Marathon Beneva de Montreal
Montreal, Canada · September or October · Independent
Latest edition: Formerly Oasis Montreal Marathon and Rock n Roll Montreal Marathon; now sponsored as Marathon Beneva de Montreal. Last run Sunday 2026-10-11 (34th edition, events 9 to 11 Oct). A third-party site lists 2027-10-10; unconfirmed. Did not run 1997 to 2002, 2020 or 2021.
Why people love it
- Start in Parc Jean-Drapeau, 250 m (0.15 mi) from the metro, then Old Montreal and the F1 circuit
- Finish at Parc Maisonneuve by the Olympic Stadium
- Loud city crowds, with 21 cheer stations
- Open entry with no lottery and a 6 hour cutoff
- Street closures from 6:30 to 15:25 on race day
Watch out for
- Hard late course: climbs from 25 km (16 mi) and ramps in the last 2 km (1.2 mi)
- Corrals left 20 to 25 minutes late in 2024; the field shares the course with half marathoners
- Nutrition ran out for slower runners; post-race food was basic
- No bib mailing or shuttles, and expo waits of 90 minutes in 2023
- Heat cancelled the marathon in 2017; expect 8 to 14 °C (46 to 57 °F) but check the forecast
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.6
RaceRaves gives 3.6 of 5 from 7 ratings; MarathonGuide reviews run 2.7 to 4.7. City and crowds please; logistics and late hills drag. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.2
Starts ran 20 to 25 minutes late in 2024, nutrition ran out for slower runners and a 2023 bib line took 90 minutes. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
A 6 hour cutoff and strong city crowds, but a hilly late course with uphill ramps in the last 2 km (1.2 mi). · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.8
Net gain of about 32 m (105 ft), with climbs from 25 km (16 mi). Canadian Running calls it scenic, not a PB course. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.9
Ile Sainte-Helene and the F1 circuit, Old Montreal, Parc La Fontaine and an Olympic Stadium finish. The back half on the plateau is duller. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.0
Marathoners share the course with half marathoners for a long stretch. A 2024 reviewer said the corral start took about 45 minutes to clear. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.4
City streets and park roads. No runner complains directly about the surface. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.9
The city confirmed closures from 6:30 to 15:25, but the cross-shaped route limits closures so some crossings stay open. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.2
Gain of 172 to 198 m (564 to 650 ft) with ramps and a steep late climb. Most reports say mostly flat. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven2.9
One site gives net +32 m (+105 ft). Sources disagree on the finish: a gentle downhill or uphill ramps. Boston qualifier. · Low confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.2
Metro is 250 m (0.15 mi) away, but corrals left 20 to 25 minutes late in 2024 and 2023 bag drop was badly run. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.3
Reviewers do not discuss pace teams. Some km markers were off by about 2 km (1.2 mi) near the end in 2025. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportStrong3.8
Sparse on the island, loud in the city and at the finish. The city lists 21 cheer stations, and names printed on bibs help. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.3
Plenty of water and electrolytes, but nutrition ran out for slower runners in 2022 and 2024. Post-race food was basic. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.5
The island and plateau are open, but no wind complaints were found. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.3
Typically 8 to 14 °C (46 to 57 °F) in October. Heat and humidity cancelled the 2017 marathon in September. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
Mostly cool recently, but the 2017 marathon was cancelled for heat and humidity before the date moved to October. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.5
The city lists 21 cheer stations and metro access to many points, but a point-to-point route has long open stretches. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
The course sits between about 14 and 78 m (46 and 256 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.3
Major city with a wide range of hotels, especially in Old Montreal and downtown. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.4
Typical big-city pricing. No race-specific data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.8
Metro to the start is a 250 m (0.15 mi) walk. One reviewer reported a long wait and walk after the finish. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.2
