From August 27–29, 2027, Revelstoke, B.C., will welcome the Canadian Mountain Running Championships, hosted by 5 Peaks Adventures, showcasing the region’s world-class mountain terrain to athletes and spectators from across the country.
IMPACT: What is this event and who is it for?
Jacob Puzey: “The Canadian Mountain Running Championships are intended to serve as qualifiers to determine the athletes that will represent Canada at international competitions. In addition to being a qualifier, the events are also intended to showcase the rugged beauty of Revelstoke and offer opportunities for more people to get into mountain running.
One of the reasons that 5 Peaks was selected as a host organization is that we have a vast network of “shorter” trail running events throughout Canada. The Mountain Running Championships are similarly shorter distances relative to many off road running events. The courses are not just for the very best in Canada but are accessible to anyone wanting to tackle a true mountain challenge in a safe environment with access to emergency medical support and the amenities of the resort.”
IMPACT: Why do you think you were chosen to host these Championships?
Jacob Puzey: “The application requirements are pretty specific both in terms of course requirements (vert, technicality, make up of course, distance, and venue). There aren’t many places in North America that offer the amount of vert per km that the uphill mountain running championships course demands. As the ski hill with the greatest vertical descent in North America, Revelstoke Mountain Resort is the ideal location to host the Canadian Mountain Running Championships. Between the two courses, the Uphill and the Classic Up / Down, runners will essentially ascend the entire mountain from the base to the sub peak.
The other pieces of the application process are access to airports, amenities, and community support. The fact that we are able to host the event right at the resort with two hotels, multiple restaurants, and picturesque patio views, sets Revelstoke Mountain Resort apart as a host venue. Participants will be able to walk from their hotel rooms to the start line of the Uphill event. Spectators will be able to watch the start from their hotel balconies. Our history of working with the resort and the community is important because it shows that this isn’t simply a one-off promotional event, but rather a greater investment in the local, regional, and national trail and mountain running communities.”
IMPACT: What does this mean to 5 Peaks as a business and you as a race director to win this bid?
Jacob Puzey: “It means a lot to me personally and professionally to have the support and buy-in from the community of Revelstoke. We’ve been working with many of the same people in Revelstoke since 2013 to organize events that showcase the rugged beauty of the place. Winning this bid shows the trust we have in one another as people and as organizations, and also highlights our confidence in and commitment to the community of Revelstoke. The truth is that I saw the application window open and thought it would be a good opportunity to elevate our event(s) at a national level, but there is a lot of paperwork involved in applying and I wasn’t sure that I’d have the time to put it all together. Fortunately, Tourism Revelstoke reached out to me and the Resort and asked us to support their bid to host the Mountain Running Championships in Revelstoke at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. At that point, it was a no brainer to sign on and build upon what we have already created as a team.”
IMPACT: How does hosting a national championship elevate your profile?
Jacob Puzey: “To be honest, hosting a championship event adds a lot more hoops to jump through for an already existing event. However, one of the benefits, aside from simply offering a safe, positive qualifying experience for the sport and community, is that hosting a championship event will likely attract a higher concentration of competitive runners from across the country. Mountain Running often attracts runners from the roads, track, and trails whereas a lot of times longer trail running events are more endemic to the trail and ultra running world.”
IMPACT: Will there be opportunity for local runners, volunteers and spectators to get involved?
Jacob Puzey: “Absolutely. The event would not and will not be possible without local runners, volunteers, and spectators. As I mentioned, the requirements to host a national championship are quite extensive and will require a lot more involvement and support from local community members than a typical running event.
The application to host the Canadian Mountain Running Champs was initiated and submitted by Tourism Revelstoke in collaboration with Revelstoke Mountain Resort and 5 Peaks Adventures. These are some of the same people and organizations with whom we first started working in 2013 to host the Canadian Trail Running Championships and have since worked to host a variety of single and multi-day events at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Mount Revelstoke National Park, and the surrounding areas.”
Members of the Revelstoke community have helped with just about every aspect of the events that we’ve hosted in Revelstoke since the very beginning from course design, trail building and maintenance, course marking, aid stations, course marshalling, permitting, event photography, emergency first aid, etc.”
IMPACT: How does this impact the local community?
Jacob Puzey: “The event will showcase the terrain that makes Revelstoke unique not only for winter mountain sports but also for year-round mountain sports. It will bring more people to the area to experience local restaurants, cafes, breweries, and distilleries as well as a variety of accommodation options at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and throughout the valley.”
IMPACT: What excites you most about this opportunity?
