MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwire) -- 06/01/12 -- There is a photo associated with this press release.

For a second year in a row, National Bank (TSX:NA) presented the Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation Urban Duathlon organized by the Foundation's Young Leaders Circle. Inspired by the success of last year's event, the fundraising goal set this year was an ambitious one. Therefore, we are very proud to announce that we have exceeded our goal of raising $250,000 and that the 2012 Urban Duathlon helped us raise over $311,000.

About 400 people took part in the event, which brought together members of the business, media and sports communities at Place Ville Marie in Montreal. Alexandre Bilodeau, Canadian Olympic Champion, was the honorary chair of the race, which pitted more than a 100 teams of three-two Bixi bikers and a runner-against each other to raise money for brain disease research at Sainte-Justine UHC.

Cheered on by their co-workers and members of the public, participants traded in their work shoes for running shoes and went all out in this exciting relay race. In recognition of their time and effort, duathletes were awarded a number of prizes in a draw-but the real winners are undoubtedly the children who benefit from the care provided at Sainte-Justine UHC.

"The fundraising goal for this second edition of the Urban Duathlon was certainly ambitious, but necessary to meet the very real needs of Sainte-Justine UHC. National Bank is proud to continue its partnership with this hospital centre in support of our children. I'd like to thank all the duathletes and members of the public for their generous donations, and encourage everyone to continue supporting the development of our youth," said Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer at National Bank.

Every year, through its donations and sponsorships program and the initiatives of its employees, National Bank supports hundreds of organizations across Canada. It focuses primarily on four main areas of activity-health, education, arts and culture, and community outreach-with the goal of generating positive benefits for communities.

To find out more about National Bank's involvement in the community, visit the interactive portal at http://www.commitment.nationalbank.ca/, or consult the Social Responsibility Report at www.nbc.ca/socialresponsibility.

About National Bank of Canada

With $176 billion in assets as at April 30, 2012, National Bank of Canada (www.nbc.ca), together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups, and was named among the five strongest banks in the world by Bloomberg Markets. The Bank has close to 20,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). Follow the Bank's activities via social media and learn more about its extensive community involvement at clearfacts.ca and commitment.nationalbank.ca.

Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation

The Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation strives to ensure the continuity of Sainte-Justine's leadership as the only Quebec University Hospital Centre devoted exclusively to the health of children, teenagers and mothers. To achieve its goals, the Foundation builds lasting partnerships between the UHC and its contributors to create a legacy for the future.

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