Canadian Marathon Championships for Ottawa

OTTAWA – Held as part of Ottawa Race Weekend, the 2011 Canadian Marathon Championships will take place May 29 in the nation’s capital. The Championships will serve as the last opportunity for Canadian athletes looking to qualify for the 2011 World Championships and 2011 Pan American Games in the marathon discipline. Athletes can also register performances towards qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Lucas McAneney of Toronto, ON is the top registered competitor on the men’s side, last month at the Canadian Half Marathon Championships in Montreal he finished 4th. Terry Gehl of St-Charles, QC, Christian Mercier of Quebec, QC and Derek Nakluski of Kitchener, ON, will all be gunning to land top five finishes in Ottawa.

On the women’s side Myriam Grenon of Longueuil, QC will be looking to improve on her second place finish from the 2010 Canadian Marathon Championships. She’ll face stiff competition from Emily Kroshus of Calgary, AB and Lanni Marchant of London, ON; all three are expected to contend for the podium on race day.

Ottawa Race Weekend will also feature a 10K race on Saturday May 28 which will include some of Canada’s top elite distance talent. The men’s race is especially stacked with Canadians Simon Bairu, Eric Gillis and Dylan Wykes set to take on some of the world’s fastest men over 10-kilometres.

Megan Brown is the top Canadian entry in the women’s 10K race, Brown won the title at last month’s Canadian Half Marathon Championships.