Montreal Trudeau is about 20 km (12 mi) from downtown with many direct flights. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
No bib mailing, no race-morning pickup, no start-to-finish shuttles and a 90 minute expo wait in 2023. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.6
Major food and culture city, with Old Montreal and a festive post-race area. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.2
Open entry in price waves with no lottery or qualifying time, and no reported sell-out. Capacity is near 6,000 marathoners. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.0
RaceRaves rates swag 2.3 of 5. Shirts cost extra, and the medal and post-race snacks were called weak. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Typical month
- September or October
- Latest or next date
- 11 October 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 4,800 athletes
- First held
- 1979
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Climbing
- 172 m (565 ft)
- Descent
- 140 m (460 ft)
- Start time
- 07:45
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- City road plus park roads
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Air temperature
- 8–14 °C (46–57 °F)
- Humidity
- Typically 70 to 80%
- Altitude
- 30 m (98 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Montreal Trudeau (YUL), 20 km (12 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Old Montreal and Old Port, Downtown near metro lines, Plateau and Rosemont
- Booking
- Stay near a metro line: the Jean-Drapeau stop is 250 m (0.15 mi) from the start and the finish is near Olympic Park metro. No shuttles between start and finish.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2024 · aggregator · Mixed
3.6 of 5 from 7 ratings (production 2.7, scenery 4.0, swag 2.3). Reviewers liked the route and city crowds but cite late corrals, aid running out for slower runners, a 90 minute bib line, off km markers and no start-to-finish shuttles.
“a very fun, big city race”
- BibRave (via search summary)Raced 2015 · aggregator · Mixed
Older Rock n Roll era reviews: lovely Ile Sainte-Helene start, a duller second half out on the plateau, the Berri hill near 19 km (12 mi), rolling starts, and cheering crowds. Direct page returned an error; summary from search.
“so many people lined the streets”
- MarathonGuide reviewsRaced 2024 · aggregator · Mixed
Three reviews from 2023 and 2024: organised with easy subway access and supportive crowds, but cramped expo, congested corrals, a badly run bag drop and a brutal climb or ramps in the last 2 km (1.2 mi). Ratings 4.3, 2.7 and 4.7.
“brutal climb near the end”
- FindMyMarathonRaced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
One 5 of 5 reviewer called the race well organised with great cheers and long hills, hardest from about 26 to 32 km (16 to 20 mi). Stats on page: gain 198 m (650 ft), BQ rate 2.8% in 2024, 3,729 finishers in 2024.
“Great organization and Cheers”
- Canadian Running MagazineRaced 2022 · article · neutral
Course guide for 2022: hilly, with climbing from 10 to 15 km (6 to 9 mi) and 25 to 35 km (16 to 22 mi) and a gentle finish downhill; certified and Boston qualifying; treat it as scenic, not a PB. Start 7:45 at Espace 67, finish at Olympic Park.
“Montreal is Montreal. It's a hard one!”
Show 4 more
- MarathonFocusRaced 2026 · article · neutral
Gives 172 m (564 ft) of gain, 140 m (459 ft) of loss, a 6 hour cutoff, 4,000 finishers and 8 to 14 °C (46 to 57 °F) humid weather. Internally inconsistent on bridge route.
“Rolling, with 172 m of gain”
- The Link (Concordia newspaper)Raced 2022 · article · Positive
Coverage of the 2022 return: about 14,500 participants, start at Parc Jean-Drapeau, strong crowd support with names on bibs, and first-time marathoners calling the atmosphere incredible. Organiser said a large city marathon is complex.
“The atmosphere is incredible”
- City of Montreal press releaseRaced 2026 · article · neutral
Official 2026 notice: about 35,000 participants over the weekend, street closures 6:30 to 15:25 on Sunday, 21 cheer stations and added metro service. Cross-shaped route used since 2022 to limit closures.
“21 encouragement stations along the route”
- LetsRun forum (via search summary)Raced 2016 · forum · Mixed
An older forum thread calls Montreal not very fast, with a few decent hills in the latter part. Page blocked; summary from search.
“not a very fast course”
Raced Marathon Beneva de Montreal? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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