Press: 2005 SRI Tri Dedicated to Memory of Charles Knight

Get ready, get set for Santa Rosa Island Triathlon

BY JULIE B. CONNERLEY Gulf Breeze News, 2005

ann and charlie Ann and Charlie Knight were honored in 2004 with a polished granite monument for their tireless efforts as founders of the highly successful Santa Rosa Island Triathlon begun in 1996. This year’s SRI-TRI is dedicated to Charlie Knight who lost a courageous three-year battle with cancer last year.

One of Pensacola Beach’s premier shoulder season events, the popular annual swim/bike/run Santa Rosa Island Triathlon (SRI-TRI) has officially been given the “go ahead” by SRIA general manager Buck Lee and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Bob Clark. The event will be held September 24 beginning at 7:30 a.m.
“I met with both men late last week,” excitedly explained Ann Knight, Race Founder and Coordinator for the event now celebrating its 10th year. “We have their support 100%. They feel confident the beach will be ready to handle the race and the businesses will be ready to welcome the guests.”

Ann’s husband of 52 years, Charles Knight, who served as Event Coordinator for the past 9 years, passed away shortly after his 76 birthday on New Year’s Eve 2004. He fought a courageous three-year battle against melanoma cancer. Last year’s race was canceled due to Hurricane Ivan. This year’s race will be held in Charlie’s memory.

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“At this same time last year we had more than 1330 reservations,” said Ann. “Right now we are behind, with only 630 registered so far, but I am hopeful we will have a good turnout and the beach will bounce back.”

The new host hotel for this year’s event is the Springhill Suites. After being closed for ten months, they were only open ten days before Hurricane Dennis slammed the area and closed them down again. The hotel has 75 rooms already booked for the SRI-TRI. They too are pleased that plans are proceeding to hold the race, although some changes in the routing of the run portion will have to be made due to construction concerns.

Anyone wishing to get in shape for the triathlon is welcome to join the Mere Mortals, a free training group that meets almost every Sunday helping first timers prepare for a triathlon event. To learn more about the Mere Mortals, contact Tom Henderson at 932.6953 or Paul Epstein at Running Wild, 435.9222.

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PENSACOLA, Fla., Oct. 4, 2000—Sterling Fibers Spokesperson, Michellie Jones Wins Silver Medal in the 2000 Olympics

mekalli jonesSterling Fibers, Inc. announced today that Michellie Jones, #1 ranked female triathlete in the world and Silver Medalist in the 2000 Olympics, will be arriving in Pensacola, Florida for the Santa Rosa Island Sprint Triathlon. Fierce competition in Sydney did not stop Michellie Jones from accomplishing the dream of every athlete, to stand on the podium at the Olympic games. Jones, ranked #1 overall triathlete in the world made history and took the silver medal at the first Olympic triathlon.

Jones returns from Sydney on Wednesday, October 4, 2000 to her home in CA only to re-pack and head for Pensacola. Jones, a spokesperson for Sterling Fibers, Inc., and their leading fiber brand, MicroSupreme(R), will race in the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon on October 7, 2000.
MicroSupreme fiber is used to make socks and shirts, a favorite of Jones and many athletes when training. “I love the socks, they wick away moisture so you don’t get hot feet. I don’t have time to get blisters.” Her training shirts are also made with the moisture management fiber, a product developed by Sterling Fibers, Inc. Both products are manufactured by DeFeet, and can be found at local cycling shops. “The UnDShurt is awesome,” explains Michellie, “the superior performance of MicroSupreme keeps me dry, cool, and comfortable during those 12-mile training runs.”
Jones will share some thoughts of her Olympic experience at the Carbo-load Dinner on October 6th at Hooters on Quietwater Beach from 5-9. She will be available for photos and autographs after the race in the Sterling Fibers/MicroSupreme tent.
Sterling is proud to sponsor athletes such as Michellie Jones because of their positive influence to sports and to their surrounding communities. Sterling, however, is not letting Michellie race alone, after her visit to the Sterling plant last December, employees were inspired to get in shape and participate in the local event. Teams were formed headed up by Sterling’s President Paul Saunders. The 6 relay teams will take to the water and streets of Santa Rosa Island along with three brave souls who have trained hard and will do the entire race.
Based in Houston, Texas, Sterling Chemicals Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: STXX) is a holding company that, through its operating subsidiaries, manufactures petrochemicals, and pulp chemicals and provides large-scale chlorine dioxide generators to the pulp and paper industry. The Company has a petrochemical plant in Texas City, Texas; an acrylic fibers plant near Pensacola, Florida; and pulp chemical plants in five Canadian locations and one U.S. site.

SOURCE: Sterling Fibers, Inc.
CONTACT: Mark A. Kahil of Sterling Chemicals

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History of the SRI Triathlon

Tee Shirt Design

The SRI Tri Idea was Hatched

The race was born after Joe Fernandez the guest speaker from Tampa, Fl., director of many races and editor of Florida Race Place magazine, spoke on the cutting edge of multi-sport events such as triathlon at a race director’s clinic sponsored by the Pensacola Runner’s Association and organized by Ann Knight. Dee Lucas, Promotions and Events person for the island, attended the clinic and approached Ann with the idea of sponsoring a Triathlon on the beach in the off season to promote tourism. With the support of her friend Janet Boylan, a date was selected and with much mentoring from Joe and his friend Fred Rzymek from South Florida the SRI-TRI was off and running!

SRI Tri First Year

Were you there in 1996? Remember how cold it was for the start and how shallow the water was! The packet pick-up was in the SRIA building and the swim was in the Santa Rosa Sound and went around the pier and finished between Circle K and Flounders. The transition area , no barricades, was in the parking lot at Circle K and the bike headed west into the Gulf Island’s National Seashore almost to Ft. Pickens and back, the run was in the neighborhood on the sound side of the Island and party was at the old flounder’s beach side!

First Year SRI Tri Success

Expecting about 250 participants, we had 479 registered by race morning. The management team consisted of  Ann Knight,  CFT Sommer Sports, Fred Sommer (still successful and race director of the TRI AMERICA series and his many other races in Clermont, Fl.) and his assistant Steve Meckfessel (now events coordinator for WTC).

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