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Elite Athletes

Apr 21 2024
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Le 21K de Montréal couronne Marc-Antoine Senneville et Colleen Wilson / 21K de Montréal crowns Marc-Antoine Senneville and Colleen Wilson

By | 21k de Montreal, Elite Athletes | No Comments

Plus de 5000 participants se sont alignés sur une des trois lignes de départ du 21K de Montréal aujourd’hui, la deuxième étape du Canada Running Series 2024.

Les coureurs du demi-marathon ont sillonné les îles Ste-Hélène et Notre-Dame du parc Jean-Drapeau sous des conditions météorologiques presqu’idéales : 10C et généralement ensoleillé. Le parcours composé de quatre boucles différentes a permis aux nombreux spectateurs de voir et d’encourager les participants à plusieurs occasions. De nombreux sites d’encouragements, animés par des équipes de course, étaient dispersés sur le parcours.

Marc-Antoine Senneville de Trois-Rivières, QC (1h06min44) et Colleen Wilson de Deep Cove, NE (1h17min11) ont confirmé leur niveau de forme de ce début de saison en remportant leur course.

Chez les hommes un groupe de 5 coureurs s’est détaché du peloton dès le 4ième kilomètre suivi par un second groupe de 4 coureurs. Les deux groupes se sont progressivement effrités. Se faisant, Marc-Antoine Senneville et Rémi Leroux (Waterloo, QC, 1h06min50) se sont retrouvés côte-à-côte au 20ième kilomètre. La course s’est décidé au sprint dans les 200 derniers mètres, où Senneville a graduellement accéléré pour remporter la course.

Chez les femmes, Colleen Wilson a mené la course de bout en bout avec l’aide d’un groupe d’hommes pour lutter contre le vent. Nadine Frost-Corinaldi d’Ottawa, ON (1h17min11) et Anne Johnston (St-John’s, TN, 1h18min03) se sont détachées du groupe de poursuites dans la deuxième partie de la course.

L’énergie et l’enthousiasme des participants et des spectateurs étaient palpables en cette matinée de célébrations pour la communauté de course à pied et les 46 organismes de bienfaisance du défi caritatif du Canada Running Series. L’événement a permis d’amasser plus de 600 000$ faisant de l’événement la plus grande course de collecte de fonds au Québec; la collecte de dons se poursuivra jusqu’au 31 mai.

Le 21K fut suivi par les 10K et 5K de Montréal. Felix Quirion (30min31) et Isabelle Morin (37min12) ont remporté les honneurs au 10 km. Mackenzie Bauer (15min32) et Marepier Baribeau (19min39) furent les gagnants du 5 km.

La prochaine étape du Canada Running Series se déroulera le 15 juin prochain pour le Toronto Waterfront 10K, avant de se diriger vers l’Ouest pour le Demi-marathon de Vancouver le 23 juin. Les inscriptions et la collecte de fonds en-ligne sont ouvertes sur www.RunCRS.ca

Pour les résultats complets du 21K de Montréal voir sportstats.ca. Les photos seront affichées sur la page d’accueil de l’événement.

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More than 5000 participants lined up on one of the three starting lines of the 21K in Montreal today, the second stop of the 2024 Canada Running Series.

The half-marathon runners crisscrossed the Ste-Hélène and Notre-Dame Islands of Parc Jean-Drapeau under almost ideal weather conditions: 10C and generally sunny. The course made up of four different loops allowed spectators to see and encourage the participants on several occasions. Numerous cheering stations, hosted by race teams, were scattered along the course.

Marc-Antoine Senneville from Trois-Rivières, QC (1:06:44) and Colleen Wilson from Deep Cove, NS (1:17:11) confirmed their level of form at the start of the season by winning their races.

In the men’s category, a group of 5 runners broke away from the peloton after the 4th kilometer followed by a second group of 4 runners. Both groups gradually crumbled. In doing so, Marc-Antoine Senneville and Rémi Leroux (Waterloo, QC, 1:06:50) found themselves side by side at the 20th kilometer. The race was decided by a sprint in the last 200 meters, where Senneville gradually accelerated to win the race.

