The two 2017 winners

New this year: the creation of two categories – Extreme Adventures and Travel, Culture and Discovery.

 

Frédéric Dion’s Dare the Adventure Grant jury revealed the two winners last May. The Frédéric Dion Prize for extreme adventure was awarded to Marilyne Marchand for her Solo Hudson to Ungava project. The Karavaniers Prize for Travel, Culture and Discovery Adventure was awarded to Marie-Josée Béliveau for her Return to the Source: Meeting the Guardians of the Forest project. Each adventurer received a grant of $5,000 in cash and $2,500 worth of Mountain Hardware equipment.

Frédéric Dion Prize: Sold Hudson to Ungava by Marilyne Marchand

 

Marilyne Marchand traversed Quebec solo from west to east, from Umiujag to Tasiujac in Nunavik from July to August 2017. She walked the distance on foot and using a PackRaft over 19 days without any issues. This accountant by profession has wide experience by having already crossed two countries by foot and having completed other expeditions by boat. She would like to promote non-motorised leisure and female adventures. This project was chosen notably for the fact that it is an out of the ordinary adventure and the route was difficult as she had to paddle a river upstream with heavy loads. It was a significant commitment given that she was alone and she completed the challenge admirably. To learn about future conference dates and future adventures: www.marilynemarchand.com.

 

Karavaniers Prize: Return to the Source: Meeting the Guardians of the Forest by Marie-Josée Béliveau  

 

This adventurer crossed the Amazon region from east to west, by boat then on foot, from Brazil to Ecuador. She wanted to promote the forest protection initiatives by the local inhabitants. This project involved human encounters, physical challenges and cultural immersion. Marie-Josée is an ethnographer and is interested in the relationship between humans and their environment. She has visited Latin America several times promotes the protection of the environment and the protection of human rights. The Karavanier team chose Marie-Josée due to her determination to complete this project alone, her experience, her involvement with different causes and the richness of her meetings with different communities.

The “Frédéric Dion Dare to Adventure” grant is offered in collaboration with Karavaniers, Mountain Hardwear and the magazine Espaces, leader in the field of adventure.

With a value of $15,000, it is made up of $10,000 in cash ($5,000 per category) and $5,000 in Mountain Hardwear equipment ($2,500 per category). Two prizes are awarded to adventurers or groups of adventurers who have a clear, original and inspiring project.

The competitors must promote their challenge using different platforms: blogs, conferences, books, documentaries, plays or other methods. Additionally, they must inspire dreams, openness to the world and pushing ones’ limits.

Look for the next application period in 2018!