Banff marathon set for inaugural race one year after flooding

One year after what was to be the first Banff Marathon was cancelled due to one of the most costly natural disasters in Canadian history, the race directors look set to get what will be the first running of the race off the ground this year.

Although the tourist town of Banff, Alta. largely escaped the flooding that plagued Calgary and High River farther downstream, much of the race course was set to run along the Bow River and with some sections submerged.

“The New York marathon came back from super-storm Sandy this year, the Boston marathon will come back strong from the horrific events of 2013, and soon, the Banff Marathon will also make its comeback from the extreme flooding which devastated southern Alberta,” said race director Paul Regensberg last winter.

Last summer when the Bow River flooded, over 100,000 Albertans were displaced. This week rains again flooded some communities in southern Alberta, exactly one year later.

“Safety is our number one priority,” said Laurin Duncan last year after cancelling the race, “and even though we are extremely disappointed to cancel the event, we felt it was the most responsible decision. We would like to thank all our participants for their understanding, as well as our team for the three years of hard work they put in trying to make this event happen.”

The sold-out event only allowed 1,500 entrants this year, making the beautiful 42.2K course a fairly exclusive event.

Banff National Park is designated at a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

And Banff wasn’t the only race making a comback in the region this weekend. The Kananaskis 100 Mile Relay was also cancelled due to the floods last year. The two-stage relay is also scheduled to get back on its feet after a year of hiatus.