St. Anthony’s Triathlon National TV Special Airs Oct. 11 on Versus

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Relive all the excitement and don’t miss the 2009 St. Anthony’s Triathlon national television special on Versus Network, airing Sunday, Oct. 11, at 3 p.m. EST.

From its humble beginnings in 1984 with only 600 athletes, St. Anthony’s Triathlon has become an integral part of the community, bringing in thousands of spectators, participants and volunteers for a weekend focused on fitness and fun.

Now in its 27th year, St. Anthony’s Triathlon has a reputation as one of the premier multisport events in the world. Known for its scenic course along the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, St. Anthony’s Triathlon attracts more than 4,000 individuals and 150 relay teams from more than 45 states and 17 countries. In its 27-year history, St. Anthony’s Triathlon has hosted some of the top champions from around the world, including Simon Lessing, Michellie Jones, Andy Potts, Tim Deboom and Spencer Smith.

St. Anthony’s Triathlon, sponsored and produced by St. Anthony’s Hospital, is held the last weekend of every April. The weekend of events includes one of triathlon’s largest sports and fitness expos, a shorter-distance Meek & Mighty Triathlon, and the Olympic-distance St. Anthony’s Triathlon. Online registration for the 2010 St. Anthony’s Triathlon opens Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 9 a.m. EST, at satriathlon.com.

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. In 1997, St. Anthony‘s became part of BayCare Health System, a joint operating agreement between the Tampa Bay area‘s leading not-for-profit hospitals. St. Anthony‘s has a rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care. St. Anthony‘s also is comprised of the following health care facilities: St. Anthony‘s Imaging Center and St. Anthony‘s Outpatient Center.

About BayCare Health System

BayCare Health System is the largest community-based health system in the region, providing expert medical care for a patient‘s lifetime. Composed of hospitals and numerous affiliated services, the system connects patients to a complete range of services throughout the Tampa Bay area. Together, BayCare organizations seek to advance the health of their patients and their communities.

Member 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 Women‘s, St. Joseph‘s Hospital North (opening 2010) and South Florida Baptist. On the Web: BayCare.org.

SOURCE St. Anthony’s Hospital