Participants raise over $600,000 for 78 local charities as part of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge

CALGARY, May 26, 2019 /CNW/ - Jonathan Kipchirchir Chesoo was once again the first male, of more than 9,000 athletes, to sprint across the finish line to celebrate the 55^th anniversary of Canada's longest running marathon and raise funds for their favourite charities, through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. Chesoo has placed first, three of the last five years of the event, second once and did not attend last year.

Two of the three top finishing females were not only Canadian, but for the first time in several years, but both Leanne Klassan (1^st) and Sarah Hutchings (2^nd) are Calgarian.

Taking place over one day, race enthusiasts had the opportunity to choose their distance by participating in the: 50km Ultra, Scotiabank Calgary Marathon, Centaur Subaru 21.1km, Jugo Juice 10km, GoodLife Fitness 5km Walk & Run and the Scotiabank Kids Marathon, for those 12 years of age and under.

"The Scotiabank Calgary Marathon continues to be an important annual tradition," says Rod Wendt, District Vice-President, Calgary Central, Scotiabank. "Every year we are more and more impressed by the number of participants who dedicate their races to their favourite charities and raise funds through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. This year more than $600,000 has been raised for local community organizations, with fundraising remaining open for another 30 days. Congratulations to Run Calgary for the 55^th edition of the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon. Without their team and all of the terrific volunteers, the race wouldn't be possible."

The Scotiabank Charity Challenge is a turnkey fundraising program that provides a simple way for racers to support the charity of their choice and make a significant impact locally. Participating charities keep 100 per cent of the proceeds raised, as Scotiabank pays for all transaction and credit card fees. Donations to all participating charities will be accepted until Monday, June 24th, 2019. Since 2003, over 70 million has been raised as part of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge across Canada.

At Scotiabank, investing in our communities has been a focus for 187 years. We aim to help young people reach their infinite potential by investing in the complete picture of their development. Through our donations, we hope young people gain life-long skills and values that help them grow into healthy, contributing adults. Many of the organizations that take part in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge have a direct impact on our local youth. Young people are our future leaders, and it's crucial to provide them with the skills and resources they need to succeed.

Justin Kurek, ran a 1:17:03 half-marathon in full cowboy gear smashing the previous record (1:51:56) for the fastest half-marathon in a cowboy outfit held by a Canadian. Kurek adds this title to his fastest marathon in a cowboy outfit (2:42) which he ran in 2017 at The Calgary Marathon. Kurek is raising funds for pancreatic cancer research.

"Congratulations to all the finishers who achieved something remarkable today, you are all an inspiration to your community," says Kirsten Fleming, Executive Director, Run Calgary. "We salute the volunteers and city police who helped them enjoy their victory lap by providing incredible support."

SCOTIABANK CALGARY MARATHONRACE WEEKEND RESULTS

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Scotiabank Calgary Marathon Results

To see a list of charities involved in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, please visit: http://www.calgarymarathon.com/charity-challenge.html?lang=EN

For more highlights and complete race results, please visit: calgarymarathon.com/results.html

Twitter Hashtag: #RunCalgary  #RunScotia #InfinitePotential

About Scotiabank

At Scotiabank, we aim to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their infinite potential. Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank's goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. Together with our employees, the Bank supports causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2018, Scotiabank contributed more than $80 million to help our communities around the world.

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in the Americas. We are dedicated to helping our more than 25 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 98,000 employees and assets of over $1 trillion (as at January 31, 2019), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

About the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon
A race for every age and ability, Alberta's Best Road Race in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017 the 50K Ultra, Scotiabank 42.2K, Centaur Subaru 21.1K, the Jugo Juice 10K, the Goodlife Fitness 5K Family Walk & Run and the Scotiabank Kids Marathon. The largest race on the prairies attracts elite athletes from coast to coast as well as internationally. The event brings in $7 million annually to the local economy and gives back through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, scholarship programming and the Neighbourhood Spirit Challenge.

SOURCE Scotiabank