Rio Tinto and the Traversée: 25 Years of History

Article credit: Trium / Marie-Ève Roy

The year 2023 marks the 25th year of the partnership between the Traversée Internationale du Lac St-Jean and Rio Tinto. Over this quarter-century, the two organisations developed a relationship rooted in our greatest natural resource: water.

“Water is at the heart of our operations. It’s thanks to this abundant natural resource that we can produce some of the world’s most responsible aluminium using hydroelectricity and innovate within the region,” said Stéphane Larouche, General Manager, Power Operations, Quebec Operations at Rio Tinto. “The magnificent body of water that is Lac Saint-Jean is at the heart of the Traversée. Water is such an integral part of this sporting competition, which has become a must-attend event and a source of pride for the region.”

Rio Tinto has been an official partner of the Traversée Internationale du Lac St-Jean since 1998. It also acts as a presenter for the event.  It is no coincidence that both organisations have helped to put Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean on the map.

“We are proud to be part of a global event of this magnitude,” Larouche added. “The communities around Lac Saint-Jean and our employees are proud participants. Events like the Traversée make our region known internationally and contribute to tourism.”

And that’s not all. Rio Tinto also plays an important role in the Marathon de La Relève.

“We are also an official partner of the Marathon de La Relève, which involves competitors aged 14 to 21 confronting Lac St. Jean in an individual 10 km race,” said Larouche. “The race begins at Roberston Beach in the Ilnu community of Mashteuiatsh. The finishing stretch in Roberval is always emotional and spectacular.”

For the first time in our 25-year partnership, we will be awarding aluminium medals created by Rio Tinto for the Marathon de La Relève and the 32-km Traversée.