Among the women, Colleen Wilson led the race from start to finish with the help of a group of men to fight against the wind. Nadine Frost-Corinaldi of Ottawa, ON (1:17:11) and Anne Johnston (St-John’s, NFL, 1:18:03) broke away from the chase group in the second part of the race.

The energy and enthusiasm of the participants and spectators was palpable on this morning of celebrations for the running community and the 46 charities of the Canada Running Series Charity Challenge. The event raised over $600,000 for various causes, making the event the largest fundraising race in Quebec; fundraising will continue until May 31st.

The 21K was followed by the 10K and 5K in Montreal. Felix Quirion (30:31) and Isabelle Morin (37:12) won the 10 km. Mackenzie Bauer (15:32) and Marepier Baribeau (19:39) were the winners of the 5 km.

The next leg of the Canada Running Series takes place on June 15 for the Toronto Waterfront 10K, before heading west for the Vancouver Half Marathon on June 23. Online registration and fundraising is open at www.RunCRS.ca For complete Montreal 21K results see sportstats.ca. Photos will be posted on the event homepage.

 

Apr 11 2024
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Announcing the Elite Field for the 2024 21K de Montréal

By | 21k de Montreal, Elite Athletes | No Comments

21K de Montréal – Liste des Départs Élites

Femmes/Women’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
F-3 Colleen Wilson Deep Cove NS
F-4 Janie Grand'Maison Montréal QC
F-5 Jennifer  Barron Paradise  NL
F-6 Nadine Frost-Corinaldi Ottawa ON
F-7 Julie Lajeunesse Lachine QC
F-8 Ann-Rebecca Drolet Montréal QC
F-9 Emma Ollivier Montréal QC
F-10 Alex Hynes Ottawa ON
F-11 Catherine Thompson Halifax NS
F-12 Rebecca Pieterson Ottawa ON
F-13 Andrea Hill Ottawa ON
F-14 Anne-Marie Gauthier Quebec QC
F-15 Kathia Rached Montréal QC
F-16 Anne Johnston St John’s NL

Hommes/Men’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
1 Marc-Antoine Senneville Trois-Rivières QC
2 Benjamin Raymond Laval QC
3 Robert  Kajuga  Ottawa ON
4 François Jarry Lachine QC
5 Pierre-Yves Normandin Québec QC
6 Marcel Mongeon Hamilton ON
7 Jean-Samuel Lapointe Québec QC
8 Louis-Philippe Garnier Montreal QC
9 Hédi  Sonnallier Montréal QC
10 Glenn Vanobost Nukerke Oost-Vlaanderen
11 Arnaud Francioni Montréal QC
12 Félix-Antoine Bédard Montréal QC
13 ianis Garé Montréal QC
14 Timothé  Dumont Montréal  QC
15 Mehdi Takatri Montréal QC
16 Jacob  Cameron Ottawa ON
17 Julian Meyer Vancouver BC
18 Remi Leroux Waterloo QC
19 Zed Roy Longueuil  QC
20 Doan Tran Montréal QC
21 Fabien Filoche Longueuil QC
22 Adrien Durand Saint Vincent de Paul Nouvelle-Aquitaine (France)
23 Baghdad  Rachem Verdun QC
24 Nicolas Paradis St Bruno QC
25 Brian Byrne London ON
26 Alvaro Cueto Saint-Hubert QC
27 Frederick Jouin Montreal QC
28 Jean-Marc Thériault Repentigny QC
29 Laurent Liska Montreal QC
Apr 07 2024
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Opening Day of the 2024 Running Season a HUGE Success! Spring Run-Off 8K & 5K in High Park – Post Race Report

By | Elite Athletes, General, Spring Run-Off | No Comments

TORONTO, April 6, 2024 – As Toronto’s oldest race still on the roads, it is an iconic beacon that Spring is finally here in the city. A sold-out crowd of 3,800 participated in today’s 47th annual Spring Run-Off in High Park in the 8K, 5K and 800m kids race, all steeped in tradition. As always, runners were piped to the Start Line, and enjoyed fresh maple syrup from Madawaska Maple products as prizing, and a delicious post-race pancake breakfast served up by Ubuntu Community Collective.

