FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DREAM BIG at the 2011 SCOTIABANK TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON
• Join Canada's top runners and achieve your marathon goals
• Start your summer training today
(Toronto, ON: June 23, 2011) - While Canada's top runners are training for
the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM), the road is paved for
runners of all levels to join them and train during the next four months.
Whether goals are to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics, for the Boston
Marathon, or to challenge a record or a personal best, now is the perfect
time to register and join more than 22,000 runners from around the world at
Canada's big city marathon.
"This year's STWM message is to dream big, set goals and see them through,"
says Alan Brookes, STWM Race Director. "Whether a top Canadian athlete is
striving to qualify for their moment at the Olympics, or a runner is hoping
to achieve a personal best, a fundraising goal, or to complete the entire
distance - every runner has a dream. We encourage runners to register today
and set a goal and start their training for one of North America's premier
running events."
"At Scotiabank, we support every athlete in their quest for success at this
year's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, whether the dream is
crossing the finish line of the full marathon, the half or the 5k," says
John Doig, Senior Vice-President, Toronto Region, Scotiabank. "Through the
Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge, we've set a record goal to raise more
than $3 million to help 150 Canadian charities achieve their dreams of
providing better opportunities for those in our community."
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon includes a 5k, half-marathon
(21k) and full marathon (42k). Last year, Toronto's fast and flat course
was identified as the 6th fastest marathon in the world after Kenneth
Mungara of Kenya ran the fastest time on Canadian soil in 2:07:58. This
year's event will attract about 22,500 runners from over 40 countries to
Toronto's waterfront and will benefit more than 150 Canadian charities
including this year's Toronto-based feature charities, The Geneva Centre
for Autism Foundation, Matthew House and Muki Baum Treatment Centres.
Canadian Olympic Dream
The 2011 STWM features Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis of Guelph, Ontario,
Dylan Wykes of Vancouver, BC and Simon Bairu of Regina, in the strongest
field of Canadian elites in the Marathon's history. Gillis, Wykes and Bairu
are all striving to achieve the dream of a lifetime by qualifying for the
2012 London Olympics and running under the qualifying standard of 2:11:30.
Coolsaet qualified at 2010's STWM when he ran the fastest marathon by a
Canadian in 24 years and the fastest time ever by a Canadian on Canadian
soil with a time of 2:11:23.
Record Breaking Dreams
While the top Canadians will vie to win Scotiabank's $36,000 cash bonus for
the first athlete to break Jerome Drayton's 36-year-old Canadian marathon
record of 2:10:09, local STWM favourite Ed Whitlock will prove that age is
no barrier to competing. Whitlock of Milton, Ontario will be attempting to
realize his dream of setting yet another World Record, for fastest person
aged 80+ in the marathon distance (sub 3:25:43). This follows his 2010
World Record for fastest 79yr old in the half marathon (1:34:27)
About Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM) is Canada's premier
Marathon, the country's number one big-city marathon and a place where
dreams come true. In 2010 the STWM was ranked as 6th fastest marathon in
the world, 3rd fastest women's race in the world and holds the record for
both the fastest men's and women's marathons on Canadian soil (2:07:58 run
last year by Kenneth Mungara & 2:22:43 by Sharon Cherop). For the fourth
consecutive year, the event has been awarded a prestigious Silver Label by
the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF). This
designation makes the STWM one of only five internationally recognized IAAF
Label marathons in North America, and puts Toronto on the map within the
international athletics community. The race attracts participants from over
40 countries and this year's goal is to raise more than $3 million for 150
charities.
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon includes the 5k, half-marathon
(21k) and full marathon (42k) events. For more information or to register,
visit www.stwm.ca
About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and
work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program,
Scotiabank Bright Future. Recognized as a leader internationally and among
Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic
activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $44 million
annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five
years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.
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