Around the Bay Road Race
Encyclopedia
Around the Bay Road Race, is the oldest long distance road race in North America, held in Hamilton, Ontario
since 1894, nearly three years before the Boston Marathon
, though is not marathon
length. This 30 kilometre race is also known as the Billy Sherring
Memorial Road Race. It is also called the 30K Around The Bay.
The more recent addition of a 5 kilometre walk or run now provides everyone with the opportunity to participate.
All races start on York Boulevard
, one block west of the Copps Coliseum
. All races finish inside Copps Coliseum. On Sunday, March 29, over 9000 participants crossed the finish line.
In 2005, the Around the Bay Road Race partnered with St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation and, for the first time became a fundraising event. The hospital, on James Street South
, has been serving the community since 1890.
In the early 1900's, Jack Caffery
and William Sherring
battled it out and won two "Bay" races each. Caffery went on to stun the Americans at the Boston Marathon in 1900, by being the first Canadian to win Boston.
To add insult to injury, Hamilton's William Sherring
and Fred Hughson placed second and third, behind Caffery, making it a Canadian sweep. Caffery rubbed it in even further by coming back the next year 1901, to win Boston again.
Not to be outdone by Caffery, William Sherring went on to win the 1906 Olympic Marathon in Athens, Greece, making him a Canadian hero.
Scotty Rankine holds the distinguished honour of seven wins, established in the late thirties and early forties, while Peter Maher won his fifth Bay race in 1996, tying the record of local Gord Dickson, who had five wins in the late fifties.
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
since 1894, nearly three years before the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, though is not marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
length. This 30 kilometre race is also known as the Billy Sherring
William Sherring
Billy Sherring was an Irish Canadian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1906 Intercalated Games ....
Memorial Road Race. It is also called the 30K Around The Bay.
The more recent addition of a 5 kilometre walk or run now provides everyone with the opportunity to participate.
All races start on York Boulevard
York Boulevard (Hamilton, Ontario)
York Boulevard is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Formerly known as Highway 2 and Highway 6,starts off in Burlington, Ontario at Plains Road West as a two-way arterial road that wraps around and over the Hamilton Harbour and enters the city of Hamilton in the West-end past...
, one block west of the Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum is a sports and entertainment arena, on the corner of Bay Street North and York Boulevard, in Hamilton, Ontario. Depending on event, the Copps Coliseum has a capacity of up to 19,000.It is named after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K...
. All races finish inside Copps Coliseum. On Sunday, March 29, over 9000 participants crossed the finish line.
In 2005, the Around the Bay Road Race partnered with St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation and, for the first time became a fundraising event. The hospital, on James Street South
James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
James Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment from James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road in the city, originally was a one-way street going south throughout but now has sections of it that are two-way...
, has been serving the community since 1890.
History
The Hamilton Herald Newspaper and cigar store owner "Billy" Carroll, originated and sponsored the first "Around the Bay Road Race", run on Christmas Day, 1894. The race tested the abilities of the finest long distance runners, but was also an avenue to lay down some bets.In the early 1900's, Jack Caffery
Jack Caffery
John Peter Caffery was a Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics where he finished in 11th place. Caffrey was also a two-time champion of the Boston Marathon...
and William Sherring
William Sherring
Billy Sherring was an Irish Canadian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1906 Intercalated Games ....
battled it out and won two "Bay" races each. Caffery went on to stun the Americans at the Boston Marathon in 1900, by being the first Canadian to win Boston.
To add insult to injury, Hamilton's William Sherring
William Sherring
Billy Sherring was an Irish Canadian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1906 Intercalated Games ....
and Fred Hughson placed second and third, behind Caffery, making it a Canadian sweep. Caffery rubbed it in even further by coming back the next year 1901, to win Boston again.
Not to be outdone by Caffery, William Sherring went on to win the 1906 Olympic Marathon in Athens, Greece, making him a Canadian hero.
Scotty Rankine holds the distinguished honour of seven wins, established in the late thirties and early forties, while Peter Maher won his fifth Bay race in 1996, tying the record of local Gord Dickson, who had five wins in the late fifties.
Top fundraisers
| Year | Participant | Funds raised |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Ted Michaels/ Connie Smith | $60,000 |
| 2007 | Ron Foxcroft Ron Foxcroft Ron Foxcroft, , Owner of Fluke Transport, acclaimed NCAA basketball referee, named by Referee Magazine to their list of the 52 most influential referees , inventor of the pea-less Fox 40 whistle, and motivational speaker, "Foxy" was named Hamilton Citizen of the Year in 1997. Also, has a... |
$55,000 |
| 2006 | Brian Mullan (Hamilton Police Chief) | $50,000 |
| 2005 | Dave Andreychuk Dave Andreychuk David John Andreychuk is a former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning... |
$30,000 |
External links
- Official Web site
- St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
- Around the Bay Road Race info at (www.myhamilton.com)
- Around the Bay Road Race info at (www.coolrunning.com)
- Around the Bay Road Race info at (http://www.beginnertriathlete.com)
Photos
Video
- Around the Bay Road Race - Video clips (http://michiganrunner.tv)