Photo Op: Ottawa Marathon Torch Relay – Thursday, May 23
Ottawa, May 17, 2013 – Media are invited to cover parts of the Ottawa Marathon Torch Relay, which will take place, Thursday, May 23, 2013 between 7:30am and 3:00pm. More than 60 runners and special guests will be taking part in the Torch Relay, which will be officially kicking off Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
The relay runners take turns carrying the torch for ½ km legs of the 42.2 km relay. The route will follow along Carp Road to Carling Avenue, Richmond Road, Wellington Street, Somerset Street and Queen Elizabeth Drive before arriving at Ottawa City Hall. Torch Relay route.
Detailed schedule
| 7:25 a.m. | Lighting of the first torch in Marathon Village Photo op: Mayor Iordanis Louizos of Marathon, Greece will perform the ceremonial lighting of the Marathon Flame and pass it to the first relay participants Ottawa marathon legends Eleanor Thomas and John Stoddart (has run all Ottawa Marathons). Location: 2769 John Shaw Rd., Marathon Village, ON Speakers and VIPs: Mayor Iordanis Louizos of Marathon, Greece; Eleftherios Anghelopoulos, Greek Ambassador to Canada; Jim Reklitis, Hellenic Community of Ottawa President; John Halvorsen, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend President and Race Director, councillors Eli El-Chantiry and Marianne Wilkinson |
| 2:30-3:00 p.m. | Lighting of the cauldron at City Hall John Halvorsen and Jim Robinson pass the Marathon Torch to Pheidippides who presents it to Mayor Jim Watson. Location: Marion Dewar Plaza Speaker: Mayor Jim Watson |
Special guest runners
The Torch Relay will feature special guests including Ottawa City Councillors Diane Holmes, Katherine Hobbs and Eli El-Chantiry; broadcaster Mark Sutcliffe; Ottawa Sports Hall of Famers Sue Holloway and Lynn Nightingale; marathon legends Eleanor Thomas, Bill Stoddart and Bill Williams; and Canadian elite women’s marathoner Danelle Woods who will run with Y Kids marathoners.
Show us your Pheidippides contest
The 60+ torchbearers earned a spot in the Torch Relay by participating in the “Show us your Pheidippides” contest where runners were asked to submit photos of themselves in the iconic Pheidippides pose.
A gallery of the entries can be viewed here.
About the Ottawa Marathon Torch Relay
The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend through the support of the Greek Embassy, the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), the Hellenic Community of Ottawa and the Municipality of Marathon, Greece the Marathon Flame will host its first ever Torch Relay on Thursday, May 23, 2013.
The Marathon Flame is lit every November, one day before the Athens Classic Marathon, during a special ritual in the birthplace of the marathon race. Since 2007, the Flame has travelled to marathon events in Boston, Chicago, Italy, Serbia, China, and Toronto, to name a few.
Information:
Annie Boucher – Media relations
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
613-863-3702
boucher@fusecommunications.ca
@runfuse | @ottawamarathon