2015 Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Oasis Marathon - Athletes, veterans and stars at the starting line

MONTREAL, Sept. 3rd, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The 25th anniversary of the Montreal Marathon will see some of the most notable participants at the starting line on the morning of September 20.

Renowned athletes, including Jacqueline Gareau, a runner with 9 wins under her belt who was also named "Women's Marathoner of the 20th Century" in 2000, will be there to challenge participants. "It's always such a pleasure to run in Montreal and talk to others from here who are so passionate about running", says Ms. Gareau, who will also be giving a conference during the Marathon Expo at Place Bonaventure in addition to running the half-marathon.

Alice Cole, a local runner who recently turned 82 years old, will also take part in the 5k race. "I'm in it to win it!", she says with a big smile. Cole has set world records in 800, 400 and 200-metre races since she started running at 71 years old.

Many other well-known personalities will lace up their running shoes and take on the city streets. Among them, Lulu Hughes, Patrice Godin and Maxim Martin.

The 25th anniversary edition will relive some of the best moments from a few die-hard runners who participated in the first edition back in 1979, including Normand Papin, An Duy Chung and Ms. Gareau who won the first edition of the Montreal International Marathon in the women's division.

This year's event will also be an initiation for more than 1,634 runners who will take on the 42.2-km challenge for the very first time. Oliviana Mingarelli is one of this year's first-time marathon runners. "After running my first half marathon in Montreal in 2013, I never thought I would be crazy enough to run a full marathon. But here I am! I'm excited that Montreal's flagship running event will once again be the location where I break through another running goal!" says the young professional.

For Dominique Arsenault, spokesperson for the Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Oasis Marathon, these are excellent news: "These numbers not only show that running is gaining in popularity, but also that big challenges like the marathon continue to gain new followers."

For Mingarelli, who has been training throughout the summer, the experience has already proven to be life changing: "Training for my first full marathon has pushed my physical and mental limits in indescribable ways, but it has given me an entire new outlook, both on running and on life."

In addition to being an opportunity for a defining performance, this 25^th edition will be all about having fun for newcomers, veterans and supporters alike. Everyone is invited to dress in retro clothes, accessories and makeup of the 80s during this anniversary edition of the marathon. Those who share their retro look on Facebook using the hashtag #rnrmtl will get the chance to win two registrations for next year's marathon.

Registration

Still not registered? You have until September 13th to complete the online registration form here: http://www.runrocknroll.com/montreal/en/register/. Hurry! Some races are already full.

Media Accreditation

Media outlets are invited to submit their accreditation requests by email at [email protected].

About the Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Oasis Marathon

In 2015 the Rock 'n' Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon will be celebrating the 25^th edition of the Montreal Marathon. Organized by Festival de la Santé, in conjunction with Competitor Canada, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series is the world's largest running series, with over 500,000 runners participating in events worldwide every year. The series started in 1998 with the simple idea of making running fun, and has transformed the running landscape by livening up the route with live bands, cheer teams and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Today, the series of marathons and half-marathons has spread to more than 30 destination cities, drawing visitors from around the world. Over the history of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, charity partners have raised more than $300 million through the events for a variety of worthy causes.

SOURCE Marathon Oasis Rock''n''Roll de Montréal

Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Oasis Marathon : Arielle Mathieu, 514-260-4372, [email protected]; Caroline Lavoie, 514-781-4501, [email protected]