St. Anthony's Triathlon Announces New Swim Course Location

Registration for 2012 Race Begins at 9 a.m. Dec. 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Athletes will take on a fresh challenge at the 2012 St. Anthony's Triathlon as race officials have permanently moved the open water swim portion of the race to an area of Tampa Bay north of North Shore Pool in St. Petersburg.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111102/DC98636)

The swim course will be 1.5K or .93 miles. The bike and run portions of the race and the transition areas will remain the same, at 40K and 10K, respectively. The St. Anthony's Triathlon, one of the best known triathlons in the United States, is part of the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) 5150 Triathlon Series.

During last year's triathlon, the swim course was relocated away from the St. Petersburg Pier and shortened to 1,000 meters due to weather conditions. "Numerous competitors told us how much they liked the swim course last year, so we decided to make the permanent move to the new location," said St. Anthony's Hospital President Bill Ulbricht. "We think the change is necessary because of potential construction at the Pier and that this new course will continue to offer athletes an excellent challenge as they build to the other two legs of the race." 

The St. Anthony's Triathlon is sanctioned by USA Triathlon. The race, which has served as the USA Triathlon Regional Championship for many years, is a qualifier for the 5150 U.S. Championship event.

The St. Anthony's Triathlon will open registration for its 29th annual race starting at 9 a.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. Approximately 4,000 athletes competed in the 2011 event.

The St. Anthony's Triathlon will be held on April 29, 2012 as part of a three-day weekend event that includes a sports and fitness expo and the Meek & Mighty Triathlon on April 28, 2012. For registration information, visit SATriathlon.com or call (727) 953-9005. Join us on Facebook at facebook.com/stanthonystriathlon.

About World Triathlon Corporation
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a Tampa-based company recognized for athletic excellence, distinguished events and quality products. WTC's portfolio includes Ironman, Ironman 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series, Iron Girl and IronKids brands, which have a combined total of more than 180 events worldwide each year. Supported by partners including Timex, Foster Grant and PowerBar, Ironman is the No.1 user-based sports brand in the world and has been a respected name in triathlons since its inception in 1978.

About St. Anthony's Hospital
St. Anthony's Hospital is a 395-bed hospital founded in 1931 as a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and is the first and only faith-based hospital in Pinellas County. As St. Anthony's celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2011, the hospital continues its rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare Health System is a leading community-based health system in the Tampa Bay area. Composed of a network of 10 not-for-profit hospitals, outpatient facilities and services such as imaging, lab, behavioral health and home health care, BayCare provides expert medical care throughout a patient's lifetime. With more than 200 access points conveniently located throughout Tampa Bay, BayCare connects patients to a complete range of preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for any health care need. BayCare's family of hospitals are: Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant, Morton Plant North Bay, St. Anthony's, St. Joseph's, St. Joseph's Children's, St. Joseph's Hospital-North, St. Joseph's Women's, and South Florida Baptist. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System