The race also featured the “Kill The Hill challenge” a race within a race. Just before participants crossed the finish line they flew up the final 365m of Spring Road Hill with the champions being proclaimed “Heroes of the Hill” for 2024! For the 2nd consecutive year, participants will also be going the distance to raise a much needed $42,000.00 for the Parkdale Community Foodbank that supports more than 6,000 families every month across the Downtown and West End.

Mayor Olivia Chow and Deputy Mayor Mike Colle joined us today for Official Race Start duties, and then jumped in to participate in the 5K and 8K races respectively.

Our 8K champions:

Jeremy Coughler (23:40)
Alexandra Lucki (27:23)

Our 5K Champions:

Jacob Zerko (15:58)
Mikayla Ryan (18:34)

This year’s Finishers’ medals are arguably the best-ever, by CRS designer Inge Johnson featuring the Maple Leaf Garden near Grenadier Pond with nature all around, with the theme continued in this year’s participant t-shirts, created by local artist Mark Serrano whose focus is on The Spring Run-Off and the nature and beauty within the park that we pass by. For more information, visit: https://canadarunningseries.com/spring-run-off/

Media Contact:
Bonnie Taylor
media@canadarunningseries.com
(647) 401-0974

About Canada Running Series

Canada Running Series is Canada’s premier road race series, offering seven annual events nationwide. Since 2017, CRS’s flagship event, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, has served as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. In 2023, CRS raised over $3.5 million for over 200 local charities through the Charity Challenge.

Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

Apr 01 2024
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Media Advisory: Mayor Olivia Chow and Ehab El Sandali return to the Spring Run-Off 8K & 5K in High Park this weekend: it’s Opening Day for Canada Running Series in 2024!

By | Elite Athletes, General, Spring Run-Off | No Comments

TORONTO, April 1, 2024 – It’s Opening Day for running in Toronto this weekend featuring the return of Mayor Olivia Chow and Ehab El Sandali to the Spring Run-Off in beautiful High Park, the first race in 2024 for Canada Running Series. As Toronto’s oldest race still on the roads, it is an iconic beacon that Spring is finally here in the city. A sold-out crowd of 3,800 will participate in the 8K, 5K and 800m kids race, all steeped in tradition.  As always, piper Dave McGonigal will lead runners to the Start Lines of this 47th edition, there will be fresh maple syrup from Madawaska Maple products as prizing, and a delicious post-race pancake breakfast served up by Ubuntu Community Collective.

Back again, the “Kill The Hill challenge” is a race within a race. Just before participants cross the finish line they will fly up the final 365m of Spring Road Hill with the champions being proclaimed “Heroes of the Hill” for 2024! For the 2nd consecutive year, participants will also be going the distance to raise a much needed $35,000 for the Parkdale Community Foodbank that supports more than 6,000 families every month across the Downtown and West End.

Mayor Chow and Ehab El Sandali will return to challenge the hills of Toronto’s most scenic park after a 10-year hiatus. In 2014, they both competed in the Spring Run-Off 5K, Ehab crossing the finish line first in 16:39 with then “Olivia Chow” an impressive 701st of 1,346 participants. What a difference a decade makes! Toronto native Ehab went on to win the 5K again in 2015 and place 2nd in the 8K in 2016. A stellar 6-year career at Iona College followed, where he led his team to 6 NCAA Conference cross-country championships. He has represented Canada twice, turned professional with the Puma Elite team based in North Carolina in late 2022, and has lowered his 5K best time to 13:25 and 10,000m to 28:50.  And of course, “Olivia Chow” has become mayor of Canada’s largest city, showing leadership in many ways throughout our country and community, and championing a healthy city for its people. 

