FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Victoria Marathon Modifies Elite Qualifying Standards
(Victoria, BC - July 23, 2012) The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon has
modified its Qualifying Standards for elite athletes in the Marathon and
Half Marathon, to encourage more local and North American runners to apply.
These new standards will be in effect for the event this year, which takes
place on Sunday, October 7, 2012. In addition, course record bonuses will
be extended to include Permanent Residents and Refugees - in prior years
only Canadian Citizens were eligible.
An 'Elite A' and 'Elite B' standard will be introduced with different
qualifying times for North American and International athletes. Qualifying
as 'Elite A' entitles athletes to apply for accommodation and travel
assistance. To meet this status, International male athletes must have run
a 2:20 Marathon or a 1:05 Half Marathon (previous standards were 2:30 and
1:10). For International female athletes, the Marathon standard remains at
2:50 but the Half Marathon is now 1:17 (previously 1:20). For North
American athletes, the only change is for female Marathon runners who need
3:00 to qualify (previously 2:50). The male Marathon standard remains at
2:30, the Half Marathon at 1:10, and the female Half Marathon at 1:20.
'Elite B' athletes would receive a complimentary entry and some course
services. North American male athletes must have run a 2:35 Marathon and
1:15 Half Marathon (previously 2:30 and 1:10). Female athletes qualify with
a 3:10 Marathon time or a 1:25 Half Marathon time (previously 2:50 and
1:20). For International athletes, the new male Marathon standard is 2:25
and for the females 3:00 (previously 2:30 and 2:50). The male and female
Half Marathon standards remain at 1:10 and 1:20.
North American female Masters (40+) athletes in the Marathon now have a
standard of 3:15 (previously 3:00). The female Half Marathon time remains
at 1:25 as does the Marathon male at 2:40 and Half Marathon at 1:15.
"We've introduced two levels of Elite Qualification to match other major
Marathons," says Jonathan Foweraker, Coordinator, Dairyland Elite Athlete
Program. "It allows us to reach out to the local marathon community while
ensuring a high quality of international competition."
Course record bonuses, which previously only Canadian Citizens were
eligible for, has been extended to Permanent Residents and Refugees who
have been domiciled in Canada for at least one year. The course bonuses are
$5,000 for the Marathon and $1,000 for the Half Marathon. A Masters course
record bonus has also been introduced for the Marathon and Half Marathon,
$500 and $250 respectively.
"We want to reward all of those who have made Canada their home. The male
Masters Marathon record dates back to 1988 when Tom Howard ran 2:27:36, so
this extra incentive might result in this exceptional time being
challenged," adds Foweraker.
The 33rd Annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon takes place Sunday,
October 7th, 2012. For the fourth year in a row it will host the BC
Marathon Championships. There is $37,300 available in prize money with
$3,000 each going to the top male and female and a $5,000 bonus for a new
men's or women's course record. In 2011 three new course records were set.
Thomas Omwenga set a new men's marathon record in 2:14:33; Lucy Njeri broke
the 22-year women's marathon record in 2:37:56, and Natasha Wodak set a new
women's half marathon record in 1:15:27. For more details, visit
www.runvictoriamarathon.com.
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