Posted: May 12, 2004

Athletics: Pot of Gold Awaits Athletes On The Pacific Coast

(May 12, 2004) - Geography scholars might beg to differ but for anyone involved in the sport of track and field North America’s Pacific Coast has just become the “Gold Coast.”

Athletes seeking to qualify for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Athens now have a bevy of opportunities on the west coast as meets in British Columbia and Oregon are slated to offer generous prize money and competitive opportunities in June and July.

The five-event PacifiCanada Track and Field Series, which includes the July 1 Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic presented by Golder Associates, is offering more than $100,000 in prize money. This marks the largest prize-winning opportunity for Canadian track and field athletes ever offered in Canada. Combine that with an even greater prize windfall offered by meets in Portland and Eugene, Ore., and it is no wonder North American athletes are re-assessing their travel plans and heeding Dorothy’s advice from Oz that “there’s no place like home.”

“For the first time Canadian and American athletes have a real alternative to traveling to Europe to chase the elusive Olympic standards,” declared Doug Clement, chair of the 2004 PacifiCanada Track and Field series.

“Portland, Eugene, Victoria and Burnaby are now Olympic qualification competitions and the total prizes awarded are almost half a million dollars. It is also likely three of the meets will be on national television in either the United States or Canada.”

The June 5 Oregon Track Classic kicks off action south of the border, followed by the June 14 Seattle International Track Classic and the June 19 Prefontaine Classic at Eugene, Ore.

On June 11 the first event in the PacifiCanada series goes with the Victoria International Track Classic. Competition shifts to Richmond on June 23 for the Review-Kajaks Track International Classic followed by the June 26 Lafarge Abbotsford International Track Classic in Abbotsford.

Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium is the place to be on Canada Day, July 1, as the Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic presented by Golder Associates will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Miracle Mile contested as part of the 1954 British Empire Games. The 2010 LegaciesNow Miracle Mile: Gold Edition will be just one of many memorable events at the meet which traditionally showcases many of Canada’s best athletes and international competitors.

The fifth and final event in the PacifiCanada series, the Victoria TrackFest Twilight Meet, goes July 3 at Centennial Stadium. The event is the last competition prior to the July 9-11 Canadian Olympic Trials, also in Victoria.

The June 11 Victoria International and July 1 Harry Jerome meet in Burnaby are also Olympic qualification competitions recognized by the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Athletes wishing to compete in the PacifiCanada series should make contact through the website: www.pacificanada.ca immediately to ensure invitation to the Victoria International Track Classic and the Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic presented by Golder Associates as these two meets are by invitation only. The Review-Kajaks, the Lafarge Abbotsford International and Victoria TrackFest Twilight accept entries.

Contacts

June 5 
adidas Oregon Track Classic-Golden Spike Tour
Mount Hood Community College, Gresham, Oregon
Meet Director: Paul Banta
13217 S.W. 63rd Place, Portland, OR 97219
Phone:503-620-4052 Fax: 503-620-4053
Email: info@oregontrackclassic.com
Website: www.oregontrackclassic.com.

June 11
Victoria International Track Classic-PacifiCanada Track and Field Series
Centennial Stadium, Victoria, British Columbia
Meet Director: James Davison
352 Arnold St., Victoria, BC V8S 3L7
Phone:250-592-6399 Fax: 250-592-6396
Email:trackfestathletes@hotmail.com
Website: www.trackclassic.com

June 14 
Seattle International Track Classic
Shoreline Stadium, Seattle, Washington
Meet Director: Brad Barquist
Phone:206-972-2858 
Email: bradbarquist@hotmail.com

June 19
Prefontaine Classic-Golden Spike Tour
Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon
Meet Director: Tom Jordan
P.O. Box 10825, Eugene, OR 97440
Phone:541-687-1989 Fax: 541-687-1016
Email: jordan@nwevent.com
Website: /www.preclassic.com

June 23 
The Review Kajaks Track International Classic-PacifiCanada Track and Field Series
Clement Track, Richmond, B.C.
Meet Director: Richard Collier
Phone:604-271-0851 Fax: 604-271-0851
Email: rcollier@lynx.bc.ca 
Website: www.kajaks.org/events/kajaksinternational.htm

June 26
Lafarge Abbotsford International Track Classic-PacifiCanada Track and Field Series
Rotary Stadium, Abbotsford, BC
Meet Director: Gerry Swan
#24, 73330 - 122nd St., Surrey, BC V3W 1B4
Phone:604-859-9801 Fax: 604-850-7880
Email: gswan@uniserve.com 
Website: international.valleyroyals.org

July 1
Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome Track Classic presented by Golder Associates-PacifiCanada Track and Field Series
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, B.C.
Invitations Director: Marek Jedrzejek
6801 University Blvd. Vancouver, BC
Phone:604-822-6259 Fax: 604-822-6011
Email: marek@unixg.ubc.ca
Website: www.harryjerome.com

July 3
Victoria TrackFest Twilight Meet-PacifiCanada Track and Field Series
Centennial Stadium, Victoria, British Columbia
Meet Director: James Davison
352 Arnold St., Victoria, BC V8S 3L7
Phone:250-592-6399 Fax: 250-592-6396
Email: trackfestathletes@hotmail.com
Website: www.trackclassic.com