Sarah Haskins and Filip Ospaly Repeat as 2012 St. Anthony's Triathlon Champions
Both Women's, Men's Winners Break
Previous Course Records
St. Petersburg, Fla. (April 29, 2012) - Sarah
Haskins and Filip Ospaly successfully defended their titles at the
2012 St. Anthony's Triathlon on Sunday. Haskins and Ospaly, who won
the titles a year ago, also broke course records in both the men's
and women's professional races which drew one of the largest pro
fields in the event's 29-year history.
Haskins, 31, won her fourth title in the past five years and her
third in a row. She was in control for most of the race and bested
her nearest competitor by more than two minutes, clocking in at
1:56:55. The previous women's record was 1:57:45.
"Toward the end, people were telling me 'Sprint! Sprint!
Sprint!' So I did," Haskins said. "I was just so happy to break the
record."
For Haskins, who now lives in Clermont, this is her second win
of the year. Earlier this month, she won the Nautica South Beach
Triathlon in Miami Beach. She has a busy May planned as she will
race in the ITU World Triathlon in San Diego on May 10 and then the
Capital of Texas Triathlon in Austin, Texas, on May 24. She also is
training to make the 2012 Summer Olympics team.
Ospaly, 36, did what he does best - run fast - and crossed the
finish line in 1:45:50. "At the bridge, I made my move," he said.
"The run is my strong suit and I knew I could overcome." He passed
several leaders on the run portion of the race to come in first.
Ospaly, of the Czech Republic, bested the previous course mark of
1:46:10.
Coming in second in the professional
women's division was Alicia Kaye, also of Clermont, with a time
of1:59:16. The top three was rounded out by Jodie Stimpson of Great
Britain, whose time was 1:59:37.
The three top finishers in the professional men's race all beat
the old course record. Second place went to Ben Collins of Seattle
who crossed the finish line in 1:45:59. Third place went to Timothy
O'Donnell of Boulder, Colo., with a time of 1:46:04.
Featuring a number of world champions and past title winners,
the St. Anthony's Triathlon boasted one of its strongest fields for
the 2012 competition. The international-distance race (1.5K swim,
40K bike and 10K run) is the second event of the 2012 global 5150
Triathlon Series, offering athletes coveted points toward 5150 U.S.
Championship qualification.
Known for its scenic course along the downtown St. Petersburg
waterfront, St. Anthony's Triathlon also has been named the fourth
largest triathlon in the country by USA Triathlon. The regional
events qualify the top 33 percent per age group for the USA
Triathlon Age Group National Championship.
St. Anthony's Triathlon attracts approximately 3,500 individuals
and 125 relay teams each year from more than 45 states and nearly
20 countries. The race weekend also included an extensive event
expo and the Meek & Mighty Triathlon, a
shorter-distance race for youth ages 7-14 and novice adults.
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 5150 series is an International distance triathlon consisting
of: 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run. It is the largest
international distance triathlon series in the world and the first
non-drafting international race series of its kind, offering a
competitive platform for professional and age-group athletes.
Visit
http://www.raceresults360.com/satriathlon12/#/results
for all results. Look for news about St. Anthony's Triathlon at www.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 its
81st year, 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.
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