Ottawa Race Weekend
The Ottawa Race Weekend is an annual weekend of road running events, which is held the last weekend of May in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The event took on the name Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend in 2012 when Ottawa-based Tamarack Homes joined as title sponsor.
Ottawa Race Weekend | |
---|---|
Date | 4th weekend of May |
Location | Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec |
Event type | Road |
Distance | Marathon, Half marathon, 10K run, 5K run, 2K, 1.2K Kids Marathon |
Primary sponsor | Tamarack, Scotiabank |
Established | 1975 |
Course records | Marathon: Men: Women: 10K: Men: Women: |
Official site | Ottawa Race Weekend |
Participants | 9,755 (2019) |
The two-day running event includes seven races, all of which start and end at Ottawa City Hall: a 1.2 km kids marathon, 2K, 5K, 10K, half marathon, wheelchair marathon, and marathon.[1] Over 40,000 participants take part in the races each year.
The signature event of the weekend is the Ottawa Marathon, which was first held in 1975. Today it is the largest marathon event in Canada and is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. The event is also home to the Canadian Marathon Championships and the Canadian Forces Marathon Championships.
The Ottawa Race Weekend was at one point the only road racing event in the world to host two IAAF Silver Label events: the 10K and the Ottawa Marathon. In 2014 the 10k became the first IAAF Gold Label road race in Canada.[2][3] In October 22, 2015, the Marathon also became an IAAF Gold Label road race.[4][5]
In 2020 Ottawa Race Weekend was canceled due to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, which had postponed or canceled nearly all large races, closed most places of commerce and worship, and shut down most gatherings of 10 or more people. Organizers declined to refund participants, but offered a 50 percent discount on 2021 Race Weekend events. Although many people who had paid for the races questioned the choice, organizers said they had already spent a large percentage of revenues prior to Race Weekend.[6]
Organization
The event is organized by Run Ottawa, a not-for-profit organization. More than 2,000 volunteers, including a volunteer race committee, support a team of five full-time staff in organizing the event.
Expo
The Ottawa Race Weekend includes Canada’s largest health and fitness expo, which opens on the Thursday before the weekend.
Charitable contribution
Each year, participants in the Ottawa Race Weekend raise close to $1 million for approximately 25 local and national charities affiliated with the event.
History
- 1975: 146 runners, 143 men and 3 women, participate in the inaugural Ottawa Marathon.
- 1986: 10K distance is added.
- 1995: Inline skating is permitted on the marathon course.
- 1996: Jim Robinson joins as the Race Director.
- 1998: 5K distance and half-marathon are added. Ottawa becomes the first running event in Canada to be chip-timed.
- 1999: 2K distance is added.
- 2005: Inline skating is no longer permitted.
- 2006: Fourteen runners cut 400m off the course after a local resident moves the barricades. Amos Tirop Matui of Kenya placed first but was disqualified along with the other thirteen runners. Some runners were financially compensated.[7]
- 2010: Rick Ball breaks world record for a single-leg amputee in a marathon.
- 2012: Jim Robinson retires and two-time Olympian, and previous Ottawa 10K course record holder John Halvorsen is named Race Director.
- 2013: Close to 44,000 people participate in the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, making it the largest multi-race road racing event in Canada.
- 2014: Ottawa Marathon celebrates 40 years; 48,000 people expected to participate in the weekend’s seven events.
- 2016: A heat wave caused temperatures during Ottawa Race Weekend to exceed 30 degrees at times. The start times of some events were modified.[8]
- 2019: A closure of Elgin Street for construction[9] and a closure of the Chaudière Crossing due to flooding forced Ottawa Race Weekend to modify its route.[10]
- 2019: Ian Fraser is appointed race director.[11]
- 2020: Ottawa Race Weekend is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
Past winners
Key: Course record Canadian championship race
Marathon
Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (h:m:s) | Women's winner | Time (h:m:s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | canceled due to coronavirus pandemic[13] | ||||
