Cabot Trail Relay Race
17-leg, 276-km running relay around the Cabot Trail.
One of Canada's most beloved relay races, sending teams of 17 runners around the entire Cabot Trail over 24 hours. Festive Saturday-night dinner and dance in Baddeck.
What to expect
A travelling party as much as a race. Teams leapfrog vans around the loop, cheering through fog, sunrise and the brutal climbs at Cape Smokey and North Mountain. Spectators line the legs and bang pots.
Highlights
Leg 8 (the climb up North Mountain at dawn) is legendary. The Saturday banquet in Baddeck is loud and joyful.
Plan ahead
Teams sell out in fall; spectators just show up. Book Baddeck or Ingonish accommodation a year out. Bring rain gear — May weather flips fast.
Why go
The most scenic relay in Canada and a 35-year tradition that captures Cape Breton's communal, slightly-mad spirit.
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