FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laurie Davison
Marketing and Communications
(613) 277-2980
WOMEN AND WHEELCHAIR MARATHON RECORDS SHATTERED AT ING OTTAWA MARATHON
Record participation for 32nd Ottawa Race Weekend;
Morrocan crowned male marathon champion
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – A 22-year old record was shattered in the women’s
marathon today as Canadian Lioudmilla Kortchaguina crossed the finish line
of the 2006 ING Ottawa Marathon with a new course - and personal - record
with a time of 2:29:42. Ethiopian Moges Zebenaye (2:36:14) and Helena
Loshanyang Kirprop of Kenya (2:37:43) followed. Tania Jones was the second
Canadian to cross the finish line, and 4th overall with a time of 2:43:00.
In the men’s category, Morrocan Abderrahime Bouramdane was declared
champion with a time of 2:12:18. Fellow countryman Zaid Laaroussi (2:12:59)
was second and Great Britain native Brad Poore (2:24:28) was third. Charles
Bedley, from Toronto, was crowned the new Canadian champion as he finished
fifth with a time of 2:27:58.
In the first ever Canadian Wheelchair Marathon championships, five-time
paralympic athlete Jeff Adams captured the title with a blistering
performance of 1:33:48, setting a new Canadian soil record. He was followed
by Alan Bergman of Ottawa (1:33:50) and 21-year old Josh Cassidy of
Oakville (1:33:50).
"A new course record for the women, a new record for men’s wheelchair
championship and a new record in participation – this has truly been an
incredible weekend," says Susan Longbottom, President of the Ottawa Race
Weekend.
TORONTO CAPTURES FASTEST CITY TITLE FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
Toronto was crowned as Canada’s fastest city as part of the ING Run for
Something Better, a race within the race, which began as a project to
introduce less-fortunate youth to the sport of distance running. Running
clubs from 10 Canadian cities each sent two athletes, their best male and
female marathoners, to compete for a share of the $68,000 in prize money
donated by ING Canada. Toronto was the city with the fastest combined times
of the two runners with a total of 5:21:38. Montreal captured second with a
combined time of 5:31:06, followed by Vancouver (5:34:00). Beyond bragging
rights for the ‘fastest Canadian city’, the Toronto running club received
$10,000 for athletic programs that involve less-fortunate youth.
RECORD PARTICIPATION AT OTTAWA RACE WEEKEND
Throughout the weekend, another record participation was recorded as 29,364
runners took part in one of the nine races on the schedule. Here are the
numbers of participants for each racing event:
ING Ottawa Marathon: 4,216
ING Ottawa Half Marathon: 8,274
ING Family 2K: 2,449
ING Inline Skate Marathon: 361
ING Inline Skate Half Marathon: 531
ING Wheelchair Marathon: 9
MDS Nordion 5K: 6,567
MDS Nordion 10K: 7,316
GRAND TOTAL: 29,364
Here are the top ten males and females in the ING Ottawa Marathon:
MEN’S CATEGORY
Abderrahime Bouramdane, Morrocco, 2:12:18
Zaid Laaroussi, Morrocco, 2:12:59
Brad Poore, Great Britain, 2:24:28
Elly Rono, Kenya, 2:26:20
Charles Bedley, Toronto, Canada, 2:27:58
Jason Loutitt, Banff, Canada, 2:29:37
Richard Cartier, Sainte-Adèle, Canada, 2:31:48
Mark Cucuzzella, USA, 2:32:05
Michel Lavoie, Laval, Canada, 2:32:06
Louis-Phillipe Garnier, Canada, 2:32:48
WOMEN’S CATEGORY
Lioudmila Kortchaguina, Thornhill, Canada, 2:29:43
Moges Zebenaye, Ethiopia, 2:36:15
Helena Loshanyang Kiprop, Kenya, 2:37:42
Tania Jones, Richmond Hill, Canada, 2:42:57
Magdalene Syombua Makunzi, Kenya, 2:49:54
Paola Ventrella, Italy, 2:50:55
Paula Weltse, Kinston, Kenya, 2:51:06
Nancy Baxendale, Shawnigan Lake, Canada, 2:56:51
Myriam Grenon, Longeuil, Canada, 2:58:22
Susan Pierson, Nenah, USA, 2:58:41
HALF-MARATHON RESULTS
With 8,274 runners, the ING Ottawa Half Marathon was by far the most
popular race of the weekend and one of North America’s most popular half
marathons.
Here are the top three males and females in the ING Ottawa Half Marathon:
MEN:
Mouhssin Moubsit, Morrocco, 1:05:49
Nabil Benkrama, Algeria, 1:06:40
Khaireddine Hamsi, Algeria, 1:09:01
WOMEN:
Meryem Khali, Morrocco, 1:17:24
Bouchra Shali, Morrocco, 1:17:43
Marie Danais, Canada, 1:25:29
MARATHONER WINS 2006 HYUNDAI ACCENT!
Ottawa marathoner Jey Feyko, 33, was awarded more than a medal when he
crossed the finish line of the ING Ottawa Marathon, he was also handed the
keys to a new 2006 Hyundai Accent, courtesy of Pathway Hyundai. Feyko was
randomly selected from all marathon and half marathon participants as the
winner of the Run-to-Win Car Give-away!
ABOUT THE OTTAWA RACE WEEKEND
The Ottawa Race Weekend, Canada's premier running festival, combines
competition, participation and fundraising to make a distinctive
contribution to the health of the community. The Race Weekend welcomed 29,
364 participants this year in nine races, including the ING Ottawa Marathon
and the MDS Nordion 10K. It is run by a volunteer Board of Directors.
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