Registration Starts Oct. 1 For Annual St. Anthony's Triathlon

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- St. Petersburg's Gulf Coast waterfront, downtown and neighborhoods will see thousands of athletes swim, bike and run in the 36th Annual St. Anthony's Triathlon April 26-28.

Online registration for the 2019 Olympic, Sprint and Meek & Mighty events starts at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 1.

"St. Anthony's is so proud to be a part of the sport of triathlon and to present this early-season race to athletes of all abilities," said Scott Smith, president of St. Anthony's Hospital. "As an athlete, I have participated in the triathlon for the past three years. I can certainly see why so many athletes come back to be a part of the race as you travel the course that is run by the pros."

Earlier this year, the 35th anniversary event featured a record-setting race for the men won by Eric Lagerstrom; a record-tying number of races won for the women when Sarah Haskins won her seventh race; and perfect weather for all the athletes, spectators and volunteers.

USA Triathlon (USAT) named the St. Anthony's Triathlon a 2018 Regional Championship Race, which allowed for those who finished in the top five or top 33 percent of age groups to compete in the 2018 Olympic-Distance National Championships held last month in Cleveland, Ohio.

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 Compete 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 28, which is known for its talented professional field.
• The Sprint Triathlon, also on April 28, which features slightly shorter distances than the Olympic-distance race along the same course.
• The Meek & Mighty Triathlon, on Saturday, April 27, a race for novice adults and children who are new to the sport of triathlon.

In addition to the three races, the weekend also 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 2019 St. Anthony's Triathlon weekend events and registration fees are:

Friday, April 26 – Sunday, April 28: Free Sports and Fitness Expo, Straub Park Friday, Noon – 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday, April 27: 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 is $45 by Dec. 31, $55 by March 31, $65 April 20.

Sunday, April 28: 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, $160 by March 31, $180 by April 20.

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, $90 by March 31, $100 by April 20.

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.

Photo via St. Anthony's Triathlon

Pro triathlete Jason West runs through the streets of St. Petersburg during the St. Anthony’s Triathlon earlier this year.

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