The women’s 8K race will offer an exciting three-way challenge between Erin Mawhinney, the champion at last year’s Under Armour Toronto 10K,  Toronto’s Alex Lucki who was 2nd at the 2022 Spring Run-Off after a strong cross-country career at the University of Maryland, and the experienced Laura Desjardins who was 3rd at Spring Run-Off 2023, 2nd at the race in 2018; and champion at last year’s 21K de Montreal which earned her a place on Canada’s national team to the NACAC Half Marathon. All three raced each other in the Athletics Canada 10K Championships in Ottawa last May with Mawhinney placing 9th overall, Lucki 12th and Desjardins 13th.

The men’s 8K race promises to be a tasty battle between Ehab and Thamesford’s Jeremy Coughler, the defending champion who has owned the race for the past 2 years.  Dundas’ Rob Kanko, who was 2nd last year, will also be on the Start Line plus strong up-and-coming talents Max Turek and Mitch Ubene. Turek was the 2022 U-Sports cross-country national champion and placed 8th at the Athletics Canada National Cross last November with Coughler 10th, Kanko 13th and Ubene 16th.

For those not fortunate to have grabbed a place on one of the start lines, everyone is invited to come out and cheer along with more than a dozen Toronto run crews at six official cheer sites around the picturesque courses. The run crew representation further reinforces Canada Running Series’ commitment to diversity and inclusion at the events and in the city, including Black Runners of the GTA, Chix Run the Six, Frontrunners, Pride TO, Parkdale Road Runners, High Park Rogue Runners, Kardia and RUNTOBEER. It’s a fun morning with great weather promised in a good cause; Spring has arrived in our city and Toronto will put its best foot forward. Together.

What: Spring Run-Off

Where: High Park, Toronto, ON

When: Saturday April 6, 2024

  • 10:00 a.m. 8K Race Starts
  • 11:15 a.m.5K Race Starts
  • 11:45 a.m. Kids Race Starts

Who: Canada Running Series Race Director, Alan Brookes, will be available for interviews. Interviews with select athletes may also be available upon request.

Where to park:

Please note that parking is not available within High Park on race day and the park is closed to vehicles on the weekends. Limited parking is available on side streets outside the park. For a list of Green P parking lots in the area, visit http://parking.greenp.com.

Mar 25 2024
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Announcing the Elite Field for the 2024 Spring Run-Off

By | Elite Athletes, Spring Run-Off | No Comments

Women’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
F-1 Erin Mawhinney Hamilton ON
F-2 Alexandra Lucki Toronto ON
F-3 Laura Desjardins Toronto ON
F-4 Salome Nyirarukundo Ottawa ON
F-5 Heidi Ohrling Collingwood ON
F-6 Olivia Roussel Toronto ON
F-7 Asia  Dwyer Toronto ON
F-8 Madeleine Sumner London ON
F-9 Laurel Buchanan Toronto ON
F-10 Stephanie  Ryall Hamilton ON
F-11 Bridget Leon Mississauga ON
F-12 Allison (Ali) Drynan Toronto ON

Men’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
1 Jeremy Coughler Thamesford ON
2 Ehab El-Sandali Durham NC
3 Rob Kanko Dundas ON
4 Kyle Grieve Toronto  ON
6 Mitchell Ubene Hamilton ON
7 Graham Baird Pickering ON
8 Robert  Kajuga  Ottawa ON
9 Dylan Alick Mississauga ON
10 Miles Avalos Toronto  ON
11 Matthew  Viveiros Etobicoke  ON
12 Samuel Kinahan Toronto ON
13 Brandon Raftis Toronto ON
14 Robert  Lawand Toronto ON
15 Matthew Lozano Ajax ON
16 Zach  Frangos Toronto ON
17 Alex Cyr Toronto ON
18 Caleb Beland Sudbury ON
19 Daniel Fournier Toronto ON
20 Aaron Manning Toronto ON
21 Paddy  Birch Toronto ON
22 Timothy Fowler Toronto ON
23 Shinsuke Adachi North York ON
24 Kevin Beatty Frankford ON
25 Jose Fuentes Hamilton ON
26 Robert van den Heuvel Woodbridge ON
27 Philip Oreopoulos Toronto ON
Nov 01 2023
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Beloved Canadian Olympic Coach Hugh Cameron Has Passed

By | Community Leaders, Elite Athletes | No Comments

By Paul Gains

One of Canada’s most successful distance running coaches Hugh Cameron passed away October 20th at the Amica Little Lake Retirement Home in Barrie, Ontario. He was 80.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years Nancy, three sons Mark, Rob and Paul and five grandchildren.

