Nautica South Beach Triathlon Hits Miami Beach for 4th Year in a Row
Saturday, April 9, 2011 – Beach Expo
Sunday, April 10, 2011 – Race Day
Lummus Park
4th and Ocean Drive.
Miami Beach
www.nauticasobetri.com

Nautica South Beach Triathlon Hits Miami Beach for 4th Year in a Row
Celebrities, athletes and locals face-off to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Nautica South Beach Triathlon Weekend Schedule:
Saturday, April 9, 2011 – Beach Expo
1:00 p.m. Registration and Packet Pickup Begins
Beach Expo Opens/Interactive Booths Open
Triathlon, Swim, Bike and Nutrition Clinics Begin/Sand Castle Demo Begins
4:00 p.m. Triathlon, Swim, Bike and Nutrition Clinics End/Sand Castle Demo Ends
5:00 p.m. Registration and Packet Pick Up Ends

Sunday, April 10, 2011 – Race Day
5:30 a.m. Packet Pickup, Body marking and Transition Area Opens
6:40 a.m. Packet Pickup and Registration Closes
6:44 a.m. International Pre-Race Meeting at International Swim Start
6:55 a.m. International Distance Race Start
7:20 a.m. Classic Distance Pre-race Meeting at Main Stage
7:25 a.m. National Anthem at Main Stage
7:40 a.m. Classic Race Start
8:00 a.m. Fun Zone and Nautica Tot Trot and Kids Run Registration Opens
10:00 a.m. Nautica Kids Run and Tot Trot Start
10:15 a.m. Professional Triathlete Awards Ceremony
Check Presentation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Celebrity Division Awards Ceremony
10:30 a.m. Competitor Awards Ceremony
12:00 p.m. FunZone Closes

On Sunday, April 10, 2011, celebrities, athletes, corporate teams, paratriathletes and professional triathletes will meet on the sunny shores of South Beach for the fourth annual Nautica South Beach Triathlon. The highly anticipated race expects to draw hundreds of spectators to cheer on the fierce competition, as well as enjoy an activity-filled day on the sizzling sands of Miami Beach. The Nautica South Beach Triathlon benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where a portion of the proceeds goes directly to pediatric cancer research. Celebrities confirmed to participate include “Rules of Engagement” stars Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price, “Pirates of the Caribbean’s” Patrick Fabian and returning participants, 2010 Ironman World Champion Chris “Macca” McCormack, actors Geoff Stults and Cristian de la Fuente, as well as actress Heather Tom and NBC “The Biggest Loser’s” Ali Vincent.

Participants from around the world will travel to South Beach for what has become one of the top athletic events of the year in South Florida. At 6:55 a.m., the International Distance Race will kick off with an invigorating 1.5K ocean swim, a 40K bike over Miami Beach’s causeways, and conclude with a 10K run alongside Miami Beach’s famous Art Deco District. At 7:40a.m., participants in the Classic Distance Race will hit the beach for a half-mile ocean swim, 19-mile bike and four-mile run. Both races will make their grand finish on the warm and smooth sands of South Beach.

“With the success of last year’s Nautica South Beach Triathlon, we are pleased to welcome back our loyal competitors, along with a new group of dedicated athletes, triathletes and paratriathletes, as they prepare to take on the challenging journey ahead, “ said Karen Murray, President of Nautica®. “South Beach continues to be the perfect destination for the competition and we are excited for this year’s participants to make it an event to remember.”

This year, for the first time, the Nautica South Beach Triathlon will be a part of The Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series Race to the Toyota Cup, an internationally-renowned series for both professional and amateur athletes that is made up of seven of the most prominent international-distance triathlon events in the United States. In the professional series, the fastest endurance athletes on the planet compete for points across America in pursuit of the Toyota Cup, in addition to one of the richest prize purses in the world. Accordingly, the most accomplished Elite amateurs compete for the Elite Amateur Championship. At the amateur level, top age group athletes from each race will be eligible to compete for their respective Amateur Championships at the Toyota US Open Triathlon in Dallas, Texas on October 2, 2011.

