

Born in Danmark, Sara Bak took part in many European and World championships in inline speed skating and competed on the long track speed skating international circuit. Look for her in the peloton this weekend. 

Nicko Laborde

Colombian Nicko Laborde will be someone you’ll have to look out for in Blainville on Saturday. Coming from the strongest inline speed skating country, Laborde won many inline races in Canada in the past few years and is now representing his country in short track speed skating on the World cup circuit. Look out for him as a breakaway is always possible with him. 

Who will win the first edition of the Canada Roller Marathon? The answer Saturday in Blainville.

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Significant increase in registrations at Canadian Roller Championships

It’s too early to know if the interest for roller in Canada is clearly on the rise or if it’s presently at the top of wave like it happened in the past, but Canadian athletes and aficionados have many reasons to smile this summer. 

By Carl Savard

Photos by Carl Savard and Jordan Belchos /Instagram

It’s at the aspalted track of the Centre de la Nature in Laval, Quebec that were held the 2019 Canadian inline championships on the weekend of August 10. If the capricious weather made things a bit more complicated on Saturday, Sunday’s weather was flawless offering a perfect opportunity for skaters to try and collect one of the national titles available during the competition. It was not a surprise to see skaters such as Julien Armand and Jérôme Comtois-Urbain fight each other to climb on the highest step of the podium, but it may not have been the highlight of the weekend. After down years in 2017 and 2018, about sixty athletes registered for the Canadian championships in 2019. Skaters from different age groups and coming from Quebec, Ontario and Nova-Scotia battled it out during the competition. Words at the event were that the sport is also presently developing in Alberta and British-Columbia. With the first edition of the Canada Roller Marathon coming up in less than a month and the success of this year’s national championships, it would be hard for Pierre Laurent and the entire team of the VRL Club not to be happy about this 2019 season.

For the results of the 2019 Canadian championships, click HERE.

For pictures click HERE

Great  news for the Canada Roller Marathon

After presenting Valérie Maltais as their ambassador a few weeks back and confirming the presence of Pascal Briand, Darren De Souza, Anaïs Laurent and Pierre Laurent, the organizing committee had other names to announce in the last few days. Nicolas Laborde Sanchez who represents Colombia on ice in short track on the World cup circuit will be there. Hugo Gerard who finished in the top 10 of the marathon at the World inline cup in Dijon this year and 20th at the World championships will also compete. Last but not least, silver medallist on ice at the 2015 World championships in long track and bronze medallist on wheels at the 2015 Panam games, Jordan Belchos will also fight for gold in September. Belchos used his Instagram account yesterday to invite athletes to register for the first edition of the Canada Roller Marathon.

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A look back at the Blainville Marathon 2019

Two weeks ago, about seventy athletes competed on different distances presented at the Blainville Marathon. Here is a small recap of the marathon event raced on the PMG Technologies circuit in Blainville, Quebec on July 13.

By Carl Savard

Photo by par Carl Savard

It is with no real surprise that Julien Armand climbed on the highest step of the podium of the 2019 Blainville Marathon. Armand, one of the best inline skater in the country, took part in the World championships last year in the Netherlands. The track used for the Blainville Marathon is the same that will host the Canada Roller Marathon in September. The race course was a 3km loop that marathon racers had to complete fourteen times. From the get go, a small group of skaters took the lead. With a pretty good wind blowing on the circuit, we thought this group would strategically skate together for a good portion of the race, but Julien Armand’s plan was different. “To be quite frank, I left the group a bit early. As soon as the group started slowing down, I thought maybe I should separate from the pack. It was not the wisest choice but still, it was a great day despite of the wind. The temperature was higher by the end of the race but it was a great day to race.” Armand was taking part in his third event of the summer and will be at the starting line of the Canada Roller Marathon. “I haven’t trained as much this year as the previous ones. I do cycling and roller but my main focus has been on school.” Julien Armand won the marathon with a time of 1h14m44s. Sergio Almeralla finished second in 1h16m03s while Morgan Williams completed the race in 1h20m58s and finished third.

News from the Canada Roller Marathon

A short discussion with Pierre Laurent confirmed that the organisation committee of the Canada Roller Marathon is working really hard to make the first edition of this major event a success. Other than what has been announced so far in the last few weeks, Pierre Laurent and his team are discussing possible partnerships with major actors of the international roller scene. We’ll keep you informed of any new announcement in the upcoming weeks. Talking about the Canada Roller Marathon, you only have a few days left to register before the price goes up. Visit there website HERE.

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