St. Anthony's Triathlon Selected as 2014 Paratriathlon Florida Regional Championship

St. Petersburg, FL (February 3, 2014) – The 2014 St. Anthony’s Triathlon has been selected as the 2014 Paratriathlon Florida Regional Championship event by USA Triathlon (USAT). The Florida Regional Championship race will host several Paralympic hopefuls looking to join Team USA as the sport of paratriathlon makes its debut at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games in Brazil.

The St. Anthony’s Triathlon weekend event will be held April 25-27, 2014 with a lineup of races including the St. Anthony’s Triathlon international-distance race; a new sprint distance race and the Meek & Mighty race for youth and novice adults. A two-day Sports and Fitness Expo will also be part of the weekend events held in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. 

“It is wonderful that our sport will be recognized in the Paralympic Games where more than 4,200 Paralympians from 150 nations are expected to attend,” said Susan Daniels, St. Anthony’s Triathlon race director. “We are honored to be chosen as the Paratriathlon Florida Regional Championship and look forward to having Paralympic hopefuls compete on our scenic waterfront course.” 

Fees to the paratriathlon event are $75.00 and the route will be Sprint Triathlon route with an approximate distance of a 750-meter swim, 12-mile bike and a 5K run. 

The St. Anthony’s Triathlon, a known premier race event with a more than 30-year history, attracts high-caliber athletes from around the world including a wide range of professional and amateur athletes such as Olympic gold medalists, Ironman world champions and celebrity athletes. 

The St. Anthony’s Triathlon is entering its fourth year as part of the World Triathlon Corporation’s (WTC) 5150 Triathlon Series and is a qualifier for the HyVee 5150 U.S. Championship. The race also serves as the USA Triathlon Florida Regional Championship which qualifies athletes for the USAT Nationals. St. Anthony’s Triathlon celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2013 and approximately 3,500 athletes coming from more than 44 states and 23 countries participated in that event. The roster included 90 pros 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 youths ages 7 – 14 and novice adults. 7:30 a.m. start time. (Individuals registration fee: $50 by Feb. 28. $60 by March 31, 2014.) 

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. start time. (Individuals registration fee: $165 by Feb 28, 2014; $170 by March 31, 2014.) 
St. Anthony’s Sprint Triathlon
Sprint- distance race (750-meter swim, 12-mile bike, 5K run) Approx. 8:45 a.m. start time. (Individuals registration fee: $75 by Feb 28, 2014; $85 by March 31, 2014.)

Race organizers invite all athletes to secure their spots at the starting line for the 2014 races. For registration for all the races, visit www.SATriathlon.com; or call (727) 953-9005. 

For more details about the 2014 races, athletes can also visit St. Anthony’s Triathlon’s Facebook page: 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 celebrated its 80th year in 2011, and 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 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.