Run, Bike, or Swim to Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort's 21st Annual Triathlon

    /24-7PressRelease/ - DESTIN, FL, July 27, 2007 - Triathletes from all across the country are gearing up for the 21st annual Sandestin Triathlon set for August 25, 2007 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, the southeast's four-season premier destination resort. The main event - a half-mile Gulf of Mexico swim, a 20-mile bike ride along Scenic Highway 30-A, and a four-mile run through Sandestin's beach and bayside community - kicks off at 6:30 a.m. on the beach in front of Finz, Sandestin's signature beachside restaurant.

"The Sandestin Triathlon has grown tremendously in its 20 plus years and is now a USA Triathlon-sanctioned event and truly a Sandestin tradition," said Mandy Martin, director of recreation at the Destin beach resort. "It has become so popular that we often reach our 700-registration capacity early, so it's important for those interested in participating to register as soon as possible."

Entries for the Scott Christmas Award are due by Aug. 19. The Scott Christmas Award, named accordingly and in honor of a seasoned triathlete and regular participant of the Sandestin Triathlon who survived a near-fatal plane crash and competed just one short year after. The award celebrates his amazing accomplishment and recognizes triathletes who have overcome a similar personal or physical tragedy to demonstrate strength, courage and determination.

Participants will compete to break the 1991 men's division course record of 1:14:27 set by James LeFebvre of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and the women's division record set in 1992 by Karen Copeland of Minneapolis, Minn. at 1:26:45. The Sandestin Triathlon was established in 1986.

Following the race, participants can enjoy a poolside awards presentation and party on the Finz pool deck, complete with refreshments and live entertainment. The Scott Christmas Award recipient will be named at the post-race celebration.

Proceeds from this year's event will benefit Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. Sacred Heart Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility containing the latest innovations in patient-friendly design, medical technology and health care support systems.

Sandestin Triathlon guests and spectators from near and far can take advantage of special late summer room rates, a 25 percent savings. Choose from hotel accommodations at the Bayside Inn for $139 per night or a hotel room in the new Luau beachside tower from $169 per night, as well as one-bedrooms from $209 per night. Enjoy the convenience of staying on property, where daily amenities and activities provide a memorable experience for the whole family. To make reservations or for more information, travelers can call Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort at 800/470-7389, or visit www.sandestin.com.

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a 2,400-acre destination resort located in Northwest Florida, between Pensacola and Panama City. A member of Beaches of South Walton - a 26-mile stretch of world-famous sugar-white sands and diverse landscape in which 40 percent of the area is protected under state parks - Sandestin invites guests to enter its world of 30 charming village neighborhoods featuring 1,800 Destin vacation rentals including condominiums, villas, town homes and a wide variety of hotel accommodations. The Florida beach resort boasts more than seven miles of beaches and pristine bayfront, four championship golf courses, 15 world-class tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, a 98-slip marina, certified children's programs, a fitness center and spa, 65,000 square feet of meeting space and a pedestrian village featuring a host of boutique shops, casual and fine dining restaurants and nightlife venues. Sandestin is part of Intrawest Hospitality Management, a world leader in operating and managing destination resorts. For more information, visit www.sandestin.com.

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