The 42nd Défi Sportif AlterGo came to a close on Sunday May 4, 2025. Over the 10 days of competition, close to 6,000 athletes took part in a variety of sports, including blind ice hockey, powerchair soccer, boccia, baseball, para rowing, and the mini-marathon, among others.
It was the 31st Défi Sportif AlterGo for AlterGo’s chief executive officer Maxime Gagnon, who shares his top 5 highlights from this year’s event below:
A first for blind ice hockey
For the first time ever, the International Blind Ice Hockey Series, pitting Canada against the USA, was held in Quebec. “The event allowed us to fully appreciate the remarkable talent of our Canadian team and introduce our community to the sport.”
The Canadian team, which includes Québécois Thomas Raymond and Bruno Haché, easily won all three of its games to be crowned series champion for the sixth time in a row.
Quebec back on the wheelchair curling podium
For the first time since 2017, the Quebec team concluded the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships with the silver medal!
The squad, which is composed of captain Carl Marquis, Johanne Mathieu, Sébastien Boisvert, Noémie Gagné, and François Lacourse, advanced all the way to the final, where it was defeated by Team Northern Ontario.
“It was also the first time [the tournament] was held in Boucherville since 2019, and we were very pleased with the competitive quality of our athletes. It bodes well for next year, when we will host the competition once again,” said Gagnon, who hopes to eventually welcome a world championship.
A gathering of AlterGo members
AlterGo Association celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, and it seized the opportunity to celebrate with its members. A special, personalized morning event was held for them, allowing them to reconnect with each other and attend exclusive presentations by our partners, the STM and Sport’Aide.
“Several of our members accepted the invitation. Including them in our initiatives is one of our primary missions, and it felt very touching to give them the opportunity to discover (or rediscover) the Défi Sportif AlterGo.”
We have already invited them back next year!
Dedicated teachers
“We’d love to give each of them a medal.”
If it weren’t for the teachers and support staff, along with the collaboration of school administrators, there would not be nearly as many young athletes in the Défi Sportif AlterGo’s school program. This year, more than 5,000 youngsters attended the school competitions.
“The support of teachers and attendants is crucial to the success of our events, and they are the reason why so many students are able to attend the Défi Sportif AlterGo. We are extremely grateful for their work and for their initiatives, which have made our event what it is today.”
Some of them have been involved for decades, including Liette Marcil, a teacher at Victor-Doré School who will be retiring in June after more than 30 years of teaching and almost as many visits to the Défi Sportif AlterGo.
Committed volunteers
Over 1,100 volunteers took on a variety of roles at the Défi, and without them, none of it would have been possible.
Our volunteers show up with their friends, their family members, or their colleagues, and many of them return year after year!
“Their commitment and enthusiasm, no matter the time of day or night, were infectious,” noted Maxime Gagnon, who also wished to acknowledge the Défi’s officials, judges, and referees, many of whom gave of their time to ensure that the 6,000 athletes left the event happy and fulfilled!
