St. Anthony's Triathlon Opens Registration for 2022 Race Weekend

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration for the 2022 St. Anthony's Triathlon is set to begin Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, at https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/SaintPetersburg/StAnthonys. Events for the race weekend, April 29-May 1, 2022, will include the Olympic, Sprint and Meek & Mighty triathlons.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the summer 2021 resurgence of the virus caused the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 Triathlons. As in all previous Triathlons, organizers ae working to provide a safe environment for all participants, spectators, volunteers and sponsors.

"We recognize how disappointed our participants have been over the last two years when we had to cancel those races," said St. Anthony's President Scott Smith. "Our commitment is to the safety of all who come out to race and those who are there to cheer on our athletes. We want to stage a safe and exciting race for everyone. To do that, we encourage everyone to get vaccinated and continue to mask, wash hands and socially distance."

Patrick McGee, Triathlon manager and race director, said that he is eager to welcome back athletes, fans and sponsors to the St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront for the race weekend.

"Our main goal is to have an in-person race in 2022. But as it has been for the past two years, it all depends on how well the pandemic is under control," McGee said. "With vaccination rates going up and everyone working to stay safe, we certainly hope that we will see everyone in person next year."

In addition to being a past regional championship race and the USAT Southeastern Club Regional Championship, the St. Anthony's Triathlon has been named as one of the Top 10 Great Destination Triathlons in the United States by Complete Tri and as one of the "5 Bucket-List Olympic Distance Triathlons in North America" by Triathlon Magazine Canada.

Ranked as the fourth largest triathlon in the country by USAT, the three-day St. Anthony's Triathlon Weekend includes:

• The Olympic-Distance Triathlon, set for Sunday, May 1, which is known for its talented professional field.
• The Sprint Triathlon, also on May 1, which features shorter distances than the Olympic-distance race along the same course.
• The Meek & Mighty Triathlon, on Saturday, April 30, a race for novice adults and children who are new to the sport of triathlon.

In addition to solo participation, there also are relay team options in the Olympic-distance and Sprint races. "All participants who deferred their registrations to 2022 need to claim their entry via RunSignUp," McGee said.

The weekend includes the St. Anthony's Triathlon Sports & Fitness Expo, a showcase of the latest equipment for multisport athletes, workshops for athletes to prepare for the races and information tables featuring various St. Anthony's Hospital and BayCare services.

For more information about the events, visit SATriathlon.com. Athletes and fans can be a part of the conversation on the St. Anthony's Triathlon Facebook page at Facebook.com/StAnthonysTriathlon by using the hashtag, #StAnthonysTri.

About St. Anthony's Hospital
St. Anthony's Hospital is a 393-bed hospital founded in 1931 as a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. Celebrating its 90^th year, St. Anthony's has a rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care. It was one of the first hospitals that joined together to form BayCare Health System. For more information on St. Anthony's, call (727) 953-6993 or go to www.BayCare.org/SAH.

About BayCare
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care.  For more information visit www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE St. Anthony's Triathlon