St. Anthony's Triathlon Expands With New Sprint Race for 2014

Registration for All Races Opens December 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Known for a stellar field of professional athletes and a scenic downtown St. Petersburg waterfront course, the St. Anthony's Triathlon is enhancing the three-day event with a new Sprint Triathlon for the 2014 event, April 25 – 27, 2014. The St. Anthony's Triathlon weekend will include an exciting two-day Sports and Fitness Expo; the Meek & Mighty Triathlon for youth and novice adults on Saturday; and on Sunday, the St. Anthony's Triathlon which will be followed by the new sprint-distance event. Registration for all three St. Anthony's races opens Dec. 1, 2013, at 9 a.m.

The sprint race will follow the same course as the international-distance event but will have shorter distances. Sprint athletes will swim 750 meters; bike 12 miles; and run a 5K to finish the race. Sprint participants will start at approximately 8:45 a.m. following the St. Anthony's Triathlon.

"If you're a first-timer, the sprint distance is a great choice. You can be part of an internationally recognized event and get a true sense of what a triathlon is all about," said Philip Lahaye, race director, St. Anthony's Triathlon. "It's a great opportunity to give beginners the chance to race with some of the sport's biggest names."

The premier race event, which is known as the sport's first major race of the triathlon season, has always attracted a wide range of professional and amateur athletes including Olympic gold medalists, Ironman world champions and celebrity athletes. The Triathlon, which is entering its fourth year as a part of the World Triathlon Corporation's (WTC) 5150 Triathlon Series, is also one of the first WTC events of the year. The St. Anthony's Triathlon also serves as the USA Triathlon Florida Regional Championship, qualifying athletes for USAT Nationals, as well as the HyVee 5150 Championship.

St. Anthony's Triathlon celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2013 and approximately 3,500 athletes from more than 44 states and 23 countries participated in that event. The roster included 90 pro athletes who competed for a portion of the $65,000 prize purse. 

The 2014 St. Anthony's Triathlon weekend events and registration fees are:

Friday, April 25 – Saturday, April 26:
Sports and Fitness Expo, Straub Park, 500 Beach Drive
Friday: Noon – 7 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Free.

Saturday, April 26:
Meek & Mighty Triathlon, North Shore Pool, 901 North Shore Drive
Shorter distance race for youth ages 7 – 14 and novice adults. 7:30 a.m. start time. (Individuals registration fee: $45 by Jan. 31, 2014; $50 after Jan. 31. Late registration $60.

Sunday, April 27:
St. Anthony's Triathlon, North Shore & Vinoy Parks
International-distance race (1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run.) 6:50 a.m. (Individuals registration fee: $160 by Dec. 31, 2013; $165 by Feb. 28, 2014; $170 by March 31, 2014. Late registration $180.)

St. Anthony's Sprint Distance race, North Shore & Vinoy Parks
400-meter swim, 20K bike, 5k run. Approximately 8:45 a.m. start time (Individuals registration fee: $65 by Dec. 31, 2013; $75 by Feb. 28, 2014; $85 by March 31, 2014. Late registration $90)

To register or for more details about the 2014 races, visit www.SATriathlon.com; call (727) 953-9005 or find more information at Facebook.com/stanthonystriathlon.

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 was the first faith-based hospital in Pinellas County. St. Anthony's continues its rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care. For more information on St. Anthony's, call (727) 953-6993.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare Health System is a leading community-based health system in the Tampa Bay area. Composed of a network of 11 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, South Florida Baptist, and Winter Haven. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE St. Anthony's Triathlon