Vancouver Marathon ramping up prize money

The Vancouver Marathon is getting more attractive to elite competitors. A Canadian who wins the race now has the chance to pocket $11,500 with new increases to the prize structure the race is offering, and a few Canadians will be shooting to take it all home this May.

The base winnings for finishing in the top spot in Vancouver is $6,000, but the top Canadian also takes home $1,500. There are also two time bonuses, each worth $2,000. In total, if a Canadian wins in a new course record they’ll take home the ful $11,500.

Lioudmila Kortchaguina and Kristin Smart are two Canadian women planning to race the event, but Vancouver-resident Ellie Greenwood, a dual British and Canadian citizen, is looking to regain her title at the race, which she won in 2012. [She did not win in 2013, which an earlier version of this article stated.]

On the men’s side, Kenyan Vancouver resident Paul Kimugal will be looking to win at home. His top competition will come from defending champion Berhanu Mekonnen of Ethiopia.

“I want to run again with a better time in Vancouver,” Mekonnen said in a press release. “It is a beautiful city. Before, during and after the BMO Vancouver Marathon, the people of Vancouver were very encouraging. I will never forget it.”

The increasing prize money will hopefully attract more top-end talent to the Canadian city, though the Vancouver race isn’t Canada’s only high-profile marathon. The Toronto Waterfront Marathon was recently granted IAAF gold label status, marking it as one of the world’s premiere road races.

The Vancouver race will be held on May 3.