Race Directors Monitor Oil Spill

Edited by Chuck Menke

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill has affected all aspects of life along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline in the Florida Panhandle, but so far triathlon in the Sunshine State has remained unaffected.

But with the massive oil slick moving slowly toward other parts of Florida, triathlon race directors from Panama City to Key West are keeping a watchful eye on developments, even with the encouraging news that BP has capped the wellhead that had gushed oil into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months.

There remains a risk that a significant shift in pressure could create a new leak on the sea floor. The drilling of relief wells to permanently close the well continues.

There’s also the existing oil, which has washed up along hundreds of miles of shoreline in Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle. A hurricane or tropical storm could push the massive oil slick inland or further into the Loop Current, a warm ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico that loops west and south before exiting to the east through the Florida Straits.

For now, however, no races have been canceled along the Panhandle or anywhere else in Florida.

“We all are resorting to lakes or inner water ways as back-up plans,” says Sean McSheehy, race director of the Destin Triathlon, which will be held on Oct. 9.

Officials at World Triathlon Corporation, the parent company of Ironman, are taking a wait-and-see approach toward Ironman Florida, scheduled for Nov. 7 in Panama City.

“Contingency planning is part of our day-to-day operations,” said Steve Meckfessel, WTC’s Chief Operations Officer, in a release. “While we can’t forecast swim and beach conditions in November, we are evaluating several course and venue options which will enable athletes to complete the entire event.”

The Santa Rosa Island Triathlon, which is held at Pensacola Beach, where some tar balls have been found, is scheduled for Oct. 2. As of late July, many triathletes were able to train regularly in the Gulf. If the water is not safe, the swim portion will move to Santa Rosa Sound on the north side of the island, which has been unaffected.

“Pensacola Beach has not been spared, but the cleanup has been very successful and we’ve been very lucky with regard to tides, currents, and winds,” says Charles Gheen, race director for the event. “Right now the Casino Beach area where we hold the (triathlon) swim is very clean and the Gulf water there is good. Santa Rosa Sound on the north side of the island has been our alternate swim course all along and that body of water has been fine throughout this catastrophe.”

A number of Florida triathlons take place between July and late October along a 100-mile stretch of coastline between Crystal River and Sarasota. That area is hundreds of miles from the oil spill, but race directors still are making contingency plans.

Chris Mohling, whose DRC Sports company has sprint triathlons scheduled in Crystal River for July 24 and Sept. 4, said that although his races likely will not be affected, he’s made contingency plans that he’ll keep in place going into 2011.

Crystal River, which is famous for attracting manatees to its warm waters in the winter months, is about an hour north of Clearwater. Race contingency plans include moving the swim portion from the Gulf of Mexico site to a freshwater spring at the head of Crystal River. The DRC Sports website includes an oil spill update and a link to USA Today’s ongoing map of the oil progression.

“We’re keeping an eye on it,” Mohling says. “We feel confident we’re okay for September, but a hurricane could change all of that. At this point, it’s had a minimum effect on the races other than a couple dozen emails from people wondering if the oil has hit here yet.”

Many unfamiliar with Florida geography watch news reports and wrongly assume much of the state has been affected. That misperception has caused Florida government officials to lobby for advertising campaigns showing that the Sunshine State still is open for business.

Triathlons tend to attract mostly locals paying close attention to how far the oil is from encroaching on their communities. That, race directors say, has kept registrations at or ahead of last year’s pace, mirroring the continued growth in the sport.

Though the oil disaster is unprecedented, Florida triathletes are accustomed to harsh storm conditions that can postpone events or turn triathlons into duathlons at the last moment.

Fred Rzymek, whose RPM Promotions company stages four triathlons in St. Petersburg at Fort De Soto Park, including the Top Gun Triathlon on July 31 and the Suncoast Triathlon on Oct. 23, says he always has a weather-related backup date. The oil is nowhere near the Tampa Bay area, but like everyone else Rzymek is watching it.

“There’s a sense of relief that it looks like they’re stopping the flow, but you don’t know about the existing oil spill,” Rzymek says. “Everyone seems to be an expert on how it will flow and what the Gulf Stream will do, but it’s like listening to the weathermen. Nobody knows for sure.”

Even with the apparent containment of the oil, there are effects felt clear across the state.

Warren Benjamin, race director for the Key West Triathlon on December 5, says he’s received tremendous early response from athletes and sponsors for his inaugural event, which features sprint and Olympic distances.

A few potential sponsors, however, are holding off on committing because of the oil spill situation.

“We’re watching it as the whole state is,” Benjamin said. “There was this national perception that Florida was covered with oil and we have seen some response to the oil slick in terms of selling sponsorships. The current is cooperating now and we’re confident that by December we’ll be clear and the race will go on as scheduled.”

Pete Williams is a triathlete, endurance sports journalist, and co-author of Mark Verstegen's best-selling Core Performance fitness book series. His website is www.petewilliams.net.