As the founder of both the Etobicoke Huskies and Newmarket Huskies track clubs, he was responsible for the development of literally hundreds of Canada’s most celebrated club runners, several of whom went on to represent this country at major international games. 

David Edge earned the silver medal for Canada at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh running a personal best of 2:11:08. He struggles to find adequate words to describe the relationship he had with Cameron. 

“I came from England and when you were in a race you were in a race not to hold hands but to win,” says Edge who also finished 6th at the 1983 Boston Marathon.  “That didn’t go over too well in Toronto. I wasn’t the most liked athlete but Hugh dealt with it. He guided me. In simpler terms, I owe so much to Hugh Cameron.”

Edge also represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles along with another of Cameron’s charges, Sylvia Ruegger, who finished 8th in the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon. That is still the best performance by a Canadian woman in the Olympic marathon. 

Prior to their departure for Los Angeles, Cameron, who was also the Olympic marathon coach for those Games, hand-delivered fliers to all the residents along the club’s favourite training circuit in Etobicoke inviting them to view their final training session. Onlookers turned out to wish the pair well.

It was a typical gesture by Cameron who never took a penny for coaching. And he never appeared to favour one athlete’s performance over another. Ruegger went on to set a national marathon record of 2:28:36 which stood for 28 years.

Although Ruegger and Edge were internationally associated with Cameron, his first successful marathoner was Mike Dyon who, in his debut at the 1977 National Capital Marathon in Ottawa, emerged victorious with a time of 2:18:05.

“I was really the guinea pig because we did a 28 mile run three weeks before Ottawa on hills along Weston road,” Dyon remembers. “We didn’t know any better. He said ‘let’s just practice.’ I think we ran 2:34 or so for the marathon and he said ‘you are ready’.

Dyon eventually won Ottawa three times, lowered his personal best to 2:14:28 and would finish 9th in the 1982 Commonwealth Games for Canada. As Cameron’s health deteriorated Dyon’s commitment to his friend and mentor never wavered. He would bring books for Cameron’s wife Nancy to read to her husband. 

Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Cameron worked for Kodak for 32 years mostly as Director of Human Resources. He helped Dyon obtain a summer job there. Moreover, the athletes were recipients of his extraordinary interpersonal skills.

Alison Wiley, who in 1983 earned the silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships and followed that up with an NCAA 3,000m title for Stanford University, sought Cameron upon her return to Toronto following graduation. She turned out to every club practice while working as a brand manager for Cadbury’s. Cameron’s support during this transitional period was strong.

‘I think he also probably sensed I was doing well in my career and moving up and he really fostered that,” Wiley reveals. “He knew me. He was helping me to be the best person I could be recognizing you were not always going to run at this intense level. 

“It was an interesting phase of my life and he was right there helping to shape it. I had an amazing father – and my mum and dad were great – they provided a loving home, a supportive home but I never had those conversations with my dad. They were with Hugh Cameron. Because he could relate the athlete to the business woman outside the track.”

Wiley became emotional remembering Cameron’s kindness to her and her family when her brother, also named Hugh, suffered an accident which left him paraplegic. 

“Hugh knew my brother but he never coached him,” she recalls, “ he would send him emails or call him. He would include him. Who does that? Once again such a deep thoughtful caring individual . My brother’s pain was his pain, was my pain. He reached out to people and that is really a beautiful trait.”

Among the athletes closest to Cameron was Dave Reid who remembers taking public transit to an Etobicoke Huskies workout one September night in 1975. Being a shy 12 year old, he watched the group from a distance then got on the bus and went home. After his father asked if he was going back for the next session he reluctantly agreed. From there the pair would forge an incredible relationship strengthened further when the Cameron family moved into the same neighbourhood. 

