Registration for 2013 Race Begins at 9 a.m. Dec. 1, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The year 1984 saw many firsts: the first mobile phone; Sally Ride became the first woman in space; the first Apple Macintosh computer went on sale. It was also the year of the first St. Anthony's Triathlon.  In 2013, the St. Anthony's Triathlon will celebrate its 30^th anniversary race and online registration for the event will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012.

"It is such a privilege to be a part of the St. Anthony's Triathlon, an international event that draws thousands of athletes and viewers to St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront," said St. Anthony's President Bill Ulbricht. "We started with just 600 athletes and now we welcome thousands each year. It is a testimony to St. Anthony's and the triathlon community that the event has been a part of St. Petersburg for 30 years. We are thrilled to present it this year and look forward to many more years to come." 

The Triathlon, already one of the best known international-distance triathlons in the United States, is expected to draw thousands of professional athletes and weekend warriors to celebrate three decades of superior competition. The race will be in its third year as part of the World Triathlon Corporation's (WTC) 5150 Triathlon Series.

Throughout the years, the race has received many accolades and recognitions including:

• Named one of 10 USA Triathlon Regional Championship events
• Named "Race of the Year" by USA Triathlon
• Served as qualifier for the Ironman World Champions
• Ranked the fourth largest triathlon in the country by USA Triathlon

Approximately 3,500 athletes participated in the 2012 St. Anthony's Triathlon.

The three-day event weekend, April 26-28, 2013, includes a sports and fitness expo; the Meek & Mighty Triathlon, a short distance race for youths ages 7-14 and novice adults held Saturday, April 27; and the St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 28.

To register for the 2013 St. Anthony's or the Meek & Mighty triathlons, on Dec. 1, visit: www.SATriathlon.com or call (727) 953-9005. You can also find details on the race on Facebook at facebook.com/stanthonystriathlon.

The St. Anthony's Triathlon is a qualifier for the 5150 U.S. Championship event and for the USA Triathlon National Championship.

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. St. Anthony's has received the 2012 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement award.  St. Anthony's Susan Sheppard McGillicuddy Breast Center received accreditation from both the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the American College of Radiology. For superior energy efficiency, St. Anthony's earned the EPA's ENERGY STAR three consecutive times.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare Health System is a leading community-based health system in the Tampa Bay area. Composed of a network of 10 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, and South Florida Baptist. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE St. Anthony's Triathlon