ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Filip Ospaly and Sarah Haskins were the male and female winners of the 28th annual St. Anthony's Triathlon, topping one of the largest and most competitive pro fields in the Triathlon's history.
Among the men, Ospaly, 35, captured the St. Anthony's Triathlon title with a time of 1:41:22. "My strategy was to wait for the run," said Ospaly of Czech Republic. "I knew my finish was strong." Ospaly competed in the 2008 Olympics and his career highlights include first place in the 2001 Triathlon World Championships and first place in the 2003 Triathlon European Championships.
Coming in second was Matt Reed, 36, of Boulder, Colo., whose time of 1:41:36 was five seconds better than third-place finisher Cameron Dye, 27, of Boulder, Colo. "He (Ospaly) dusted me about 800 out," said Reed, 36. "I didn't have a good start on the swim but it came together on the bike. Dye (the 2010 winner) had a good defending race. I was lucky to catch him in the end."
In the professional women's division, Sarah Haskins, 30, claimed her third consecutive St. Anthony's Triathlon title with a time of 1:52:28. "I've been more focused on my running lately, so it helped to be in Florida the past few weeks," said Haskins of Colorado Springs, Colo. "I love St. Anthony's. This is my fifth time. I make sure to come back whenever I can." Haskins, a U.S. Olympian and USA Triathlon's 2009 Triathlete of the Year has also won the 2010 Miami International Triathlon.
Liz Blatchford placed second in the fast-paced race with a time of 1:53:07. "I haven't done many non-drafting races," said Blatchford, 31, of Queensland, Australia. "So I'm really happy with my results." Finishing third was Sarah Groff, 30, of Hanover, N.H., who crossed the finish line at 1:53:34.
Due to weather conditions, the swim course was relocated and shortened to 1,000 meters. Athletes competed for a professional prize purse totaling $65,000 in addition to $10,000 in prizes for the top male and female competitors in the Elite Amateur division.
The St. Anthony's Triathlon, now part of the World Triathlon Corporation's (WTC) new 5150 Triathlon Series, is the largest international distance triathlon series in the world and is the first non-drafting international race series of its kind. The race is the USA Triathlon Regional Championship and is a qualifier for the 5150 U.S. Championship event and for the USA Triathlon National Championship.
The race, sponsored and produced by St. Anthony's Hospital, capped a weekend that featured the Sports & Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday and the always popular St. Anthony's Meek & Mighty Triathlon on Saturday, a shorter-distance race for youths and novice adults. The weekend of events draws more than 5,000 athletes from more than 46 states and 18 countries and 10,000 spectators.
For complete results and more information about the race, visit the St. Anthony's Triathlon Web site at SATriathlon.com.
About World Triathlon Corporation
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a Tampa-based company recognized for athletic excellence, distinguished events and quality products. WTC's portfolio includes Ironman, Ironman 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series, Iron Girl and IronKids brands, which have a combined total of more than 180 events worldwide each year. Supported by partners including Ford, Timex, Foster Grant and PowerBar, Ironman is the No.1 user-based sports brand in the world and has been a respected name in triathlon since its inception in 1978.
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 is the first and only faith-based hospital in Pinellas County. As St. Anthony's celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2011, 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 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
