For Jenny Laviolette, competing in season two of Canada’s Ultimate Challenge was the best experience of her entire life.
And with the finale finally airing, the resident of Rockland can talk to family and friends who have been waiting on pins and needles to find what happens at the end of the second season.
“I have such a big personality, and I am yapper and I love to talk,” said Laviolette in an interview with The Vision, just a few days before season two of CBC’s The Ultimate Challenge aired. “I had to pretend I was away for a work trip. It was so hard not to divulge anything especially with the people who are closest to me.”
The graduate of l’École secondaire catholique l’Escale was one of 20 people competing on the second season the original reality competition that transforms Canada into one, big obstacle course.
Season two of the competition features the 20 competitors divided into five teams of four taking on challenges that put their physical and mental skills to the test.
The show’s locations include St. John’s, N.L., Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que., Ottawa, Ont., Hamilton, Ont., Canmore, Alta., Revelstoke, B.C., and Vancouver Island.
Each episode takes place at a different location that showcasing and displaying Canada’s beauty.
“I had the chance to experience our country in a whole new way,” added Laviolette, whose parents are the owners of Laviolette Flowers and Décor in Rockland. “We were lucky to have a day in Ottawa, and I had the chance to really see the city from a whole different perspective. Our country really is a beautiful place with so much to see.”
While she said she may not be the most athletic, strongest or fastest player, she is a force when it comes to understanding, executing and accomplishing a task.
Her main motivation for joining the competition was simple, to do something for herself.
Laviolette retired from a 10-year career as a cheerleader with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2023 and was looking for a new opportunity to challenge herself and use her natural leadership skills she attained during her tenure with Ottawa’s Canadian Football League (CFL) team.
She did serve as leader of her team (Team Orange).
“Being in this challenge is another step out of my comfort zone and discovering who I am as a person,” said Laviolette. “I really learned so much about myself, and it was so rewarding. I am a bold leader, and this challenge really helped me tap into different sides of myself.”
Laviolette admitted she was not ready to see herself on television, and while she knew the outcome of the competition, she was still watching the show from a different lens as the show does offer plenty of action, twists and turns that keep the viewer entertained.
While she said it was hard to be away from family friends, especially coming from a big and loving Lebanese family, she found comfort in the new friendships she made while she was a participant on competition.
“I conquered fears on the show, and I tried things I never thought I would do,” she said. “There were some tough challenges, and I showcased skills that I know I have, and I am good at.”
