Posted: June 21, 2004

Athletics: A Record Number Of Runners At The 22nd Standard Life Marathon

Running, walking and having fun to support a good cause

MONTREAL, June 19 /CNW Telbec/ - Sunshine and mild temperatures prevailed as a record number of athletes, parents, children and friends gathered in Mount Royal Park to run, walk and have fun at the 22nd Standard Life Marathon.

"This is the 21st time I've participated in the Standard Life Marathon and I'm still just as impressed to see so many people getting together to support medical research," said Claude Garcia, President of the Canadian Operations of Standard Life.

"We expect to raise over $350,000 in donations, registration fees and sponsorships. All these funds will go to support pediatric research. At Standard Life, we are proud to contribute to such an important and noble cause," Mr. Garcia emphasized.

"I would like to express my personal thanks to our spokesperson, Mireille Deyglun, our sponsors, our volunteers, the participating companies and everyone who has made the Marathon such a remarkable success. Standard Life volunteers alone worked over 3,500 hours this year to ensure the Marathon ran smoothly."

Said actress Mireille Deyglun, spokesperson for the 22nd Standard Life Marathon: "This was a magnificent day for the participants and for research into children's diseases. I am amazed at the dedication of the Standard Life volunteers and touched by the scope of the community's participation in this annual event. I salute Standard Life, which has devoted itself to such an important cause year after year for over 20 years."

As in the past, all the funds raised by the Marathon will be donated to the Foundation for Research into Children's Diseases, which supports pediatric research in four Quebec institutions, including the Montreal Children's Hospital and Hôpital Sainte-Justine.

Recioui Tewfik and Tina Kader: the winners of the 10-km run

The winner of the 10-km run was Recioui Tewfik, the first to reach the finish line with an impressive time of 33 minutes and 44 seconds. Behind was Jean-Michel Boudreau, who crossed the finish line with a time of 36 minutes and 11 seconds. Third place went to Stéphane Pilon with a time of 36 minutes and 44 seconds.

Tina Kader led the women, ranking first with a time of 39:03. Silviane Pountos finished second with a time of 39 minutes and 13 seconds, while Caroline Mariano was third with a time of 42 minutes and 01 seconds.

This 10 kilometre run is certified by the Fédération québécoise d'athlétisme (FAQ). A record number of 902 athletes participated in the run for the Marathon's 22nd edition. The magnificent route circumnavigates the mountain, successively taking Avenue du Parc, Avenue des Pins, Cedar Avenue, Côte-des-Neiges Road, Decelles Avenue and Côte-Sainte-Catherine Road.

The Standard Life Marathon was held for the first time in 1983 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of Standard Life's first agency in Canada. The biggest share of the funds raised comes from registration fees for the 10-km run and donations collected by the walkers. All of the funds received are turned over to the Foundation, since Standard Life absorbs all of the costs of organizing and holding the Marathon.

Through the Foundation, the leading non-government funding organization for pediatric research in Quebec, the funds contribute to supporting research in areas such as neuromusculoskeletal diseases, viral and immune system diseases, metabolic, endocrine and nutritional diseases, leukemia and cancer. The exact amount raised will be announced later this year, once all the donations are received.

For more information on the Standard Life Marathon, you can visit the Web site at www.standardlife.ca.

Additional Information:

In Canada, The Standard Life Assurance Company and its subsidiaries have $33.1 billion in assets under management. The Company offers a wide range of financial products, including group savings, retirement and insurance plans, individual life insurance, individual savings and retirement, and mutual funds. Standard Life also offers portfolio, real estate investment and mortgage investment management services. The Company's total premium income and deposits reached $3.9 billion in 2003, with over 1.1 million clients. (www.standardlife.ca)

Founded in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1825, The Standard Life Assurance Company is a mutual insurance company. However, on March 31, 2004, it was announced that Standard Life's board of Directors had concluded that demutualization would serve the best interests of the Company and its policyholders. According to the schedule envisioned, a proposal along these lines will be submitted to the members at the 2006 General Meeting and then implemented as soon as possible. The Company has $206.3 billion in assets under management and has over 5 million customers worldwide. (www.standardlife.com)