Niagara Falls International Marathon

The Niagara Falls International Marathon is an annual marathon running competition from Buffalo, New York, United States to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, first held in 1974.

Niagara Falls International Marathon
DateOctober
LocationBuffalo, US–Niagara Falls, Canada
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Established1974 (1974)
Official siteNiagara Falls International Marathon

It is one of the few marathons in the world that starts in one country and finishes in another. Some other marathons cross international borders but return to the start, like the Monaco Marathon and the Unionsmarathon. The Niagara Falls International Marathon passes a border control, while the mentioned European borders have no border control thanks to the Schengen Union. The participants of the Niagara Falls Marathon have to show passport or NEXUS card at the start, which will be given back at the finish line or kept by the racer during the race.[1]

History

The marathon was first held on October 26, 1974, as the Skylon International Marathon, with Jesse Kregal as founder and race director.[2][3][4] The race was named the Buffalo Niagara Falls International Marathon from 1983 to 1986.[2]

In 1985, runners were led off the course, and used multiple different routes to get back on the course, resulting in unusual times and placements.[2]

The marathon had a ten-year break from 1987 to 1996 before it was relaunched in 1997 as the Niagara Falls Marathon. From 1998 to 2008, it was known as the Casino Niagara International Marathon.[2]

The course records are held by Peter Pfitzinger, who ran 2:17:10 in 1980, and Nicole Stevenson of Canada, whose time of 2:37:09 in 2004 is the women's record.[2]

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[5][6]

Course

External image
image icon Course map of full marathon in 2018[7]

The marathon begins in Buffalo, New York at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. The first 6.5 kilometers (4.0 mi) are along the historic parkways of Buffalo before crossing the Peace Bridge into Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. The remainder of the route is in Canada. After a very brief segment following the Queen Elizabeth Way, the route curves south and then north again along the Niagara Parkway, a landscaped road which winds along the Niagara River. Kilometer 42, the end of the race, faces the Niagara Falls on the U.S.-Canada international border in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Winners

Key:   Course record

Ed. Year Men's winner Time[lower-alpha 1] Women's winner Time[lower-alpha 1] Rf.
1 1974 Russell Pate (USA)2:22:53  Ellen Turkel (USA)2:58:16 [2]
2 1975 Marty Sudzina (USA)2:23:16  Eleanor Thomas (CAN)3:16:18 [2]
3 1976 Bill Stewart (USA)2:24:01 Patricia Hall2:58:49 [2]
4 1977 Richard Hughson (CAN)2:20:31  Susan Kahler (USA)3:00:11 [2]
5 1978 Carl Hatfield (USA)2:17:21  Jacqueline Gareau (CAN)2:57:01 [2]
6 1979 David Smith (USA)2:17:30.1  Virginia Kraft (USA)2:52:18 [2]
7 1980 Peter Pfitzinger (USA)2:17:10  Leslie Watson (GBR)2:54:57 [2]
8 1981 Terry Stanley (USA)2:18:50  Nancy Mieszczak (USA)2:40:48 [2]
9 1982 Terry Stanley (USA)2:22:18  Heather Clemenson (CAN)2:58:49 [2]
10 1983 Bernie Prabucki (USA)2:21:28  Vicki Scanlon (CAN)2:56:38 [2]
11 1984 Rick Mannen (CAN)2:19:40  Deborah Dye (USA)2:55:18 [2]
12 1985 Mark Coleman (USA)2:30:29  Charlene MacDonald (CAN)3:07:20 [2]
13 1986 Kazuya Nishimoto (JPN)2:17:35  Maria Grazia Navacchia (ITA)2:50:49 [2]
not held from 1987 to 1996[2]
14 1997 Glen Marttila (CAN)2:37:53  Katie Dosser (CAN)2:55:41 [2]
15 1998 Brett Forgesson (BER)2:39:59  Glenda Morris (CAN)3:06:31 [2][8]
16 1999 Smartex Tambala (MAW)2:29:13  Eriko Asai (JPN)2:50:48 [2]
17 2000 Joseph Maina (KEN)2:21:45.2  Danuta Bartoszek (CAN)2:38:29.8 [2]
18 2001 Jean-Paul Niyonsaba (BDI)2:24:28.5  Danuta Bartoszek (CAN)2:46:42.4 [2]
19 2002 Shingirai Badza (ZIM)2:27:53.5  Cindy Keeler (USA)2:50:18.3 [2]
20 2003 Wilson Komen (KEN)2:23:13.8  Leslie Carson (CAN)2:54:25.5 [2]
21 2004 Moses Cheserek (KEN)2:22:22.0  Nicole Stevenson (CAN)2:37:08.6 [2][9]
22 2005 Matthew McInnes (CAN)2:21:46.4  Nicole Stevenson (CAN)2:46:41.7 [2]
23 2006 Simon Njoroge (KEN)2:18:12.9  Elena Rozhko (UKR)2:43:16.1 [2]
24 2007 Thomas Omwenga (KEN)2:33:12.5  Louise Voghel (CAN)3:02:36.3 [2]
25 2008 Matt Loiselle (CAN)2:27:33.2  Elizabeth Primrose (CAN)2:55:26.6 [2]
26 2009 Andrew Smith (CAN)2:27:53.9  Tara Quinn (CAN)2:46:40.9 [2]
27 2010 Steve Bohan (CAN)2:27:48.1  Jill Gamble (CAN)2:56:10.8 [2]
28 2011 Brendan Kenny (CAN)2:28:47.7  Meggan Franks (CAN)2:52:17.8 [2]
29 2012 Bernard Arasa (KEN)2:26:04.1  Paula Wiltse (CAN)2:51:57.5 [2]
30 2013 Lucas McAneney (CAN)2:22:41.6  Paula Wiltse (CAN)2:48:54.1 [2]
31 2014 Lucas McAneney (CAN)2:27:58.0  Stephanie Strittmatter (USA)2:58:02.8 [2]
32 2015 Taylor Kraayenbrink (CAN)2:30:55  Paulina Golic (POL)2:53:11 [2]
33 2016 David Savard-Gagnon (CAN)2:30:32  Lindsay Moreau (CAN)3:17:28 [2][10]
34 2017 Stuart Galloway (CAN)2:51:07  Al Tufano (USA)3:29:14 [2][11]
35 2018  Kyle Greig (GBR)2:28:45  Courtney Laderer (USA)2:59:08 [12][13]
36 2019  Tom Anderson (USA)2:44:12  Cassandra Tomas (CAN)3:18:20 [14][15][16]
2020cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[5]

See also

Notes

  1. h:m:s

References

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