Swim, Cycle, Run with World Class Athletes in Morton Plant Mease TriathlonCLEARWATER - The third time may be the charm. For the third year in a row, three-time World Triathlon Champion and two-time Ironman Champion Spencer Smith will race for first place at this summer's Morton Plant Mease Triathlon to be held Sunday, July 13, in Clearwater. More than 800 individual athletes and relay teams are invited to register and compete alongside Spencer in the triathlon which benefits the four hospitals of Morton Plant Mease Health Care; all community owned facilities dedicated to improving the health of the community. Entrees are still available. The race features a 1/3mile open water swim in the Gulf of Mexico, a 13-mile bike over the Sand Key, Belleair Causeway and Memorial Causeway Bridges and 3.1 mile run finishing in Sand Key Park. The race kicks off at 7 a.m. at Sand Key Park, 1060 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater. To register for the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon go to www.mpmtriathlon.org or www.active.com. Registration fees are as follows: $65 for individual competitors and $75 for relay teams. Race volunteers are needed to assist with athlete registration and assisting at the finish line. To learn more about becoming a Morton Plant Mease Traithlon volunteer, call (727) 820-7790. A $4,000 prize purse will be divided and distributed to the top five elite male and female finishers. The 2007 Morton Plant Mease Triathlon elite winners were two Floridians - Marc Bonnet-Eymard of Winter Garden and Stephanie Liles of Tallahassee. The oldest triathlete to compete last year was 86 and the youngest was 13. All race finishers will receive custom medals. Custom plaques are also given to the top five finishers in the following categories: 14 years and younger; 15 - 19; 20 - 25 and upward in five-year increments to 85 years, 85 and older; Clydesdale; Athena; Novice; Skip Cline member; and physically challenged.
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