2020 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Transitions to a Virtual Race

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TORONTO – Monday, July 13, 2020 – The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, set to take place on Sunday October 18th has been cancelled. Working closely with the City of Toronto and Mayor John Tory, event organizers Canada Running Series have made the decision to cancel the international event that generates $35 million in economic impact annually, due to COVID-19 related health and safety concerns.

“Sadly, we have reached a point where it is clear we will not be able to bring a mass event of 25,000 people from more than 75 countries, safely to downtown Toronto this October, and have officially canceled the 2020 in-person event,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. “We have shared so many unforgettable moments over 30 years at this race and are enormously disappointed. We greatly appreciate the support and understanding of the community and are pleased to announce that we will be transitioning to a virtual event this year, to continue to offer the best possible running and fundraising goals in these challenging times.”

“Although, this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will not be taking place in person, I want to thank Canada Running Series for putting the health and safety of spectators, runners and volunteers first by organizing a virtual event,” said Mayor Tory. “The virtual race this year presents a great opportunity to train and stay active throughout the summer and into the fall. I encourage residents to participate this year or to cheer on all the participants who are raising money for over 150 charity organizations in our community through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. I know I speak for Torontonians across this city when I say I look forward to 2021 when we can come together again and celebrate our vibrant city.”

“Every year, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon brings people together from around the world to raise millions of dollars for charity,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. “While there are a few changes to the run this year that put everyone’s health and safety first, it’s more important than ever to find ways to support those who might be in need during these unprecedented times. I encourage everyone to participate in this community-building event if they can, and support a great cause.”

All currently registered runners have been contacted with information regarding their 2020 registrations. New runners who want to sign-up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Virtual Race can do so starting today at STWM.ca. The virtual event includes two new distance options: a four-person marathon relay and a 10K as well as the traditional marathon, half marathon and 5K.

The virtual event will be supported by a training program from Running Room and New Balance, who will also be designing official race merchandise. Participants will be invited to stay connected online in a variety of ways including bi-weekly Facebook Live get-togethers, a new running podcast and Spotify playlists to motivate them on training runs.

Unchanged, participants can sign up to fundraise for one of the race’s official charity partners in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. In 2019, participants raised over $3.5 million for 190 community charities. Every Dollar Helps. We encourage those in the position to do so, to support our charitable partners, who need our help now more than ever.

“Since 1990, like running itself, we’ve had good days and bad days” reflected Brookes. “We’ve learned to bear down and overcome injuries, illness, a multitude of setbacks and adversity. And now we have COVID-19″ said Brookes. “But our community is made of sterner stuff: dedicated, determined, courageous and strong. Together, we will prevail and return to the races that are beacons of solidarity and joy in our country and our lives.”

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Virtual Race will take place between October 1st and 31st 2020. Online registration is open now at http://STWM.ca

About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

One of only 5 World Athletics Gold Label marathons in all of The Americas, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier, big-city running event, the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships, and the Grand Finale of the 8-race Canada Running Series. In 2019, it attracted 25,000 participants from 70 countries, raised $3.5 million for nearly 200 charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, and contributed an estimated $35 million to the local economy. The livestream broadcast was watched by more than 132,000 viewers from 79 countries. http://STWM.ca

Media Contact

Jenna Pettinato, Manager of Communications
jenna@canadarunningseries.com

Philemon Rono

Records Galore at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon celebrated its 30th edition with perfect weather conditions and the athletes responded.

Four men ran under Philemon Rono’s Canadian All Comers’ record led by the diminutive Kenyan himself at 2:05:00Philemon Rono

Lemi Berhanu of Ethiopia, the 2016 Boston Marathon champion, finished second though he had to be overhauled in the closing stages. His time was 2:05:09. He was followed by Felix Chemonges who broke the Ugandan national record held by Olympic champion Stephen Kiproticih with his 2:05:12. Defending Toronto Waterfront champion followed him in, just a second behind.

While the men’s race was incredible for its quality the women’s race saw no less than nine elite women run behind pacemakers through 30km before Magdalyne Masai-Robertson decided she would test the competition. Surging ahead at around 38 kilometers she set a new course record of 2:22:16 knocking four minutes off her best and also earning the women’s all-comers record by a mere second.

Ethiopia’s Biruktayit Eshetu was second in 2:22:40 with late addition Betsy Saina finishing third in 2:22:43. She had suffered food poisoning before last week’s Chicago Marathon and dropped out at half way. Her agent asked for a place in Toronto on Tuesday. All three women set personal bests. All three were delighted with their results.

“I didn’t realize there was nobody behind me until 40km,” Masai-Robertson said. “Yes, exactly I was running scared. You don’t want to give it all out and then have someone passing you with a couple of hundred meters to go. After 40km I checked behind. I thought ‘I can hold this.’

“I am really happy, just like I said before I had the perfect preparation for a marathon. The conditions were just perfect for a marathon race.”

Trevor HofbauerThe race served as both the Canadian Marathon Trials for the Tokyo 2020 games and Athletics Canada national championships with an unprecedented number of domestic entries chasing the automatic qualifying standards of 2:11:30 for men and 2:29:30 for women.

Brave running by Trevor Hofbauer and Dayna Pidhoresky earned them enormous personal best times – by seven minutes – and Tokyo 2020 standards.

Hofbauer finished 7th overall with 2:09:51 the second fastest time by a Canadian of all time. The normally laid back Calgarian summed up his performance succinctly.

“I never looked at the splits or anything,” he admitted. “I didn’t know what time I was going to run until I came around the corner (to see the finish). Pretty cool experience. Give me a few days and it will sink in.” Trevor wasn’t even wearing a watch that day.

Later he revealed that he had been inspired by Cam Levins’ performance in Toronto last year when he beat Jerome Drayton’s 43 year old Canadian record with his 2:09:25. Training alone for the most part he pledges to continue training in Calgary where he is content.

Pidhoresky went out at an ambitious pace and while her husband/coach Josh Seifarth watched Dayna Pidhoreskynervously at the finish she booked her place on the Tokyo team by winning the Canadian title and beating the standard with her 2:09:03 personal best. That earned her 10th place in the women’s race.

There were other encouraging performances that might go otherwise unnoticed. Emily Setlack set a personal best as second Canadian with a time or 2:29:48. Tristan Woodfine improved his personal best to 2:13:16 while Cam Levins endured a hard day at the office finishing in 2:15:01.

The national master’s record went to two time Olympian Reid Coolsaet as the 40 year old finished in 2:15:23. Ever the optimist he revealed he was close to getting 2:14 but ran his last three kilometers a minute slower than he had been averaging.

All in all, it was a great day for a marathon with two all-comers records smashed and two Canadians have earned their place on the Tokyo 2020 team.

Congratulations to all runners.