20 triathlons, 1 man in common

Jack Helinger has watched St. Anthony's grow into world-class event.

By JOHN SCHWARB, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 24, 2003

Jack Helinger knows he will see few familiar faces at Spa Beach moments before the mad dash into the water at St. Anthony's Triathlon.

It's not that he hasn't met many competitors over 20-plus years of competition in the multisport discipline. He just has outlasted most of them.

The St. Petersburg lawyer, 52, will continue his one-of-a-kind streak Sunday of participating in every St. Anthony's Triathlon. Once he embarks on the swim leg of the Olympic-distance (.9-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike, 6.2-mile run) event, Helinger will have competed in all 20.

"It's a neat, neat event, a wonderful event to have in our home city," he said. "Every local triathlete who feels like they're capable of doing this distance will do it. This is the Boston Marathon of local triathlons for us."

Supported by triathletes from around the world, St. Anthony's has evolved from a gathering of a few hundred at Fort De Soto in 1984 to a weekend of races about 2,500 athletes strong, including a separate professional event and junior/novice triathlon.

If there were any questions about the continuing popularity of the main-event amateur race, they were answered in six days in December. That's how long it took for the 2,000 individual spots and 50 relay team positions to be filled, a record for St. Anthony's.

"With the economy, we keep kind of waiting for the ball to drop, but it's remaining in play for us," race director Steve Meckfessel said, noting the event's entry fee increased from $80 to $100 to cover increasing costs.

"People are already starting to ask me about next year's entries, and they want to know what time we're opening, not what day."

The professional race, in its fifth year, has added a dimension to the event. Top triathletes from around the world participate in the ITU World Cup event, earning points in a yearlong championship series.

Longwood's Hunter Kemper won the 11- to 14-year-old Meek & Mighty race as an 11-year-old in 1988 and still returns to St. Petersburg, now as the top-ranked American triathlete.

"I want to say it's the most popular World Cup race on the circuit," Kemper said. "It's a great venue, easy to get to."

St. Anthony's weekend marks the beginning of Kemper's professional season, and he said it is a highlight given the support he gets on the course from fans. Many local participants also focus their training each year to peak for the spring tradition.

Helinger has pared down his triathlon calendar since starting a family seven years ago. But with a history in the sport dating to 1980 and fledgling triathlons on Clearwater Beach, he does not plan on stopping any time soon.

Especially with 20 St. Anthony's races under his swim cap, bike pedals and running shoes.

"I have yet to win this, and the leaders are very, very safe," Helinger said with a laugh. "It's just something I gear up for.

"I know where I'm going to be the last Sunday in April every year."

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