The Xtrail Asics series offers participants magnificient scenery and beautiful trails. We will offer you a superb 21K, the classic 10K and 5 K which is still a very interesting distance for those who want a smaller distance or do not know what they’ve gotten themselves into! For the youngest, 1 K is a race not to be missed!
Xtrail Mont Orford will be revamped in 2012 for the 21K and 10K courses. Unstable wheather (6 inches of snow and winds up to 85 km/h in 2010) forced us to finish the 2 races at the bottom of the mountain near the ski station instead of finishing at the Summit. Our survey has shown that a vast majority of runners have preferred to finish back at the ski station since the crowd was very impressive and the atmosphere was fantastic. According to the survey, most of you still wanted to reach the summit before going back down! Well we listened to you and both 21 K and 10 K will pass by the Summit. We have created a new trail that will bring you down on a not-too-steep downhill. The 5 Km course will be identical and therefore unchanged, finishing at the ski station as well.
Come and race at the most spectacular trail race this year! The XTRAIL Asics offers participants a chance to have the time of their lives and to measure themselves against the elements of nature in an unmatched atmosphere. No need to be an elite runner to participate, the only desire to accomplish a journey out of the ordinary and a good pair of running shoes are sufficient. Be aware that with the impressive slopes in the 21K and 10K, there is a strong chance that some of you will be walking a lot! You will meet on all courses, gravel roads, rocks, mud, roots, obstacles, climbs, creeks, etc… You will most probably have wet and muddy feet in one of the more technical sections!
October 12th
October 13th
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
7:15 am
8:25 am
8:30 am
9:55 am
10:00 am
11:25 am
11:30 am
1:00 pm
1:30 pm
Race packets pick-up at the ski station of Mt. Orford
Note that you should have picked up your bag at least 30 minutes before your race start. No on-site registration.
20-29 years
30-39 years
40-49 years
50 and over
April 1s
$75
July 1st
$80
September 1st
$85
October 9th
$90
Maximum: 150 runners
Children under 6 years must be accompanied by parents or guardian. This distance is participatory, therefore not timed. Medal to all participants and after race meal. The course is entirely on clear and wide trails. The start will be approximately around 1: 00 pm Saturday, October 13th at the end of the 5 K, 10 K and 20 K.
* Please plan a lunch for pre-race as the the meal provided by the Xtrail for the 1K kids is only a healthy lunch served after their race at around 1:30PM.
Maximum: 300 runners
It's a "discovery" trail open to adults and teens from 12 years old and up, or for those wishing to test their potential in trail running. The course design is much alike a cross-country style race with wide trails with some gentle slopes. The last Km will be single-track with a beautiful Creek to cross! Your feet will be wet! It is an excellent opportunity for those who are intimidated by this kind of journey. The elevation gain is not too impressive (you will NOT climb to the summit like the 10K and 21K), and very accessible to all. For those who have made 5 Km at Sutton in June, the Orford 5K will be much faster and much less technical, since the course is mainly held on the multi-functional trails of Parc National du Mont Orford. If you are looking for a greater challenge, you better opt for the 10K. It will definitely be a fun distance. Many families are doing that distance all together.
* The start will be given to 11:30 am.
* Note that there is only a water station at 3.8K. We suggest that you be in total autonomy.
* Estimated time of arrival of the first riders: 30 minutes
Maximum: 400 runners
The new 10km course:
The 10K trail will have a gentle start that will bring you on the wide trails used for cross-country skiing during winter in National Park of Mont Orford. After about 6K, you will be back at the ski station and begin an 800m climb towards the summit on a gravel road, and then you’ll be re-directed in a single-track trail for 2K that is very steep and technical in a dense forest. 95% of the participants must walk there! On this section you will encounter some cliffs, streams, rocks, roots, mud, mooses, lynx, etc. This trail will lead you to the Mt.Orford’s summit at 854 m with a 360 degrees view of the Eastern Townships. You will then start your descent on a gravel road called the 4K, for about 700m. A new single-track trail will then complete the course to bring you back to the ski station. The descent will not be too hard. We have made it as gentle as possible.
If your time on a 10K on the road is approximately 50 minutes, plan to double that time for the 10K Xtrail. Note that the Mt.Orford’s 10K is generally less technical than our 10K at Sutton, but climbing up to the summit and then coming back down is very demanding on the legs if you go all-out!. In fact we think that the average times will the same for Orford and Sutton with regards to the 10K.