45th | 2019 | 2:08:03 | 2:26:34 | ||
44th | 2018 | 2:08:52 | 2:22:17 | ||
43rd | 2017 | 2:10:14 | 2:30:18 | ||
42nd | 2016 | 2:08:14 | 2:27:06 | ||
41st | 2015 | 2:08:14 | 2:25:30 | ||
40th | 2014 | 2:06:54 | 2:24:30 | ||
39th | 2013 | 2:08:04.8 | 2:25:30.1 | ||
38th | 2012 | 2:09:12.9 | 2:28:46 | ||
37th | 2011 | 2:10:17.9 | 2:32:14.0 | ||
36th | 2010 | 2:09:33.4 | 2:28:19 | ||
35th | 2009 | 2:13:22.6 | 2:27:40.9 | ||
34th | 2008 | 2:10:59.8 | 2:28:43.9 | ||
33rd | 2007 | 2:10:35.4 | 2:31:56.6 | ||
32nd | 2006 † | 2:12:18.2 | 2:29:42.1 | ||
31st | 2005 | 2:14:20.3 | 2:31:52.7 | ||
30th | 2004 | 2:11:47.4 | 2:30:53.0 | ||
29th | 2003 | 2:15:29.2 | 2:33:51.9 | ||
28th | 2002 | 2:14:04.0 | 2:33:13.3 | ||
27th | 2001 | 2:15:50.5 | 2:37:58.9 | ||
26th | 2000 | 2:17:12.5 | 2:36:45.1 | ||
25th | 1999 | 2:22:24.7 | 2:39:56.4 | ||
24th | 1998 | 2:31:16 | 2:49:06 | ||
23rd | 1997 | 2:25:16 | 3:01:46 | ||
22nd | 1996 | 2:26:02 | 2:52:03 | ||
21st | 1995 | 2:26:53 | 2:58:51 | ||
20th | 1994 | 2:19:00 | 2:50:52 | ||
19th | 1993 | 2:23:14 | 2:52:31 | ||
18th | 1992 | 2:20:03 | 2:47:55 | ||
17th | 1991 | 2:23:44 | 2:51:00 | ||
16th | 1990 | 2:18:38 | 2:49:33 | ||
15th | 1989 | 2:14:33 | 2:44:58 | ||
14th | 1988 | 2:18:40 | 2:52:08 | ||
13th | 1987 | 2:12:58 | 2:40:59 | ||
12th | 1986 | 2:18:24 | 2:54:25 | ||
11th | 1985 | 2:16:18 | 2:47:56 | ||
10th | 1984 | 2:13:19 | 2:30:37 | ||
9th | 1983 | 2:21:37 | 2:54:13 | ||
8th | 1982 | 2:21:04 | 2:50:50 | ||
7th | 1981 | 2:16:07 | 2:48:54 | ||
6th | 1980 | 2:22:54 | 2:42:50 | ||
5th | 1979 | 2:18:05 | 2:47:58 | ||
4th | 1978 | 2:16:03 | 2:47:37 | ||
3rd | 1977 | 2:18:05 | 3:02:22 | ||
2nd | 1976 | 2:16:32 | 3:09:27 | ||
1st | 1975 | 2:26:39 | 3:27:28 |
- † Bouramdane was declared the official winner. A number of faster runners, led by Amos Tirop Matui, were disqualified after a route error caused them to cut 400 m off the true marathon distance.[14]
10K race
Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[13] | ||||
34th | 2019 | 28:12 | 31:09 | ||
33rd | 2018 | 27:48 | 31:36 | ||
32nd | 2017 | 28:42.1 | 31:34.1 | ||
31st | 2016 | 28:36.5 | 31:29 | ||
30th | 2015 | 27:55 | 30:56 | ||
29th | 2014 | 28:00 | 31:22 | ||
28th | 2013 | 27:36.6 | 31:45.7 | ||
27th | 2012 | 27:41.4 | 33:12.8 | ||
26th | 2011 | 28:30.3 | 31:43.2 | ||
25th | 2010 | 28:08.9 | 32:11.5 | ||
24th | 2009 | 27:23.9 | 31:50.4 | ||
23rd | 2008 | 28:37.0 | 32:42.1 | ||
22nd | 2007 | 28:29.1 | 33:01.2 | ||
21st | 2006 | 28:29.5 | 32:05.0 | ||
20th | 2005 | 28:55.7 | 31:24.4 | ||
19th | 2004 | 28:59.8 | 32:30.3 | ||
18th | 2003 | 28:23.6 | 32:16.4 | ||
17th | 2002 | 28:29.8 | 32:57.7 | ||
16th | 2001 | 28:28.3 | 32:31.7 | ||
15th | 2000 | 29:32.1 | 33:36.2 | ||
14th | 1999 | 29:54 | 34:16.4 | ||
13th | 1998 | 29:06 | 34:28 | ||
12th | 1997 | 29:41 | 33:26 | ||
11th | 1996 | 29:55 | 34:54 | ||
10th | 1995 | 29:25 | 35:29 | ||
9th | 1994 | 29:52 | 34:32 | ||
8th | 1993 | 30:03 | 34:16 | ||
7th | 1992 | 28:56 | 33:20 | ||
6th | 1991 | 29:21 | 35:03 | ||
5th | 1990 | 29:22 | 34:28 | ||
4th | 1989 | 29:08 | 32:11 | ||
3rd | 1988 | 28:12 | 34:24 | ||
2nd | 1987 | 30:18 | ? | ? | |
1st | 1986 | 29:30 | 35:37 |
See also
References
- Race Weekend Event Schedule. Run Ottawa. Retrieved on 2012-06-04.
- "The Ottawa 10K gets the gold!" (Press release). Ottawa, Ontario: Run Ottawa. November 4, 2014./
- Robb, Peter (May 20, 2015). "Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 10K gets a golden label". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- "Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon awarded prestigious IAAF Gold standard" (Press release). Ottawa, Ontario: Run Ottawa. October 22, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2016./
- Holder, Gord (October 22, 2015). "Ottawa Race Weekend marathon gets a golden glow". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- CBC: Runners compensated for marathon mishap
- https://www.runottawa.ca/news-item/start-line-changes-at-the-2019-tamarack-ottawa-race-weekend
- https://www.runottawa.ca/news-item/ian-fraser-new-executive-director-run-ottawa-2019
- https://www.runottawa.ca/news-item/2020-tamarack-ottawa-race-weekend-cancelled
- Ottawa Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2012-05-30). Retrieved on 2012-06-03.
- Winners lists
- Ottawa 10 km. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2012-05-30). Retrieved on 2012-06-03.
- Ottawa Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2012-05-30). Retrieved on 2012-06-03.