RUNNING: Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2025 (CAN)

Toronto, Canada 18.10.2025 – 19.10.2025

Source: https://canadarunningseries.com and https://www.instagram.com/towaterfront42k/

The Toronto Waterfront Marathon (currently the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon) is considered Canada’s most prestigious road race and has a rich history of growth, record-breaking performances, and charitable giving.

Here is an overview of its history:

Founding and Early Years

Established: The event in its modern form, including the full marathon distance, was established in the year 2000 by the Canada Running Series.
The “Waterfront” Course: The race became known as the “Waterfront” marathon after moving its course to Toronto’s Lakeshore Boulevard. The inaugural marathon in 2000 had a modest start, with around 600 finishers.
Origins of the Series: The marathon joined an existing series of races managed by Alan Brookes and Canada Running Series (CRS). CRS itself was formed in 1999 and grew out of earlier Toronto races, some dating back to the early 1990s.

The Scotiabank Era (A Major Sponsor)

The event was famously known for many years as the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM).

Growth and Elite Status: The early to mid-2000s saw significant growth, partly fueled by the introduction of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge in 2003 and the incredible achievements of older runner Ed Whitlock. The event grew from less than 800 runners to almost 2,000 in a year after Whitlock’s sub-3:00 marathon at age 72 in 2003.
International Recognition: The race steadily built its reputation, attracting elite international runners. In 2015, the marathon was designated an IAAF (now World Athletics) Gold Label Road Race, cementing its status as one of North America’s most important marathons.
Record-Breaking: The course became known for fast times. Notable records include:
- “Fastest Marathon on Canadian Soil”: The men’s course record has been broken multiple times, with the winning time in 2013 clocking the fastest marathon ever recorded in Canada at the time.
- Canadian Records: The event has been the stage for breaking several Canadian national records, including the men’s record by Cam Levins in 2018 and the women’s record being broken by both Lanni Marchant and Krista DuChene in 2013.
Olympic Trials: Since 2017, the race has served as the official Athletics Canada National Marathon Championship and has often doubled as the Olympic Trials for Canadian athletes.

Modern Era: TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

New Title Sponsor: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) took over as the title sponsor and official technology partner of the event, beginning a new chapter.
Sustainability Focus: The race has focused heavily on sustainability, becoming the first and only Canadian race to achieve Evergreen Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport.
Community and Charity: It continues to be a major force for philanthropy, having raised tens of millions of dollars for local charities through the TCS Charity Challenge.
COVID-19 Impact: The in-person race was canceled in 2020 due to the global pandemic, but virtual events allowed the tradition and charitable efforts to continue.