The Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie, which normally challenges students in schools across the province to a large-scale physical activity challenge, found success in a modified digital model this past weekend. Limited by the closing of schools and the isolation of students of all ages, the organizers of the annual event turned to a Smartphone application to record individual physical feats and calculate different schools successes, even without being able to gather.
A total of 2,730 young people from 299 high schools, colleges and universities worked individually and in teams to cover a collective total of 33,592 km over the course of 30 hours, including 2,198 km at night, for an impressive average of 12.5 km per participant.
“Young people have shown considerable resilience, solidarity and motivation this weekend,” said race organizer and namesake Pierre Lavoie. “Reluctantly accepting the circumstances that robbed them of the experience they intended to have at La Course, they responded without hesitation to the unusual proposal we made to them. This weekend, social media witnessed gestures that exceeded our expectations. Very proud of their commitment and creativity, I must also thank their teachers and their families who made it possible for these young people to accomplish this feat.”
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