VANCOUVER, June 16 /CNW/ - The 10th Annual Scotiabank Vancouver
Half-Marathon & 5k Run/Walk will take place in Vancouver this Sunday, June 22,
2008. More than 5,000 competitors will participate in the event and fundraise
for ten local charities in the inaugural Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge.Photo Opportunities:
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    -   7:00 a.m.: The Half-Marathon starts at UBC at the corner of East Mall
        and University Boulevard (near the UBC Student Union Building and
        Aquatic Centre). The runners will make their way from UBC along the
        shores of the Burrard Inlet to the finish line in Stanley Park, on
        the lawn of the Stanley Park Fish House.

    -   Competition in the men's division is so strong, there is anticipation
        one of the runners could break Kenyan Patrick Nthiwa's 2007 course
        record of 63:10.

    -   The women's division is likely a two-way race between Kenyans
        Florence Jepkosgei and Josiane Aboungono

    Half-Marathon Photo Opportunity Times and Locations:
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    Location                  Time Elite Lead           Time Main Pack
                              Runners will pass         of Runners will pass
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    Start - UBC East Mall /   7:00 a.m.                 7:00 a.m.
     University Boulevard
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    Spanish Banks             7:20 a.m.                 7:40 a.m.
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    Kitsilano Beach           7:45 a.m.                 8:00 a.m.
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    Cross Burrard Bridge      7:50 a.m.                 8:10 a.m.
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    English Bay Beach House   7:55 a.m.                 8:20 a.m.
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    Finish Line - Second      8:00 a.m.                 8:40 a.m.
     Beach
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    -   8:30 a.m.: The 5k Run/Walk begins in Stanley Park, which starts and
        finishes on the Stanley Park Fish House South Lawn.

    -   10:00 a.m.: Awards Ceremony on the Stanley Park Fish House South
        Lawn, recognizing top finishers in the Half-Marathon, 5k and BC
        Athletics Championship events.

    In its nine year history, the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k
Run/Walk (SVHM) has raised $746,000 for local charities - and hopes to surpass
the $1 million mark this year. In an exciting development to celebrate the
event's tenth anniversary, the SVHM has expanded the 'Scotiabank Group Charity
Challenge' to ten charities. Increasing the scope of this unique fundraising
and awareness opportunity is expected to boost event participation and
fundraising dollars to support the following charities whose programs and
services assist hundreds of thousands of clients across the province each
year:

        -  The Alzheimer's Society of B.C.
        -  The Arthritis Society, B.C. & Yukon Division
        -  BC Children's Hospital Foundation
        -  Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver
        -  Big Sisters of B.C. Lower Mainland
        -  CKNW Orphan's Fund
        -  The Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon
        -  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
        -  Rick Hansen Foundation
        -  VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation

    -   The Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge Award and $2,000 prize will be
        presented to the top individual fundraiser.

    -   Scotiabank is also sponsoring three team prizes, each worth $5,000.
        The charities that raise the most money, raise the most money per
        runner and have the most runners participating (with a minimum of
        $10 raised per runner) will each win $5,000 (one $5,000 prize per
        charity).Media Access
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    A Media tent will be located near the finish area on the Stanley Park
Fish House South Lawn. Please check in to arrange interviews and photo
opportunities.
    The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k is the fastest half-marathon
in B.C., is the third largest competitive run in the Vancouver area and is
part of the prestigious Canada Running Series and the Sun Run Series.

    Scotiabank unveils RED LACE program for Scotiabank Vancouver
    Half-Marathon & 5k!
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    This Friday and Saturday, June 20 & 21, 2008, Scotiabank volunteers will
be selling Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon and 5k RED LACES to the public
for just a "toonie" per pair at the 'Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge' booth
at the SVHM Health & Runners' Expo. Scotiabank will contribute a matching $2
for every runner or walker who crosses the Finish Line in Stanley Park,
wearing a pair of red laces on Sunday morning, June 22nd.
    Entry to the Expo, "Vancouver's Running Show", is free and open to all,
in the Sheraton Wall Centre - Upstairs Junior Ballroom, 1088 Burrard Street.
Show hours are Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.