Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend to host Canadian 10K Championships beginning in 2015

June 24, 2014 (OTTAWA) – Athletics Canada today announced the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend as home to the Canadian 10K Championships beginning in May 2015. The Ottawa 10K is the only IAAF silver label 10K in Canada, and was ranked the top 10K race in the world by All-Athletics.com in 2013.

Canadian Championship races are open to all Athletics Canada members. First place winners at the Canadian 10k Championships will not only receive the national title, but they will be in contention to win a portion of the $9,000 Canadian-only prize purse and of the $30,000 open prize purse.

The 2015 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 23-24, 2015.

Key facts:

  • Reid Coolsaet and Lanni Marchant won the 2013 Canadian 10K Championships held at the Oasis ZooRun in Toronto.
  • The Ottawa Marathon has hosted Athletics Canada’s Canadian Marathon Championships for the past 10 years.
  • Eric Gillis of Guelph, Ontario, and Rhiannon Johns of Sault Ste-Marie, Ontario, won the 2014 Canadian Marathon Championships.
  • The Canadian 10K Championships are a stop on the Timex National Road Race Series, which consists of provincial series held throughout the year across the country.

Quotes:

“As Canada’s only IAAF sanctioned 10K event, we are very happy to host the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa. We look forward to seeing Canada’s top runners compete on our fast 10K course next year.” – John Halvorsen, President of Run Ottawa and Race Director of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

“Hosting the National 10K Championships at the Ottawa 10k, will afford our top Canadian athletes an unparalleled opportunity to earn a national title while competing against the world’s best on one of the fastest courses in the world. I’m hoping this will result in an even deeper Canadian field in the upcoming years.” – Manny Rodrigues, Elite Athlete Coordinator, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

“The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend has always been an outstanding event and we look forward to working with John and the organizing committee in ensuring the 10K Championships provide a great experience and quality competition. It will be an excellent weekend for everyone. Road running is an important part of Athletics Canada’s long term vision, and a quality partner like Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend allows us to demonstrate this.” – Rob Guy, Chief Executive Officer, Athletics Canada.

About the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

The 2014 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend welcomed close to 47,500 participants in six races, including the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, the Scotiabank Half-Marathon, the Lowertown Brewery Ottawa 10K, the HTG Sports 5K, the 2K and Scotiabank Kids Marathon. The Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon and Lowertown Brewery Ottawa 10K are both designated Silver Label IAAF events by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF). Run Ottawa, the organization behind the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, is dedicated to promoting the sport of running and enhancing the health and well-being of our community by organizing distinctive world-class and local races, and managing an active, membership-based running club. Visit us at www.runottawa.ca.

Information: Annie Boucher Media relations Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 613-863-3702 boucher@fusecommunications.ca @aboucherfuse  |   @ottawamarathon