St. Anthony's Triathlon Registration Opens Sept. 30 for 37th Annual Race Weekend

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of athletes are expected to swim, bike and run through St. Petersburg's picturesque waterfront, downtown and charming neighborhoods for the 37^th St. Anthony's Triathlon Weekend, April 24-26, 2020. Online registration for the 2020 Olympic, Sprint and Meek & Mighty events starts 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/SaintPetersburg/StAnthonys.

For the third year, the event will take place at Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg.

"The St. Anthony's Triathlon is proud to welcome athletes of all abilities and ages," said Scott Smith, president of St. Anthony's Hospital. "For the past four years, I've experienced the race as an athlete while also working behind the scenes with our Triathlon team. We want athletes to feel like they are coming home when they participate each year in our early-season race."

Earlier this year, the 36^th annual event featured a record-setting eighth win for Sarah Haskins-Kortuem in the women's field. In the men's race, Ben Kanute won his first St. Anthony's event. The St. Anthony's Triathlon was Kanute's first-ever professional race in 2013. More than 3,200 athletes participated in races throughout the weekend.

USA Triathlon (USAT) named the St. Anthony's Triathlon the 2019 Southeast Olympic-Distance and Paratriathlon­­ Regional Championship Race. In order to qualify for the National Championships, competitors had to finish in the top 35 percent or top five (whichever was greater) competitors per their respective age groups. The 2019 Olympic-Distance National Championships were held last month in Cleveland.

In addition to being a 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, April 26, which is known for its talented professional field.
• The Sprint Triathlon, also on April 26, which features shorter distances than the Olympic-distance race along the same course.
• The Meek & Mighty Triathlon, on Saturday, April 25, a race for novice adults and children who are new to the sport of triathlon.

In addition to the three races, 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.

The 2020 St. Anthony's Triathlon weekend events and registration fees are:

Friday, April 24 – Sunday, April 26:
Sports and Fitness Expo, Vinoy Park
Friday: Noon – 6 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Free.

Saturday, April 25:
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.
Individual registration fee: $45 by Dec. 31, 2019; $55 by March 31, 2020; $65 April 18, 2020.

Sunday, April 26:
St. Anthony's Triathlon, Vinoy Park
Olympic-distance race (1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run.) 6:50 a.m. start time
Individual registration fee: $150 by Dec. 31, 2019; $160 by March 31, 2020; $180 by April 18, 2020.

St. Anthony's Sprint Triathlon, North Shore and Vinoy Parks
(750-meter swim, 20K bike, 5K run). Approximately 8:45 a.m. start time
Individual registration fee: $80 by Dec. 31, 2019; $90 by March 31, 2020; $100 by April 18, 2020.

There also are relay team options in the Olympic-distance and Sprint races. For more information about the events, athletes and fans may visit the St. Anthony's Triathlon Facebook page: Facebook.com/StAnthonysTriathlon or be part of the conversation 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. St. Anthony's has a 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 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