From Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean to all of Québec
In 1999, Pierre Lavoie held the first Défi in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region with the primary goal of raising awareness about lactic acidosis, the illness that claimed the lives of two of his children, and to raise funds for medical research. He cycled 650 km alone in 24 hours following a route around the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.
Thanks to his incredible endurance and his communication skills, Pierre turned his Défi into a major event in the region. Hundreds of adults and children awaited for him along his route to give him the money they had collected. The event was such a success that Pierre repeated it in 2000, 2002 and 2005.
Fais ton kilomètre avec Pierre: Another resounding success
In 2005, during his school talks, Pierre noticed the enthusiastic interest students had in his Défi. This inspired him to collaborate with schools to establish the Fais ton kilomètre avec Pierre activity. Launched as part of the fourth edition of the Défi Pierre Lavoie, this initiative allowed young people to cycle alongside Pierre as he passed through their municipality, day or night, for an enchanting and unforgettable kilometre. Forty schools participated, involving 6,300 students, all without any advertising to promote the event.
Taking the dream to new heights
Pierre then realized that more young people needed to experience this activity. He decided to pursue his vision further by taking it to new heights with Germain Thibault, a Radio-Canada producer whom Pierre had met while preparing a news report on the 1999 Hawaii Ironman. Both shared concerns about the health of young people. Together, they came up with the idea of expanding the Défi Pierre Lavoie initiative across the province to encourage elementary school students to adopt healthy life habits. The project was launched in November 2008 as the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie.
The first edition in 2008–2009 was an immediate success. During the May Get Up and Move! (Lève-toi et bouge!) contest, students and their families accumulated nearly 17 million Energy Cubes. The 1000 KM event garnered widespread admiration across Québec. In its second edition in 2009–2010, the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie rallied even more schools and students, resulting in the accumulation of 22 million Energy cubes—5 million more than the previous year! Additionally, the number of teams registered for the 1000 KM event increased from 90 to 150!
Celebrating over 10 years of activity!
In 2018, the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie marked its tenth anniversary, continuing its journey with growing popularity. Over the years, the initiative has distributed a total of $21 million in funding to the community—a remarkable achievement for the entire team. The inaugural edition of the 1000 KM took place on June 12, 2009. Despite ambitious goals, the team could not have predicted the immense success of this new movement. The foundation for this province-wide initiative was laid in the Saguenay region, where the Défi Pierre Lavoie (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005) promoted healthy lifestyle habits.
In its 10th year, the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie introduced La Grande Récré, recognizing young individuals who remained active for 60 minutes daily throughout the year, along with the inaugural Mini Cube Tour.
Towards a sustainable Québec
Celebrating 15 years of Grand défi and 15 years of healthy living!
It’s been 15 years since the Grand Défi hit the pedals, marking the beginning of what has become a cornerstone in promoting healthy lifestyle habits in Québec, and offering support and hope to those affected by rare diseases.
In fact, a certain sense of nostalgia arises as 2023 marks the end of a chapter: the 1000 KM as it has been known up to now. Moving forward, sustainable environmental practices and sustainable health will be paramount; the days when RVs cruising alongside cyclists on the roads of Québec are over. Now, participants will experience this unique journey from a single meeting point. For the inaugural year of the redesigned 1000 KM, Université Laval in the city of Québec will serve as the event’s hub.
Important date
1989
Pierre took part in his first triathlon. He finished second to last
1992
Pierre took part in the Ironman competition for the first time ever. It was held in Montréal, and he finished first across all categories
1997
Pierre was elected president of the Association de l’acidose lactique
1999
The first Défi is launched, raising $25,000 without any solicitation
2000
The 2nd edition of the Défi raised $89,000
2002
The 3rd edition of the Défi raised $152,000
2005
The 4th edition of the Défi, to which the Fais ton kilomètre avec Pierre activity was added, raised $300,000
2008
Official launch of the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie and the 1000 KM
2009
The inaugural edition of the School Tour and Energy Cubes challenge was a remarkable success. The caravan visited 100 elementary schools from October 2008 to May 2009, engaging with over 22,000 students. It toured 16 administrative regions of Québec and covered 25,000 km.
2009
Launch of The Grand Prize (La Grande récompense)
2013
Launch of La Boucle
2015
Launch of La Grande marche (in Saguenay, Québec and Montréal)
2017
The 1000 KM and La Boucle teams sponsored over 500 elementary schools across Québec to purchase sports equipment.
2018
$21 million redistributed in the community
- The inaugural edition of the 1000 KM took place on June 12, 2009. Despite ambitious goals, the team could not have predicted the immense success of this new movement. The foundation for this province-wide initiative was laid in the Saguenay region, where the Défi Pierre Lavoie (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005) promoted healthy lifestyle habits.
- The first edition of La Grande récré: To reward young people who have been active for 60 minutes a day throughout the year, Force 4 organizes this reward event. Taking place from mid-April to mid-June, the event unfolds on an outdoor course spanning approximately one kilometre. Participants must climb, run, jump, hang, or crawl to tackle around ten challenges.
- First edition of the Mini cube Tour
2019
The Grande marche, held in the fall, attracted a record-breaking 75,000 participants in 101 cities and towns across Québec.
2020
Implementation of virtual events such as the 1 000 000 KM Ensemble (67,000 registrations)
2021
Joining forces through the virtual realm: the 1000000ensemble.com website attracted over 444,500 visitors.
2022
Return of in-person cycling events: the 1000 KM and La Boucle.
The cover of Boule Noire’s song “Aimes-tu la vie comme moi?” celebrates the long-awaited return to normalcy and the return of the Grand défi cycling events.
2023
Celebrating 15 years of Grand défi
- It’s been 15 years since the Grand Défi hit the pedals, marking the beginning of what has become a cornerstone in promoting healthy lifestyle habits in Québec, and offering support and hope to those affected by rare diseases.
- In fact, a certain sense of nostalgia arises as 2023 marks the end of a chapter: the 1000 KM as it has been known up to now. Moving forward, sustainable environmental practices and sustainable health will be paramount; the days when RVs cruising alongside cyclists on the roads of Québec are over. Now, participants will experience this unique journey from a single meeting point. For the first year of the redesigned 1000 KM, Université Laval, located in the city of Québec, will serve as the event’s hub.
