Sunday, August 1 was a cool and misty day in Montreal, reminiscent of the Highlands of Scotland and perfect weather for tossing a caber. Despite the COVID health guidelines that prevented the gathering of the usual 5000 plus spectators, the Montreal Highland Games (MHG) went ahead with a unique virtual event that went off without a hitch thanks to advance planning, dedicated volunteers, and meticulous marching orders. The Games are thrilled to announce that Canadian champion Highland Heavy athlete Jason Baines beat the Guinness World Record for the number of cabers tossed in one hour! In a moment filled with drama and excitement, he blew past the previous record of 122 tosses, eventually reaching a phenomenal new record of 161 tosses. Thanks to the kind generosity of our friends and viewers, over $6,000 was raised for the Douglas Hospital Foundation. The Douglas Hospital (founded by Scots) is a world-class mental health treatment and research facility, and we are proud to support its important work in the community. Donations continue to poor in daily as more people are made aware of Jason Baines and his world record and his goal to raise awareness of the need for mental health support via the Building Hope Movement of the Douglas Foundation.
Historic occasion
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this historic occasion: the athletics team who supported Jason and kept the cabers moving (no small feat), the pipers and dancers who shared their art, the frontline workers amongst who shared their stories, presenter Kelly Alexander, and the dedicated team of volunteers whose hard work made this all possible. The Games especially thank our fans, for their enthusiastic participation! The event video has reached 2,000 views and continues to climb.
If you missed the live event or would like to re-experience the drama, you can watch it again on the Montreal Highland Games YouTube channel.
MHG look forward to seeing you next year on July 31, 2022, on the grounds of the Douglas Hospital in Verdun, Quebec for the Montreal Highland Games live and in person.
To watch the video or for more information see: www.montrealhighlandgames.com