ST JOHN'S - Team Quebec ruled the roads at the 2025 Canada Games on Monday taking three of the four cycling individual time trial golds on offer, including the first ever in para cycling.

The Team Gushue Highway was paved with gold for la belle province with Joseph Vachon, Camille Rene and Jacob Roy all speeding to the top podium.

 Only Team Alberta's Amaia Ervin-Arambarri denied Quebec a gold sweep pushing Quebec's  Pascale Savard into second to take the women's title.

 In all, Team Quebec occupied half the podium spots scooping six of 11 total medals (three gold, three silver) awarded.

The day began with a bit of Canada Games history when Vachon stormed to victory in the first ever para cycling event chased home by Team Ontario's Daniel Bigu and Andrew Kooger.

A few minutes later Rene added to the Quebec haul winning the women's para ahead of team mate Myriam Adam.

Quebec ended the day in dominating style snatching five of the top six places in the men's time trial, including gold from Roy, who edged out team mate Gabriel Seguin by 1.79 seconds.

Over on Quidi Vidi Lake there was an even tighter finish in the men's K-1 1000 metres, so close in fact that gold medals were awarded to both Team Nova Scotia's Alex Erith-Ellwood and Team Ontario's Owen MacLean after they posted identical times of four minutes, 14.311 seconds.

It was a bumper day on the water for Team Nova Scotia who also claimed gold in the women's C-2 500m, K-2 1000m and K-1 500m.

Team Quebec grabbed gold in two men's events the C-1 500m and the C-2 1000m.

There was also a golden tie in the pool that brought the evening to a nail-biting conclusion as Team Ontario and Team British Columbia finished the mixed 4x100m medley relay in identical times of 4:03.27 to share top spot on the podium.

The gold capped a productive night in The Works Aquarena for BC swimmers.

Naomi Mynott, who finished third in the 1500m freestyle on Sunday behind winner Isabella Cooper, got her revenge in the 400m individual medley getting to the wall first ahead of the Ontario swimmer.

Kelly Anne Choi in the 50m freestyle and Hailey Borowski, in the special Olympics 50m breaststroke added to the BC golden haul.

The BC men also contributed to the cause Liam Chew winning the 400m individual medley while Ken Stroud came home first in the 100m freestyle para men.

Gavin Baggs, who took silver behind Stroud in the 400m freestyle para on Sunday to give Newfoundland and Labrador their first medal, narrowly missed out on his second finishing fourth, ahead of team mate Nathan Luscombe. 

Chasing a fifth consecutive men's basketball gold medal, Team Ontario, the Canada Games version of the Dream Team, opened defense of their title with a workmanlike 88-73 win over Quebec.

Playing on the Canada Games hardwood for the first time Nunavut's absorbed their fourth straight lob-sided loss steam-rolled 123-34 by Saskatchewan.

The Nunavut women also seeking a first win also laboured against Team Saskatchewan falling 88-13.

STARTING LINEUP

Here's what you need to know about the Canada Games on Tuesday:

CANOE/KAYAK (Quidi Vidi Lake)

Another boat load of gold will be there for the taking at Quidi Vidi Lake with eight finals on the schedule including two marque events the women's K1 1000m and men's C1 1000m.

TENNIS (Rogers Tennis Dome at Green Belt)

Mixed team competition continues with Newfoundland and Labrador, led by Declan Walsh, who lit the flame in Ottawa to start the Canada Games torch relay, taking on Team Prince Edward Island with top spot in in Pool C on the line.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL (Paradise Park)

Out of an abundance of caution, Beach Volleyball is postponed for Tuesday due to the evacuation preparedness alert issued Monday evening by the Town of Paradise and the Town of Conception Bay South.

RUGBY SEVENS (Swilers Rugby Club)

Pool play wraps up and then it is right into the quarterfinals for both men and women with spots in Wednesday's medal round on the line.

BASKETBALL (Newfoundland & Labrador Sports Centre, The Works Field House)

After a workmanlike win over Quebec in their opener, the Team Ontario men tip off against British Columbia as they push for a fifth consecutive gold.

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