“For the past four years, we’ve teamed up with Nautica to bring together athletes from around the globe to swim, bike and run in one of the most renowned cities in the United States,” said Michael Epstein, President of MESP, Inc. “It is with great excitement that we welcome this event back to Miami Beach and continue toward our goal of promoting healthy bodies and raising money for an amazing cause.”

2010’s participants included twelve-time Ironman champion Chris “Macca” McCormack, co-anchor and national correspondent for NBC’s “Today Show” Natalie Morales, actress Eliza Dushku, former NBA player Rick Fox, NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” winner Ali Vincent, “The Bold and the Beautiful’s” Heather Tom, “The Bachelor’s” Andy Baldwin, three-time Winter X Games freestyle skiing gold medalist Sarah Burke and returning competitor, actor Geoff Stults, who helped raise $175,000 for St. Jude. Organizers of the Nautica South Beach Triathlon, the sister event to the popular Nautica Malibu Triathlon, are expecting to raise more than last year and already the sign-up and registration numbers have exceeded 2010’s figures.

For more information or to register for the Nautica South Beach Triathlon please visit the website at www.nauticasobetri.com. Registration is open to all. Participants can register as a St. Jude Charity Athlete and raise funds to help fight cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Racers have the option to compete individually or as part of a relay team. The fee for the International Distance Race is $140 for individual participants and $225 for relay teams. The Classic Distance Race is $95 for individual participants and $165 for relay teams. The Classic Distance Race will be limited to 1,700 participants; the International race is already sold out.

ABOUT NAUTICA:
Founded in 1983, Nautica® is a leading global lifestyle brand ranging from men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories to a complete home collection. Nautica® products are refined casual classics inspired and energized by the water that are always crisp, clean and distinct. Today Nautica® is
available in more than 60 countries with more than 200 Nautica® branded stores worldwide. In 2003, the
Company was acquired by VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel with more than 30 brands, including Wrangler, The North Face, Lee, Vans, Nautica, 7 For All Mankind, Eagle Creek, Eastpak, Ella Moss, JanSport, lucy, John Varvatos, Kipling, Majestic, Napapijri, Red Kap, Reef, Riders and Splendid. For additional information, please go to www.nautica.com and www.vfc.com.

ABOUT ST. JUDE:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National CancerInstitute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

ABOUT MESP:
Since 1986, MESP, Inc. has been a leader in lifestyle sports marketing. As a full service marketing and production company, MESP consistently delivers top quality events and unique brand driven marketing programs to tens of thousands of athletes throughout the United States. MESP currently produces high profile events such as the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, the Nautica South Beach Triathlon, and the Merrell Down & Dirty National Mud Run Series. MESP strives to produce events with a festive atmosphere that make a difference in people’s lives and that continually maximize the enjoyment of the athletes, the exposure of the sponsors, and the well-being of the community. MESP events have raised over $6 million for various philanthropic organizations such as Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Operation Gratitude. Our clients past and present include: Adidas, Allied Domecq, Amgen Inc., Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc., Audi of America Inc., Kraft Foods, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, Dole Food Company Inc., Ford Motor Company, Herbalife International of America Inc., John Paul Mitchell Systems, Kaiser Permanente, K-Swiss Inc., Rodale Inc., Monster Beverage Company, Nautica, Nestle USA, PepsiCo, S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Suburu of America, Toyota Motor Sales, The Walt Disney Corporation, Wolverine Worldwide, Wynn Las Vegas and many more.

ABOUT LIFE TIME FITNESS TRIATHLON SERIES:
In groundbreaking fashion, the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series was launched in 2006 and created the first-ever connection among several of the most prominent international-distance triathlon events in the United States. Throughout the Series, an international field of professional triathletes battle to earn points and a chance to win the coveted Toyota Cup. For more information, visit the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series Race to the Toyota Cup website, racetothetoyotacup.com.