Athletics Canada 2011 Canadian Championship Series kicks off Sunday with Half Marathon
Reid Coolsaet
OTTAWA – The Canadian Half Marathon Championships are set for this Sunday in Montreal serving as the kick off to Athletics Canada’s 2011 Canadian Championship Series. The Half Marathon Championships are hosted for the fourth consecutive year in conjunction with the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal. Organized and staged by Canada Running Series, the race on Sunday begins at 10:00am with the course looping through Parc Jean-Drapeau on both Ste-Helene and Notre Dame Islands.Elites vying for Canadian Half Marathon championship
Matt Loiselle from Toronto is gunning for his third consecutive title with competition coming from his teammate Andrew Smith, also of Toronto. Loiselle and Smith finished 1-2 at the 2009 event, with Smith taking the title in 2008. Hamilton, ON’s Reid Coolsaet should join them at the front of the pack, he who ran the Olympic marathon A standard in the Fall at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
The women’s field features a whole new line-up taking to the road for the crown. Megan Brown of Guelph, ON has recently moved up to longer distance events and is aiming for a personal best on Sunday. Brown is an accomplished middle distance and 10-kilometre road runner. Tecumseh, ON’s Dayna Pidhoresky placed second at the 2010 Canadian Cross Country Championships and has been tearing up the roads since; she will be looking for her first national title in Montreal. London, ON’s Lanni Merchant and Calgary, AB’s Emily Korshus are two others to keep a close eye on; both are always tough over the half marathon distance and could land a victory.
For the complete list of Elites visit: http://www.canadarunningseries.com/monthalf_en/montAWARDS.htm#startlist.
Award Structure (Men and Women):
| 1st | $2000 |
| 2nd | $1200 |
| 3rd | $1000 |
| 4th | $800 |
| 5th | $500 |
*In order to be eligible to receive Canadian Championship prize money and awards athletes must be a member of Athletics Canada through one of the provincial branches.
2011 Canadian Championship Series
| Date | Event | Location |
| April 30 | Canadian 10km Wheelchair Championships | Montreal, QC |
| May 29 | Canadian Marathon Championships | Ottawa, ON |
| June 22-25 | Canadian Track and Field Championships | Calgary, AB |
| July 8-10 | Canadian Junior Championships | Winnipeg, MB |
| August 5-7 | Legion Canadian Youth Championships | Ottawa, ON |
| September 24 | Canadian 10km Championships | Toronto, ON |
| November 26 | Canadian Cross Country Championships | Vancouver, BC |
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