Reid would go on to set a Canadian interscholastic 1,500m record of 3:45.78  when he was in high school. Under Cameron’s tutelage he continued to improve representing Canada at three world cross country championships as well as the 1983 world athletics championships in Helsinki. In 1987, Reid set a Canadian senior 1,500m record of 3:37.84.

“He was coach of the Canadian team for the 1982 world cross country championships in Rome when I was a junior,” Reid recounts. “He had gone to every single athlete’s family and asked them to write letters to the athletes so they could open them up every day when they were in Rome. It was so they would feel comfortable and relaxed. Who does that?”

Reid would spend lots of time with Cameron’s family because of their close proximity. And when Reid hung up his racing shoes he got his start in coaching alongside Cameron. 

Coaching came naturally to Hugh Cameron according to his wife, Nancy, who said that besides coaching at Lakehead University in his 20’s, the seeds for a coaching career were sown much earlier. There was an oval in front of his house and he would organize races for kids.

“Hugh didn’t talk about his job at home,” she explains. “Sometimes I wish he had so I could share more in that. But I think he felt he wanted to maintain space between his job, his coaching and family.”

With a laugh she adds, ”I used to tease him that if I wasn’t also a runner he would be divorced.” 

Nancy is organizing a celebration of life at Northwest Barrie United Church November 18th. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Society or organization close to your heart in Hugh’s honour.

-30-

Sep 11 2023
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Announcing the Elite Field for the 2023 Under Armour Eastside 10K

By | Eastside 10k, Elite Athletes | No Comments

Women’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
F-1 Andrea Seccafien Guelph ON
F-2 Leslie Sexton Vancouver BC
F-3 Dayna Pidhoresky Vancouver BC
F-4 Samantha  Jory Vancouver BC
F-5 Glynis Sim Vancouver  BC
F-6 Kiana Gibson Vancouver BC
F-7 Katrina Sutton-Allison North Vancouver BC
F-8 Andrea Lee North Vancouver BC
F-9 Keila Stark Vancouver BC
F-10 Katherine Watson Vancouver BC
F-11 Charlotte Browning Burnaby BC
F-12 Megan Crocker Whistler  BC
F-13 Kathleen  Saxon  Edmonton  AB
F-14 Maria Sang Surrey BC
F-15 Rozlyn Boutin Vancouver  BC
F-16 Katrina Lim Burnaby BC
F-19 Carley Gering Victoria BC
F-20 Eriko Soma Vancouver BC

Men’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
M-1 Trevor Hofbauer Kelowna BC
M-3 Thomas Broatch Vancouver BC
M-4 Brendan Wong Coquitlam BC
M-5 Matthew  Hope Edmonton AB
M-6 Tyler  Dozzi Vancouver BC
M-7 Alexandre Ricard Squamish BC
M-8 Daniel Molushet Zewdu Victoria BC
M-9 Yemane Mulugeta Surrey BC
M-10 Evan Elder Vancouver BC
M-11 Kevin Friesen Port Coquitlam BC
M-12 Ryan Tyrell Hamilton ON
M-13 James Hoad London UK
M-14 Mitch  de Lange Thornton ON
M-15 Cole Dinsdale Burnaby BC
M-16 Alex Drover Calgary AB
M-17 Logan Arthur Edmonton  AB
M-18 Christian Gravel Vancouver  BC
M-19 Nicolas Jirot Abbotsford  BC
M-20 Julian Meyer Vancouver BC
M-21 Mark Klassen Mission BC
M-22 Riley Stuermer St. Albert AB
M-23 James Lamers Vancouver BC
M-24 Sam Wensink Langley BC
M-25 Ron  Loewen Surrey BC
M-26 Kyle Kimura Vancouver BC
M-27 Adam Buzinsky Vancouver BC
M-28 Michael Barber Victoria BC
M-29 Carlos Lesser Vancouver BC
M-30 Andrew Geiger Vancouver BC
M-31 Matt Melnik Delta BC
M-33 Nikolai Gauer Vancouver BC
M-34 Gus Amundson  Vancouver BC
M-35 Aryou Manouis Edmonton AB
M-36 Fernando  Medina Mossley ON
M-37 Evan Dunfee Richmond BC
M-38 Aven Kifle Surrey BC
Jun 16 2023
0

