Canadian Track and Field League to wrap up season in Ottawa
The CTFL heads to Ottawa Saturday for thrilling finale, with more than 140 athletes competing for the championship and $1,000 prize
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After five thrilling meets across Canada, the Canadian Track and Field League (CTFL) makes its final stop in Ottawa on Saturday evening. Over 140 athletes, across the four CTFL teams, will take to the Terry Fox Athletics Facility in Mooney’s Bay, vying for the championship and the $1,000 that goes with it.
The Spitfires have been in the top spot all season and hold a healthy 242-point lead on the second-place Arctics. The Arctics have a tough task on their hands to bridge the deficit, but middle-distance athletes Ben Devito and Michael Petersen will look to lead the charge for the Arctics squad.
The team championship won’t be the only tight race of the weekend; several events have come down to the wire, including the men’s 100m. Brandon Letts of the Spitfires has been dominant in the 100m all season, but a 10.41 clocking from Domenic Barresi of the Huskies at the Canadian nationals puts pressure on Letts for the CTFL final.
The CTFL is in its second season, and since expanding the league earlier this year, Quinn Lyness, CTFL president, says he’s seen interest in the league triple over last season. “At last year’s championships, we sold less than 50 tickets before the event,” says Lyness. “This year, we’ve doubled our numbers and are offering more incentives for fans, including autograph and photo sessions with the athletes.”
“This championship is like a national tour meet,” says Lyness. “A few Team Canada athletes like Micha Powell and Elizier Adjibi are using it as a final tune-up before heading to the 2023 World Championships.”
Lyness also says that he’s excited about the growth leading into next year. “We are always looking to expand and next year will have a larger prize pool to offer athletes,” says Lyness.
All action from the CTFL final will be streamed live on YouTube Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. E.T. If you’re looking for something to do in the nation’s capital this weekend, drop by Terry Fox Athletics Facility for the Canadian Track and Field League final.
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