An Ottawa-area athlete is about to take on one of the most extreme endurance races on the planet — and he's doing it for the second time.
Benoit Brunet-Poirier, a Gatineau resident, is returning to the X-Pyr race this June, a punishing 528-kilometre competition that spans the entire Pyrenees mountain range from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The race starts June 21 and competitors cover the distance using only two modes of travel: their own legs and a paraglider.
What Is the X-Pyr?
The X-Pyr is a self-supported, point-to-point race across the Pyrenees, the dramatic mountain range that forms the natural border between France and Spain. Athletes hike up mountain ridges in search of thermals, launch their paragliders to glide as far as possible, land, and then hike again — repeating this cycle for hundreds of kilometres.
There's no set route and no support crew allowed. Competitors navigate the terrain on their own, making real-time decisions about weather, wind, and which ridgelines offer the best launch windows. It's as much a mental chess match against the mountains as it is a physical endurance test.
Brunet-Poirier spoke with CBC Ottawa Morning's Rebecca Zandbergen from Spain ahead of the race start, describing the challenge of returning to a race that already pushed him to his limits once before.
A Familiar Challenge, Raised Stakes
For most athletes, completing the X-Pyr once would be enough. For Brunet-Poirier, once wasn't enough — he's back for more. That kind of determination is something Ottawa and Gatineau residents will recognize. The National Capital Region has produced no shortage of elite endurance athletes and outdoor adventurers who train in the Gatineau Hills and push their limits far beyond the region's borders.
Paragliding as a competitive sport remains relatively niche in Canada, but the Gatineau Hills and surrounding area offer some of the best flying terrain in Eastern Canada, with pilots regularly launching from sites near Wakefield and the Eardley Escarpment. It's a community that quietly produces serious athletes like Brunet-Poirier.
The Route and the Race
The 528-kilometre course traces the length of the Pyrenees, starting at one end of the range and finishing at the other. Athletes are entirely self-sufficient — carrying their paragliding gear, camping equipment, and supplies across some of the most rugged terrain in Western Europe.
Conditions change rapidly in the Pyrenees. Mountain weather can shift from clear skies to violent thunderstorms within hours, and competitors must make constant risk assessments about when it's safe to fly and when it's better to hike.
For Brunet-Poirier, the race represents not just a personal athletic goal but a showcase for what paragliding athletes from this corner of Canada are capable of on the world stage.
Cheering From the Capital
If you want to follow Brunet-Poirier's progress, the X-Pyr organization tracks competitors live throughout the race. It's the kind of adventure story that's easy to get caught up in — a local guy, a paraglider, and 528 kilometres of Pyrenees mountains standing between him and the finish line.
Ottawa Morning covered his departure for Spain — here's hoping he makes it to the Mediterranean.
Source: CBC Ottawa / Ottawa Morning with Rebecca Zandbergen