National Race Director Summit

Saturday January 24, 2026

8:00am - 5:00pm

(plus post event cocktails and appetizers 5:00-7:00pm)

Centennial College Event Centre

Again in 2026, Athletics Ontario is excited to welcome race directors and key influencers in our running community to collaborate on best practices in effective event hosting, marketing, management, safety and execution in the running industry.

Hosted at the beautiful Centennial College Event Center, with delicious food, and elaborate space to allow for a comfortable and collaborative day filled with knowledge sharing to help you execute the best race possible.

As always, the day will end with a social cocktail hour, sponsored this year by Henley Financial and Wealth Management Inc!

Location: Centennial College Event Centre

Price: (includes HST, light breakfast, lunch, refreshments, cocktail hour and appetizers)

$100 Until November 30, 2025

$120 December 1 - December 31, 2025

$140 January 1 - 16, 2026

APPLY TO SPEAK

If you or your organization wishes to partner with / sponsor this event please reach out to sherylpreston@athleticsontario.ca

Live Streaming Option

We know that nothing beats in-person collaboration for its opportunity to interact, engage, and collaborate. We also know that not everyone can attend in person. To ensure all those interested can benefit from the workshops/sessions, we are offering a live streaming option for those unable to join us in Toronto.

$40 Live Virtual Access (recording will be made available for both virtual and in person registrants)

General Timeline

2026 SPEAKERS AND SCHEDULE IS BEING FINALIZED AND WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER

THE 2026 EVENT IS EXPECTED TO SELL OUT, SIGN UP EARLY

Final schedule will be sent to all registered participants on Thursday January 22, 2026

8:00am: Registration, light breakfast, mix and mingle

12:30pm Full Lunch

5:00pm Group Photo

5:00-7:00pm Cocktails and appetizers, mix and mingle sponsored by Henley Financial and Wealth Management Inc.

Emcee

Steve Fleck, Race and Event Announcer

Steve Fleck is one of the leading Endurance Sports Race/Event Announcers in North America. Each year he is on the Microphone at over 35 running, cycling and triathlon races. He's also an in-demand Commentator in the fast-growing Live Streaming Sports webcasting business, for running, and cycling races - working closely with both Athletics Canada and Cycling Canada in this area. He's been involved in running, triathlon and cycling in one way or another since his mid-teens, as a participant/competitor and in business. He lives in Aurora, Ontario with his wife

SPEAKERS / FACILITATORS TBD

Sheryl Preston, Associate Manager Road & Trail Running Athletics Ontario

Sheryl is the primary organizer of this event. With Athletics Ontario, Sheryl helps to build bridges in the road and trail running community provincially, and nationally. She connects race directors, clubs, athletes and members with credible resources to ensure the safety and accuracy of events with the ultimate goal to increase participation in our sport of running. Providing provincial sanctioning and race day insurance is also a large portion of her role. As a retired Canadian national team rower and having completed over 20 road marathons/ultramarathons throughout Canada and the US, and as a member of a few running clubs in Ontario and BC, Sheryl deeply appreciates the positive impact that races and our connected running community can have.

Kate Van Buskirk, Road & Trail Running Coordinator, Athletics Ontario

Kate Van Buskirk is a 2020 Olympian who spent 17 years as a member of the Canadian National Team. During this time she was a 3-time Canadian Champion, set a Canadian record, and won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Prior to her professional career, she was an NCAA All-American and Team Captain for Duke University in North Carolina.

Kate served as a member of the Athletics Canada Board of Directors from 2019-2022, and is a passionate advocate for mental health and gender equality in sport. In recent years, she has become a prominent voice in sport media: she is a CBC Sports analyst, a commentator for Canadian and American professional broadcasts, a live stadium P.A. announcer, and was the host and producer of Canadian Running Magazine's The Shakeout Podcast for 5 years. Kate is thrilled to continue her passionate work in helping to grow and improve athletics in Ontario through this role.

Paul Osland, CEO Athletics Ontario

Paul has been a competitive athlete in the sport of Athletics for a number of years. He was a member of the Canadian National team (1987-1992) at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and many other international events. He currently holds the Ontario Open Indoor 600m record, which he set back in 1985.

Paul brings a wide-range of experience in business development and corporate experience combined with his entrepreneurial venture capital experience, and these skills will help him drive the continued development and promotion of athletics in Ontario. Additionally, he has 25 plus years of progressively responsible leadership roles in both the business world and athletics community.