NATIONAL TRACK LEAGUE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

 

From Athletics Canada

Ottawa - Athletics Canada is pleased to release today the schedule of events for the 2013 National Track League (NTL).  NTL 2013 will make stops in Halifax, N.S. (June 9), Toronto, Ont. (June 11), Edmonton, Alta. (June 29), Burnaby, B.C. (July 1), and Victoria, B.C. (July 5).

The series will provide Canadian athletes with home grown standard opportunities for major events taking place this summer such as the IAAF World Championship, the IPC World Championship, and the Jeux de la Francophonie while serving up tune up opportunities for athletes travelling to Summer Universiade and the Panamerican Junior Championship.

Halifax's Aileen Meagher International Track Classic will have kick off honours on June 9. "The Aileen Meagher International Track Classic is pleased to kick off the 2013 NTL series in Halifax on June 9th, 2013," said Kevin Heisler, Aileen Meagher Meet Director.  "Last year's meet was a tremendous success with a record crowd bolstered by the attendance of local Olympians Jenna Martin and Geoff Harris.  We plan on setting another attendance record while increasing the profile of the event and the sport of athletics in the community."

The western portion of the series begins at Foote Field in Edmonton June 29 closely following the 2013 Canadian Track and Field Championships & World Trials to be held in Moncton, N.B., June 20 to 23.  From Alberta NTL then heads to British Columbia for the final two events on the 2013 calendar; in Burnaby on Canada Day and in Victoria for the NTL Finale July 5.

"We are very excited to be hosting the NTL Finale in Victoria on July 5.  NTL has elevated the level of competition in Canada and provided an exciting showcase for our sport," said Keith Butler, Victoria Track Classic Meet Director.  "It will be 25 years (1988) since Victoria hosted its first Track Classic, hosting the 2013 series final will be an appropriate way to celebrate a quarter century of Track Classic in Victoria."

2013 National Track League schedule of events

Aileen Meagher International Track Classic - June 9 - Halifax, NS
Toronto International Track and Field Games - June 11 - Toronto, ON
Edmonton International Athletics Festival - June 29 - Edmonton, AB
Harry Jerome - July 1 - Burnaby, BC
Victoria International Track Classic & NTL FINALE - July 5 - Victoria, BC

In the coming weeks Athletics Canada will release the list of 2013 NTL series scoring events and associated prize money.  Also of note is the return of last year's pilot project which saw NTL meet organizers share bib space with competing athletes.  More details to come on this unique fundraising opportunity.

NTL live streaming coverage will be back on FloTrack

Last year a successful partnership was established with FloTrack which ensured ample promotion and live streaming coverage of the entire 2012 series.  FloTrack's coverage of the series generated over 1 million impressions; 172,000 video views and nearly 35,000 live views.  Mathieu Gentès, Athletics Canada Director of Public Relations and Corporate Services, "I am very excited to confirm that FloTrack will be back to cover the series in 2013.  We received a lot of great feedback and suggestions from the community which will be integrated into the coverage, we are already well into discussions with FloTrack to ensure even more comprehensive coverage."

Moncton NTL status

The Hub City Classic in Moncton, N.B., is on hiatus for the 2013 season as their track and field community is fully entrenched in planning and successfully hosting the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Track and Field Championships.  The status of the Hub City Classic will be re-evaluated following the season.

2012 National Track League highlights

Athletes from 31 different countries competed, including 7 of the top 10 countries in the sport;
30 of the 45 2012 Canadian track and field Olympians and 8 of 26 Canadian track and field Paralympians participated;
46 Olympic and 4 Paralympic standards  were set by Canadian athletes;
Six 2012 Olympic medalists raced in the 2012 NTL; Yohan Blake, Ashton Eaton, Trell Kimmons, Michel Mathieu, Manteo Mitchell, and Jason Richardson;
79% of carded athletes competed in at least one competition; 42% in at least three;
Grassroots programs such as Finding Ontario's Fastest Boy and Girl strengthened bonds with clubs and communities improving the profile of the sport.