New sponsor revives Mississauga Marathon
A new look is coming to the Mississauga Race Weekend in 2024. After new ownership dropped the marathon last year to cater to the more popular half-marathon distance, the marathon is officially back, with a new title sponsor. On Wednesday, the race announced its latest partnership, with Beneva, securing the insurance company as the title sponsor for the marathon for the next four years.
Beneva is set to bring back the renowned marathon, creating a new and exciting option for runners in Ontario’s spring road race season. Complementing the marathon, the event will also keep the 5K, 10K, and 21.1K distances.
This collaboration extends Beneva’s impressive sponsorship portfolio, which already includes the Quebec City and Montreal marathons. Runners can look forward to the inaugural Beneva Mississauga Marathon on April 28, 2024.
In a press release, Beneva CEO Jean-François Chalifoux expressed the company’s pride in supporting the Mississauga Marathon. “Being a partner of this event will enable us to share our mutual values with the community and increase the reach of our brand across the country. Running has many health benefits, both physical and psychological, and can appeal to almost anyone. Our aim is to help create a friendly sporting event for families, runners and supporters alike.”
The collaboration with Beneva marks a new chapter for the Mississauga Marathon. Race director Brad Melville shared his excitement about the partnership and the support from the City of Mississauga. “We felt we needed to shelve the full marathon distance in 2023 until we had a suitable route confirmed with adequate City and sponsor support,” said Melville. “We have worked with city officials to create a fast, scenic, and downhill route that will now serve as a Boston Qualifier.”
In 2023, more than 3,000 runners participated in the three distances.
Beneva will look to build on the success of the Mississauga Marathon over the past two decades as they plan for the next four years.