Over $850,000 Raised at the 2015 Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 28, 2015) - 6,500 runners brought their best, taking to the scenic course from UBC to Stanley Park for the 17^th annual Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k. The event raised $850,000 and counting for 83 local charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.

Race day saw convincing victories on a hot Vancouver morning. Reid Coolsaet, Canada's number one ranked marathoner from Guelph, broke away from Toronto's Matt Loiselle at the 10k mark, cruising to victory in 65:40. Loiselle finished third behind twenty-one year old Oklahoman Arya Bahreini. Top Canadian females Lanni Marchant and Natasha Wodak battled for first place with Lanni claiming her title as "Queen of the Roads," in an impressive time of 71:08.

"We could not have anticipated a better race day with Canada's top talent competing in Vancouver," said Alan Brookes, Canada Running Series Race Director. "Beyond the outstanding results, the support from the local community and hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, is what makes this day so incredible. Every runner should be proud they have made the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k BC's top fundraising road race."

Top BC finisher Rob Watson placed fifth overall, using the event as a tune up for the upcoming Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. Marchant, Wodak and Vancouver running "Super Mom" Catherine Watkins will also represent Canada in Toronto next month.

"This weekend's Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k was a true celebration of sportsmanship, philanthropy and community spirit," said Winnie Leong, Senior Vice President of the BC and Yukon Region at Scotiabank. "It's inspiring to see the way the people of Vancouver showed their support for the 6,500 runners and 83 charities involved in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge."

Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon Results

Half-Marathon Male

1. Reid Coolsaet, Guelph, Ontario 65:40
2. Arya Bahreini, Edmond, Oklahoma 66:34
3. Matt Loiselle, Toronto, Ontario 66:58

Half-Marathon Female

1. Lanni Marchant, London, Ontario 71:08
2. Natasha Wodak, Vancouver, British Columbia 72:31
3. Lioudmila Kortchaguina, Markham, Ontario 77:33