The St. Anthony’s Triathlon has been designated a part of the 2025 USA Paratriathlon Nationals Qualifier Series. The race series is expanding to provide competitive paratriathlon race opportunities at local events sanctioned by USA Triathlon (USAT).
In addition to this latest designation, USA Triathlon also has designated the St. Anthony’s Triathlon as a Florida State Championship Race. Registration continues for the race weekend, April 25-27. Events include the Olympic, Sprint and Meek & Mighty triathlons.
The St. Anthony’s Triathlon, which was voted the second-best triathlon in the United States in a USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award contest in 2023, is marking its 42nd year in 2025.
“We’re extremely honored to be a part of this series for emerging paratriathletes who want to compete at the elite triathlon level,” said Patrick McGee, Triathlon manager and race director. “We will work closely with USA Triathlon to ensure that our course meets the requirements for the adaptive athletes to race. Through the years we’ve had dozens of adaptive athletes in the Triathlon. We are always happy to see athletes of all abilities be a part of our sport.”
Adaptive athletes are those persons who have disabilities and compete in sports with other athletes who have special needs. They may participate in the same sports as non-disabled athletes, but they may have access to modified rules or equipment. A paratriathlete is a person with a disability who competes in triathlons.
Participants in the paratriathlon series can gain experience racing on triathlon courses designed for paratriathlon and qualify for the 2025 and 2026 USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships, according to USAT. The 2025 Paratriathlon National Championships will be held in Milwaukee on Aug. 10, in conjunction for the first time with USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic Distance National Championships, USA Triathlon’s largest annual National Championship event.
Lindsay Jerdonek, senior program manager for the USA Triathlon Paralympic Program, said they have set a bold goal of having 100 paratriathletes and adaptive athletes compete at Nationals in Milwaukee this August.
“To work toward this goal, we have increased the number of race opportunities in the Qualifier Series by adding venues and introducing the series to new regions of the country with strong adaptive communities.,” Jerdonek explained.
According to USAT, all races in the USA Paratriathlon Nationals Qualifier Series will be sprint-distance, covering a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run.
Luke Kittel, an adaptive athlete from Apollo Beach who has raced in the St. Anthony’s Triathlon for many years, said that he looks forward to the first race of the season being St. Anthony’s. “Knowing it will be a qualifier event this year provides some extra motivation to prepare for it as it should draw more para-athletes to the field,” Kittel said. He has already registered for this year’s event.
The three-day St. Anthony’s Triathlon Weekend includes:
- The Olympic-Distance Triathlon, set for Sunday, April 27, is known for its talented professional field.
- The Sprint Triathlon, also on April 27, features shorter distances than the Olympic-distance race along the same course.
- The Meek & Mighty Triathlon, on Saturday, April 26, is a race for novice adults and children who are new to the sport of triathlon. The pool swim kicks off the race, which finishes with a bike ride and run around downtown St. Petersburg.
The weekend also includes the St. Anthony’s Triathlon Sports & Fitness Expo, a showcase of the latest equipment for multisport athletes, workshops for athletes to prepare for the events and information tables featuring various St. Anthony’s Hospital and BayCare services.
For more information about the events, visit SATriathlon.com. Athletes and fans can be a part of the conversation on the St. Anthony’s Triathlon Facebook page by using the hashtag, StAnthonysTri.