Jacob Puzey: “This event weekend in Revelstoke has always felt like a celebration to me. It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work over the years and throughout the year and it’s a place where we’re able to gather to both celebrate those efforts and celebrate community in breathtakingly beautiful setting.
The mountain can be intimidating, but the venue itself is so accommodating that it’s easy to get sucked into tackling serious vert in search of the best views and an opportunity to celebrate the day’s achievements over ice cold brews.
I look forward to continuing to build upon the relationship we’ve built with the community of Revelstoke and Revelstoke Mountain Resort to offer a weekend of events that are both aspirational and celebrational for me personally, for the local and regional trail and mountain running communities, and for our nationwide 5 Peaks Trail Running community.”
About the Event
The championships feature two distinct events: an Uphill race and a Classic Up/Down race. With strict elevation-gain requirements, only a handful of venues in Canada are capable of hosting these disciplines. As the ski resort with the greatest vertical descent in North America, Revelstoke Mountain Resort offers an ideal setting for the nation’s premier mountain running event.
The Uphill course begins at the base of the resort and climbs the aptly named Bottoms Up trail. After cresting near the mid-station, runners continue their ascent on Kill the Banker, traversing rugged alpine terrain and boulder fields before reaching the Outpost. There, competitors are rewarded with sweeping mountain views—and a well-earned chance to celebrate after the finish line.
The Classic Up/Down race will start and finish at the top of Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s second gondola, the same location where the Uphill Championship concludes. From the start line, athletes will climb the aptly named Stoke Climb Trail before continuing onto the more technical Sub Peak Trail, which loops around the shoulder of Mount Mackenzie.
In addition to meeting specific ascent, descent, and distance requirements, the Classic Up/Down discipline also incorporates technical singletrack sections, testing both climbing strength and downhill skill. After completing the approximately 3-kilometre Sub Peak loop, runners will retrace their route down Stoke Climb, descending through alpine terrain with panoramic mountain views accompanying them to the finish.
The Canadian Mountain Running Championships are scheduled to take place at Revelstoke Mountain Resort during the final weekend of August in both 2027 and 2028. The Uphill Championship will be contested on Friday afternoon, followed by the Classic Up/Down Championship on Saturday morning.
Those eager to experience the championship courses ahead of time can get a preview during the Stoked Ultra weekend, taking place August 28–30, 2026, at Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
The Uphill Championship course, Bottoms Up, will be contested on Friday, August 28, beginning at noon. The following morning, runners can tackle The Stoked Climb, the same route that will serve as the Canadian Mountain Running Championships Classic Up/Down course in 2027 and 2028.
Participants can register for each event individually or take on the Half Stoke challenge, a three-day stage experience that includes Bottoms Up on Friday, The Stoked Climb on Saturday, and the TrailStoke Half Marathon on Sunday. Together, the three events offer a unique opportunity to experience some of Revelstoke’s most iconic mountain running terrain while previewing future national championship courses.
About 5 Peaks
“5 Peaks events are more than just trail races, they are special celebrations of nature, of the hard work we put into our training, of family and community.
We welcome runners, hikers and adventurers of all ages, abilities, and ambitions – from toddlers to elders and everyone in between. If you like moving in nature, 5 Peaks is for you. That’s why even at the Mountain Running Championships we’ll be offering the same courses and support to the masses while also offering generous cutoffs. Participation and inclusion are our goals. The participants get to choose how competitive they want to make it.”
With trail running races across Canada, 5 Peaks Trail Running events showcase some of the best trails and scenery this country has to offer. Each event takes place on pre-marked natural surface trails with participants running or hiking over rocks, roots, logs, through puddles, snow and so much more. That’s why even at the Mountain Running Championships we’ll be offering the same courses and support to the masses while also offering generous cutoffs. Participation and inclusion are our goals. The participants get to choose how competitive they want to make it.
Founded in 1998, the 5 event trail running series originated in the Vancouver area. Over time, the 5 Peaks Trail Running Series spread across Canada and offers participants an option of five events in each geographical region with up to five course lengths. 5 Peaks has developed an intricate network of supporting sponsors, and with over 15,000 participants annually.
True to 5 Peaks tag lines, people are increasingly motivated to GET STOKED and to GET OFF THE ROAD and onto the trails. The 5 Peaks Trail Running Series runs from April to October each year with each region hosting approximately one event per month. With approximately 400 – 800 participants per event over some of the country’s most spectacular terrain, runners gain a new appreciation for the beauty of each region’s backcountry. 5 Peaks Adventures are open to novice through expert athletes with the goal of each participant feeling accomplished and supported.”
Photography – Bruno Long
Website: www.5peaks.com
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