Announcing the Elite Field for the 2023 Vancouver Half Marathon

By | Elite Athletes, Vancouver Half Marathon | No Comments

Women’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
F1 Samantha  Jory Vancouver BC
F3 Sarah Inglis Surrey  BC
F6 Kathleen Lawrence Toronto ON
F7 Katherine Watson Vancouver BC
F8 Alison Gill Vancouver BC
F9 Maria Sang Surrey BC
F10 Sarah Carter North Vancouver BC
F11 Jen Millar Victoria  BC
F12 Eriko Soma Vancouver BC
F13 Moeko  Sanada  Vancouver BC
29 Joan Chung Toronto ON

Men’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
25 Thomas Nobbs Vancouver BC
2 Kevin Coffey  Kingston  ON 
3 Brendan Wong Coquitlam BC
4 Josh Kozelj Coquitlam BC
5 Derek Scott Vancouver  BC
6 Nicolas  Jirot  Abbotsford  BC
7 Adam Buzinsky Vancouver BC
8 Zac Labrie  Vancouver  BC
9 Ron  Loewen Surrey  BC
10 Imran Khoja Vancouver Bc
11 Drew  Nicholson Surrey BC
12 Gus Amundson  Vancouver BC
14 Graham Spry Vancouver  BC
15 Evan Dunfee Richmond BC
17 Jeremiah Ziak Vancouver  BC
18 David Morrissey Vancouver BC
22 Kris Butler Edmonton AB
24 Carlos Lesser Vancouver BC
Jun 13 2023
0

Tristan Woodfine Favoured at the Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

by Paul Gains

Among the 6,500 runners expected for the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K (June 17th) – the third stop on the 2023 Canada Running Series – Tristan Woodfine is the favourite. It’s a situation with which he appears entirely comfortable.

Considering the ups and downs he has faced the past two years, clearly he is back in the form which saw him beat the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifying standard in the 2021 London Marathon (2:10:51) only to be bumped from a potential Canadian team spot at the eleventh hour when Cam Levins ran 37 seconds faster.

Last fall the 29-year old – he turns 30 the day after the Toronto race – set a personal best at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon with his 62:42 clocking and more recently a personal best in the Valencia 10km (29:06). In the latter race he felt prepared to go much faster.

“There was a huge pileup and a bunch of people went down,” he recalls. “Luckily, I didn’t go down but I got caught up with people having gone down. The first few hundred meters was a complete crap show.

“There was a big group of guys running under 29-minute pace. I was about 10 seconds back at the first kilometre and missed running with the group. It would have been perfect to be in that group. Nevertheless, it was still a PB and you can never be upset about that.”

Now he looks forward to a fast time in Toronto. Although he denies lingering emotional effects from the Olympic campaign – an appeal was denied by Athletics Canada – it must have been a catastrophic moment in his running career.

“It was very disappointing at the time,” says Woodfine. “It’s tough when it’s not as simple as in the US where the top three (from the trials) go. The subjective criteria make it tougher to handle because it’s not cut and dried. I got over it and used it as motivation to train hard. The last couple of years I have just been plagued by little problems physically. Emotionally things have been great.”

After completing his paramedic studies at the Ontario Health and Technology College he put his selected vocation on hold recognizing that the energy level required for long shifts as a paramedic was not conducive to his running career. Now he is earning money with an online coaching program. At present he has about a dozen clients.

“That has taken off the past couple of years. It’s nice,” he reveals. “You are helping people achieve their goals in running. It’s a nice complement to the training you need to do for a marathon.”

Woodfine credits two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner, Reid Coolsaet, with his improvements the past year. The pair had occasionally trained together in Guelph when Coolsaet was with Speed River Track Club.

“Yes we have been working together almost a year now. It has been great. He has so much knowledge and experience in the sport which is really helpful when you are trying to navigate qualifying for the Olympics,” Woodfine explains. “He’s been there and done that. I have had a half marathon PB and a 10k PB since working with him.”

