News Releases

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - May 6, 2012) -

Attention: Sports Editors

Editors Note: Four photos for this press release are available on the Canadian Press picture wire via Marketwire.

Today under brilliant blue skies and cool temperatures, 15,000 runners and walkers experienced the new point-to-point courses at the BMO Vancouver Marathon - racing from Queen Elizabeth Park, past some of the city's famous landmarks, neighbourhoods and shorelines including Stanley Park's famous seawall, to the finish line downtown near Canada Place.

Gezahgn Eshetu, from Ethiopia, competing in only his second marathon, finished in first place with a time of 2:21:53. "I'm very happy with my win," said Eshetu. "This is my first time in Vancouver and I would have been faster but I found it to be cold for me."

Ellie Greenwood, who moved to North Vancouver, B.C. seven days ago from Scotland, was the winning female in the marathon with a time of 2:42.18.

In January 2012, Forbes magazine announced that the BMO Vancouver Marathon ranked in the top ten destination marathons in the world. The 2012 event was capped at 5,000 marathon participants and 10,000 half-marathon participants.

Ten groups entered the second annual BMO Cheer Challenge, vying for $5000 in prize money for their favourite charities. "We were excited to see these community groups cheering on the walkers and runners; it provided a memorable experience for all of us participating in the race," said Joanne Gassman, Senior Vice President, BMO Bank of Montreal, BC & Yukon Division.

Jazz Pabla, a student at Eric Hamber Griffins secondary school, said "Our football team was happy to be one of the BMO Cheer Challenge stations, since we love to have people cheering for us, and we wanted to cheer on the runners."

"Today, our crew of nearly 2,000 volunteers, including 250 BMO employees, helped stage the historic 41^st running of the BMO Vancouver Marathon. They were our hosts along the two courses, covering 63 kilometres, through 11 Vancouver neighbourhoods and helped celebrate this incredible achievement of sport and community, said Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society.

The BMO Power of Blue provides exclusive perks to BMO Bank of Montreal customers at major sponsored events, such as Whitecaps FC games. The BMO Power of Blue activation at the BMO Vancouver Marathon included:

• Exclusive package pickup line at the Expo - clients followed the BMO blue carpet at registration
• Massages at the Expo from Thursday to Saturday - a nice five-minute touch for BMO customers who signed up to take on the 42.2 km marathon or 21.1 km half marathon

The BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon is organized and operated by the Vancouver International Marathon Society, a non-profit organization.

Internet: www.bmovanmarathon.ca

To view the first photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20120506-BMOmarathon_pic01.jpg

To view the second photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20120506-BMOmarathon_pic02.jpg

To view the third photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20120506-BMOmarathon_pic03.jpg

To view the fourth photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20120506-BMOmarathon_pic04.jpg