FANS SHOWED UP IN GREAT NUMBERS FOR THE 85th EDITION OF THE VALLEYFIELD REGATTAS

Nearly 125,000 festivalgoers gathered at Delpha-Sauvé Park for the 85th edition of the Valleyfield Regattas. Despite the cancellation of the finals due to weather conditions, the rest of the weekend was marked by warm temperatures, spectacular races, and unforgettable evening shows.

Over 70 Races on the Program

The most anticipated event of the Hydroplane Racing League (HRL) circuit delivered nearly 70 races throughout the weekend, drawing in 75,000 spectators for the racing portion of the event.

The only final held on the morning of Sunday, July 13, featured the young racers of the Novice class. Zack Parent, from Saint-Zotique, took top honors just days before his 14th birthday. Surrounded by his visibly emotional parents on the champion's dock, he barely had time to thank his team before a violent storm hit the site, leading to the cancellation of all other class finals.

When finals are canceled, the winning teams are determined based on total points accumulated over the weekend. Here are the 2025 winners:

Novice

1. N80 – Wild Thing – Zack Parent
2. N109 – L’Angle d’attaque – Olivier Maisonneuve
3. N13 – Lucky Thirteen – Alice Caron

2.5 litres

1. S35 – TMSpecial – Kyle Hayes
2. S57 – How? – Mathis-Gabriel Chiasson
3. S50 – Centless 15 – Ayden Sovie

Formula 2500

1. F92 – Tenacity – John Shaw
2. F500 – Centless 16 – Eddie Kanfoush
3. F2 – Novo Racing – Jacob Haineault

Jersey Speed Skiff

1. JSS 10 – Yumpin’Yiminy – Jimmy Stewart & Peggie Ewancio
2. JSS 45 – In the red – Samantha & Jerry Ewancio
3. JSS 113 – Another one – Louis-Alexandre Beaudoin & Éveline Côté de L’Isle

Hydro 350

1. H300 – Penzoil – Andrew Tate
2. H773 – RTX – Martin Rochon
3. H195 – Ahhsum Secret – Tyler Kaddatz

Pro Hydro

1. V109 – Formax – Dominic Maisonneuve
2. V30 – Budget Buster – Andrew Tate
3. V77 – Charette Racing – Guillaume Charette

Grand Prix

1. GP35 – TMSpecial – Brandon Kennedy
2. GP79 – Bad influence – Jeff Bernard
3. GP757 – Canada Boy – Kent Henderson

Evening shows

Over 50,000 festivalgoers attended the 10 shows presented over the two weekends by Valspec on the Distillerie 3 Lacs stage.

Large crowds gathered for the free weekend concerts featuring Mat et ses paquets d’troubles and Alter Ego on Friday, July 4, followed by Undercover and Lendemain de veille on Saturday, July 5.

Country and rock music fans were treated to an energetic performance by Phil Lauzon with his Luke Combs Deluxe Editiontribute, followed by the Mega Party Rock hosted by P-A Méthot and guests on Thursday, July 10. On Friday, the contagious energy of local band Morgan and Québec Redneck Bluegrass Project took over Delpha-Sauvé Park. Finally, on Saturday, nostalgic fans relived the early 2000s musical vibe thanks to The Big Shiny Show and Californian group Smash Mouth.

A Memorable 85th Edition

In addition to races and concerts, festivalgoers could visit the Regatta Museum at the Valleyfield Nautical Club. Presented in collaboration with Le MUSO – Musée de société des Deux-Rives, the exhibit invited visitors to revisit some of the most memorable moments from the 85-year history of the Valleyfield Regattas.

For Émilie Daoust, General Manager of the Valleyfield Regattas, this edition was a success despite its abrupt ending:

“I want to thank our golden volunteers, the entire Valleyfield Regattas team, and the racing teams for their resilience and dedication — both during the extreme heat and the rain. We’ll remember this 85th edition for a long time!” she stated.

The organization relied on the support of more than 300 volunteers who went above and beyond with their time and generosity.

The organizing committee also wishes to highlight the support of its valued financial partners, including the City of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, the Government of Quebec, Molson Coors, Le Journal de Montréal, Distillerie 3 Lacs, Grues Tremblay, Diageo Valleyfield, and CEZinc.