As it happens Coolsaet will also be running the Under Armour Toronto 10K along with ten of his running clients including Woodfine.

Although he is focused on trail running and not the roads where he had so much success the now 43-year-old Hamilton resident has a booming coaching business which he calls ‘Coolsaet Go’ a play on the ‘ready, set, go’ mantra. Asked his expectations this Saturday he laughs.

“Probably the least expectation I have had of a race for years just because I haven’t done any workouts on the roads,” he replies laughing.

“All my efforts have been on the trails. And, I am just coming back from an injury and getting ready for upcoming trail races. I don’t really have a clue. I have been feeling pretty good the last few weeks – I would like to break 33 minutes.”

Coolsaet’s uncertainty sets up a potential challenge with 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist, Rachel Hannah, who is keen to put behind her the disappointment of the recent national 10k championships in Ottawa. There she was clipped from behind and fell heavily to the pavement. That cost her almost a full week’s training.

“Potentially, I think a really good day would be 33 something,” Hannah says of her target. “That would be my ‘A’ goal. It would be awesome to run under 34.

“I am focusing more on the 10k distance because it does help my fall marathon. I will start another marathon build in July.”

Hannah, who set a new Glass City Marathon (Toledo) course record in April laughs at Coolsaet’s assertion he hopes to break 33 minutes. “Maybe Reid is underselling himself. I imagine he will run faster than that,” she says laughing.

In addition to her work as a dietician at the University of Guelph’s Health and Performance Centre – she commutes from her home in Port Elgin, Ontario once or twice a week preferring to work remotely – Hannah has been working at the McMaster University’s David Bradley Centre also.

Along with 5 Canadian titles to her credit at distances from 5k to the marathon Hannah, who recently became engaged, can point to a personal best 10k of 33:08 and 32:36.17 on the track.

This is the first year of Under Armour’s title partnership, following title partnerships of the Eastside 10K in Vancouver (2017 – present) and the Spring Run-Off in Toronto (2020 – 2022). The fast course along Toronto’s scenic waterfront is sure to provide the field with a fine opportunity for quick times.

For the complete start list, click here.

 

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About Canada Running Series

Canada Running Series is the nation’s premier running circuit with seven events: four in Toronto, two in Vancouver and one in Montreal. It annually attracts over 70,000 participants and raises more than $6 million for some 320 mostly local charities. The Series includes the World Athletics Elite Label TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships. Since 1999, CRS has gained international recognition for innovation and organization.

We are passionately committed to staging great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians and international stars to healthy lifestyle people and charity runners, and to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. Our mission is “building community through the sport of running.” More info: https://canadarunningseries.com/

 

For media access on race day, please contact Bonnie Taylor at media@canadarunningseries.com or call 647-401-0974.

Jun 07 2023
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New, inclusive prizing to be introduced beginning with the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

Canada Running Series is excited to announce the addition of new Open Prize categories at this year’s remaining events, beginning with the Under Armour Toronto 10K on June 17th, 2023. The events will be expanding cash prize eligibility to the Top 3 Men, Women and Non-Binary finishers. This prize money will be separate from the existing Canadian Men’s & Women’s prizing designated for elite athletes competing in the Athletics Canada Label races.

This is just the next step in an ongoing effort to make CRS events more inclusive experiences. In 2018, CRS began receiving feedback from participants looking for more inclusive gender options on registration forms.  In collaboration with Race Roster, MaxVO2, and The 519, we introduced two additional gender options for all CRS events – Non-binary and Prefer not to disclose – that were much more inclusive than the traditional Male & Female options.  

Since then, participants have been encouraged to participate as they identify when signing up for Canada Running Series events. Hundreds of events across the country and beyond have since enabled this same option on their Race Roster registration forms.  

In addition to being able to select more inclusive gender options, CRS also began providing Age Category prizing at all of our Canada Running Series events back in 2018 for the 3 gender categories awarding top 3 men, women and non-binary athletes in each 5-year age group. 

Additional awards and prizing details for Canada Running Series events can be found here.