I did the half-distance the first year it became under the Challenge brand. It is the same race, happening at the Île Notre-Dame with the swim in the Olympic basin, the bike leg on the circuit Formula 1 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and the run looping back around the basin. Montreal has plenty of spots to stay for an accessible price, and it is very easy to get to the island by bike or public transportation from downtown Montreal or from the other side of the river. It literally took me 8 minutes from the AirBNB to the parking lot. Race was very well organized, getting the kit was easy, everything was very well signalled. The swim is super smooth with a rolling start, so it is easy to avoid the "fight" at the beginning of the swim, there are many buoys to guide you, the water is calm and there's even a rope you can somewhat follow. The bike is super fun in the circuit, you can go pretty fast and don't get bored as there are some small up and downs plus all the turns, while still being very flat and flat. There can be a lot of people on the course, though I didn't have any issues as the circuit is very wide, so I didn't feel unsafe (also, there were many officials, which helped avoid cheaters). Also, the fact that it is in the circuit is great for spectators as they can see you all the time and cheer on. The run is dead flat and smooth around the basin. I loved that we did laps there, as there were LOTS of people close to the finish line. Every time we would go by the finish line area, tons of people were cheering on the participants - the vibe kept the spirits high. I can't recommend it more!