News & Releases >> Aug 24 2006
NEWS Aug 24 2006
Team Canada announced for Scotiabank International Team Challenge
Team Canada announced, to go head to head with Team GB, Team Mexico, and Team America (USA), in expanded International Team Challenge at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 24th
TORONTO. August 24th. Team Canada selection was announced today, for the International Team Challenge at this year's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 24th.
The 2-male, 2-female team will consist of Ryan Day of Kitimat, BC, Peter Vail, a Haligonian now training in Boulder, Colorado, Tania Jones of Maple, ON, and Kristina Rody of Guelph.
Team Canada won the inaugural Scotiabank International Team Challenge last year over Team GB. Thanks to additional sponsorship from Scotiabank, the contest has been expanded this year to include Team America [USA] and Team Mexico, as well as Canada and Great Britain. All four runners count, and their times are added together to determine the winners.
The teams are "official" national teams, designated at a "developmental" level.
"The Challenge is really aimed at up and coming athletes who can run in the 2:15 to 2:20 range [men] and the 2:35 to 2:45 range [women]," said Race Director, Alan Brookes. "We cover all travel, accommodation and food expenses, giving developing athletes from Canada, USA, UK and Mexico the opportunity to compete at an international level, and run a fast time. They get to stay in our 'Athletes Village' hotel with all the top Africans while in Toronto, and gain invaluable experience at the top level."
On the other hand, the race also receives another important component, some great stories, and some added depth, as Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront continues its advance into the upper echelons of international marathons. The Scotiabank International Team Challenge adds even more excitement to Canada's most-competitive marathon field. After the top African finishers cross the line between 2:10 and 2:13 [men] and around 2:30 for the women, the International Team Challenge athletes will provide another "race within a race", with national pride [as well as some new prize money] on the line. Besides bragging rights on 2 continents and a handsome trophy, the winning team will receive $4,000, 2nd place gets $2,000, and 3rd place wins $1,000 [per team].
Ryan Day of Team Canada, from Kitimat, BC, has a marathon PR of 2:19:55
Peter Vail of Team Canada, who now lives and trains under marathon great, Steve Jones in Boulder, CO
This year's Challenge is expected to provide an exciting and close contest. Team Canada is solid all-round, with Kitimat's Ryan Day [PR 2:19:55 in 2004] and Nova Scotia's Peter Vail [PR 2:21:54 in 2005] both hoping for sub 2:20's. Ryan is a member of the Secwepemc Nation (Bonaparte Band). After a slow start to the 2006 season, his training really took a major boost in May, encouraged by his participation in a Prayer Run for World Peace. This was a relay run by indigenous youth from Vancouver to Anchorage, Alaska. As a group, they ran 70-90 miles daily for 6 weeks, leading up to World Peace and Prayer Day on the summer solstice, June 21. [More information can be found about the run at www.wolakota.org]. The experience gave Ryan a major boost, and he's looking for a PR on Toronto's Waterfront.
Tania Jones of Team Canada, 3rd in STWM 2005
Kristina Rody of Team Canada is aiming for sub 2:40
The women on Team Canada are led by Maple, Ontario's Tania Jones, an experienced veteran, with a PR of 2:39:10. She was also on last year's victorious team. If she can come close to 2:40, and newcomer Kristina Rody [35:03 10K PR], a graduate student from the University of Guelph, can come in close behind, Team Canada has an outside chance. Rody has her sights aimed high: "My last marathon in May of 2004, I ran 2:48:05. For Waterfront, I've set a goal of 2:39:59 (well really anytime under 2:40) as I work towards my long-term running goals."
On paper, however, the battle for top spot should be between the Brits and the Mexicans. The Team GB men are solid, with Cardiff's Rich Gardiner and London's John McFarlane, who ran 2:18 and 2:19, respectively, this Spring. Their women are their trump cards, with both Jenny Clague from Liverpool and Leamington's Sue Harrison likely to go under 2:35 on a good day. Clague is an especially great story. As a junior she was a close rival of current marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe, only to be sidelined for a decade with chronic injury problems. Now healthy and on the comeback trail, she was the #2 British female at this Spring's London Marathon: on the Waterfront, she should run 2:33 or better. [for full story see www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/news/Jun_13_06.htm].
The strengths are reversed on the talented Mexican team. Their men are the class of the Challenge. Gualberto Vargas, from Leon, has run 2:13:51, within the past 2 years, at Maratón del Gran Pacífico, in Mazatlan. This Spring, at Lala Marathon in Torreon, 1000m above sea level and 25+ degrees Celcius, he ran 2:17:35 for 10th. In the same race, Rito Regules from Santa Maria Rayón, ran his PR of 2:16:28, for 5th. Their female teammates, however, are not quite so strong. Liliana Merlo from Mexico City ran her PR of 2:41:57 at Lala Marathon this March. Jessica Rodríguez, from Guanajuato, has only run a 2:50 marathon, but a 35:31 10k run this summer hints at the possibility of a much faster marathon time.
Rito Regules and Liliana Merlo winning Banamex 10 Miler, Mexico City, May 28th, 2006
Right now, it's a 3-way tussle, and just too close to call, with Team America [USA] to be announced next week!
Like last year, recreational runners will also be able to identify with their national teams by picking up wristbands at the Oasis Running, Health & Fitness Expo [Registration area], to sport their national colours around the course on the 24th. Spectators are encouraged to cheer on Canadians, as well as the almost 1,000 Americans, 200 Brits and 100 Mexican runners participating in this year's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon: Go Canada Go!