Kerry Sullivan and Elise Schillmoller are the Male and Female Winners of the Fifth Annual Morton Plant Mease Triathlon

CLEARWATER, Fla., June 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Close to 1,000 competitors gathered today at pristine Sand Key Beach to compete in the Fifth Annual Morton Plant Mease Triathlon.

The results of the top three elite winners are:

Again this year, elite junior members (ages 15 to 19) of the USA Triathlon were given an opportunity to race in the first wave along with the top elite athletes for the 2010 USAT Florida Region Junior Championship title. The male title holder is Shane Deeley, age 17, of Clearwater with a time of 1:04:10. The female title holder is Savannah Dearden, age 17, of St. Petersburg. Her race time was 1:14:27. Junior winners of the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon will also qualify for the 2010 International Triathlon Union Sprint Distance World Championship.

The top five Elite/Open Division male and female finishers share a $4,000 prize purse.  Custom plaques were awarded to the top five male and female in each division and top three teams in each relay division. All race finishers received a custom medal.  

In addition to the elites and juniors, the following divisions were also represented:

• Age Group (14 and under, then in five year increments to 85+)
• Clydesdale: 39 and under/40 & over
• Athena 39: and under/40 & over
• Novice
• Skip Cline Young Leadership Society member
• Physically Challenged
• Relay Teams (female, male, mixed).

For race results, go to www.mpmtriathlon.org or www.altavistasports.com.

The Triathlon included a 1/3-mile open water swim in the Gulf of Mexico at Sand Key Park, a 13-mile bike ride through downtown Clearwater and Belleair, and ended with a 3.1-mile run through Sand Key Park. There were close to 1,000 athletes registered for this year's race.  

The Morton Plant Mease Triathlon is organized and presented by the Skip Cline Leadership Society of the Morton Plant Mease Foundation. "We are so fortunate to be able to hold our triathlon in such a beautiful location as Clearwater. This year, we're particularly grateful that the beaches of Florida have remained mostly unharmed by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico," said Bryan Stanley, chairman of the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon Race Committee.

The triathlon is a fundraiser for the hospitals of Morton Plant Mease Health Care and this year, funds raised will be going towards special pediatric vein viewers for all five emergency departments within the Morton Plant Mease Health Care System. The vein viewer will help nurses and doctors better visualize the veins of pediatric patients which can mean less pain and stress for children and their families.

Sponsors of the Fifth Annual Morton Plant Mease Triathlon include Outspokin Bicycles, Clearwater Cardiovascular & Interventional Consultants, City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department, USA Triathlon and Chicago Title.

About Morton Plant Mease Health Care

Nationally recognized for health care excellence, Morton Plant Mease Health Care is dedicated to providing community owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. Morton Plant Mease Health Care is comprised of the following hospitals – Morton Plant, Clearwater; Mease Dunedin, Dunedin; Mease Countryside, Safety Harbor and Morton Plant North Bay, New Port Richey. Morton Plant Mease Health Care is a part of BayCare Health System which is the largest community-based health system in the region, providing expert medical care for a patient's lifetime. 

About Morton Plant Mease Foundation

Established in 1977, Morton Plant Mease Foundation is a charitable organization providing philanthropic support to the hospitals of Morton Plant Mease Health Care to achieve medical excellence and provide the care of our community needs.

About the Skip Cline Leadership Society

The Skip Cline Leadership Society is a dynamic group of local professionals who share a common interest in advancing the future of health care. Organized by friends of Harry Sykes "Skip" Cline, Jr. 18 years after his untimely death, these emerging leaders are investing in the future of Morton Plant Mease Health Care with other philanthropically inclined young leaders.

SOURCE BayCare Health System