Mountain runners have traded European peaks for the chill of Quebec as the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) Mountain Running World Cup brings its 2026 season to a close at Défi des Couleurs this weekend.
Mont-Sainte-Anne, a ski resort about 42 kilometres east of Quebec City, is better known for its winter pursuits. In four weeks, the Centre de plein air de la Haute-Gaspésie should be humming with skiers. For now, the snow has yet to take centre stage, and the mountain belongs to the runners. But it feels like snow is on the way, with highs of 8 °C expected.
The event marks two firsts: the first World Cup race contested in Canada and the first time the series finale has been held outside Europe. Athletes from at least 20 countries are expected to compete across the weekend, with the World Cup races taking place alongside the Canadian Mountain Running Championships. The Classic Up & Down will also serve as the final of the Coupe Québec Trail.
Not everyone has made it to the starting line just yet. Several Kenyan athletes are still waiting for their Canadian visas to be approved.
Saturday’s MSA Uphill begins at 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT) near Jean-Larose Falls, with runners climbing 5 kilometres and 770 metres to the summit of Mont-Sainte-Anne. There is no downhill to negotiate, no tactical descent to save the legs. The only way is up.
Sunday’s MSA Classic Up & Down starts at the same time. The 15-kilometre course features 1,214 metres of climbing and an equal amount of descent, with several substantial ascents before runners turn back towards the finish.
Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga leads the women’s field, if she can get there
Kenya’s Ruth MwihakiGitonga leads the women’s World Cup standings with 384 points, making her the athlete to beat — assuming she can get into the country. She has yet to secure entry into Canada, leaving her participation in doubt.
Canada’s best hope may be Montreal-based Élisa Morin, who won both the uphill and classic Canadian titles at Défi des Couleurs in 2025. Morin also finished 10th in the classic race at the 2025 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships and won the women’s 50K at Boréalys Mont-Tremblant by UTMB in August.
Philemon Kiriago looks to finish the job
Defending World Cup champion Philemon Kiriago leads the men’s standings after victories at Transvulcania, Broken Arrow, Sierre-Zinal and Trofeo Nasego. Kenya’s Richard Omaya Atuya sits just 14 points behind, but he is absent from the final start list.
That opens the door for fellow contenders Saoli and Kipngeno to improve their positions, provided they make the most of the opportunity.
Canadian runners Rémi Leroux of Bromont, Que., and Alexandre Ricard of Squamish, B.C., are among the names worth watching. Leroux won the MSA Classic Up & Down in 2025, while Ricard finished third in both Canadian championship races at Mont-Sainte-Anne last year.
The season ends on a mountain that will soon be given over to skiers. Before winter takes possession, the world’s mountain runners get their turn.