Who will be the Kings and Queens of the mountain?
* Note that the 10K is held on magnificient trails, with a wide variety ranging from cross-country like trails, gravel trails and single track trails with rocks, mud, roots, leaves, etc.* *.
The 10K will have to be done in a time limit of 3 hours. Cut-off time will be planned at strategic locations. For your safety, a member of the organization will be closing all courses. He reserves himself the right to require a participant to abandon the race if he judges his pace will not allow him to finish the race in time.
There are 2 water supplies and ELOAD (Km 4 and Km7 at the top).
* We strongly suggest total water autonomy with NATHAN belts or CamelBak hydration belt.
Maximum: 225 runners
New 21km course:
The 21km will be on "cross-country" style trails for the first 12 km. Those trails are usually used for cross-country skiing during winter. Those trails, with some of the the oldest and tallest trees of southern Quebec, will lead you to Mount Orford National Park, then trails become increasingly steep and more technical. Subsequently, after the first 12K, you will start the REAL race, by climbing the famous Escaliers du Nord for 3K. That trail will bring you on an open ridge trail, a very technical course with rocks, roots, mud, snow?, mooses, lynx.... That technical part will last for more than 8 Km in a climb that never seems to have an end!!!! Once on top of Mt.Orford at 854m, you will be re-directed on a gravel road for about 700m that will bring you back down to the ski station. The final portion will be on another single-track trail for 2K. We have managed to make the descent not so steep.
The 21K is definitely the real challenge but is for those who really know what they’re getting themselves into. The scenery is just breathtaking ! If your time for a 21K on the road is approximately 1: 40, expect at least to add another hour to your 21K Xtrail time! For those who have raced our 2 events, note that the 21K Orford is less technical than the 21K Sutton for the first 12 Km, but the average times are the same. That shows you how tough the last 8K to the summit really are.
When registering to the 21K at Orford, you accept that the Sentier des Crêtes section might be replaced by another trail (trail 9 and 7A and 10Km course climb, total 22K), in case of strong rain or snow the days preceding the event or if a lot of rain is expected on the day of the event. A decision will be taken only the DAY BEFORE the race with the Parc National du Mont Orford, in order to preserve the integrity and the fragile state of the Sentier des Crêtes. You therefore accept that there is a possibility, at this time of the year, that the course may be changed to the alternative course mentionned above.
* Estimated time of arrival of the first runners: 2: 00 hours (for Viktor Alexy, winner of the 3 last Xtrail Orford, 1: 45).
* Average times: 3:00hrs.
* If you walk a good part of the race in the climbs, plan a minimum of 4 hours.
The 21K in less than 4.5 hours. Cut-off time will be planned at strategic locations. For your safety, a member of the organization will be closing all courses. He reserves himself the right to require a participant to abandon the race if he judges his pace will not allow him to finish the race in time.
There are 3 water supplies and ELOAD (km 6, Km 13 and at the Summit before the last descent).
* It is MANDATORY to be in total water autonomy with NATHAN belts or CamelBak hydration belt for the 21K.
* A meal will be served to all runners after the race.
* Kids racing in the 1K will receive healthy meals after their race at 1:00 pm. You must bring something for them to eat prior to the race.
* Visitors and familly members will be able to buy food onsite(BBQ), as well as hungry runners who want a BBQ in addition to the meals provided by the XTrail.
Many volunteers will be available on the trails at intersections. A medical team will be onsite including 2 doctors. The trails will be well marked and all courses will have a closing member to ensure security.
Camel Bags or Nathan belts are mandatory for the 21K as the last 8K (which are the toughest of the course) will have no aid stations. They are suggested for the 10K and 5K.
The Poles are permitted but must be transported to the total duration of the race until departure. It is prohibited to leave before the final rise under penalty of disqualification.
All MP3 players (Ipod and others) are strictly forbidden.
We suggest you the following equipment:
- A pair of trail shoes (Attack Trail ASICS, ASICS Gel-Trabucco, ASICS Trail Sensor) available at Boutique Coureur de Sherbrooke or at www.33-off.com
- Walking poles are permitted.
- Hydration Pack like CamelBag or Nathan Belt (mandatory for the 21K and strongly suggested for the 10K and 5K)
