Over a thousand enthusiastic triathletes gathered at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay on Sunday morning, Aug. 22, to compete in the 12th annual Seacrest-TOBAY Triathlon. Finishing in third place overall was Syosset superstar triathlete Scott Sullivan, who crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 1 minute and 35 seconds, only 49 seconds in back of overall winner Fred Neinast.

Other award winners from Syosset included Allison Sloben, who finished first in 30-34 age group in 1:12:52 and Catherine Greeley who was third in the 35-39 age group in 1:19:42.

More than 700 athletes completed the entire event¬a 1-kilometer swim in Oyster Bay Harbor, a 15-kilometer bicycle ride through Oyster Bay Cove and Laurel Hollow, and a 5-kilometer run up to the Planting Fields Arboretum and down to the finish back at Roosevelt Park. In addition, there were 99 teams of three athletes each who successfully completed the event as a relay.

The triathlon was conducted jointly by the Town of Oyster Bay and the Greater Long Island Running Club, with Steve Winkler of the Running Club serving as the director once again.

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto and Receiver of Taxes John O'Leary were on hand to welcome the triathletes to Oyster Bay and there was a relay team representing the Oyster Bay Town Board with Annette Muscarella, daughter of Councilman Joe Muscarella, swimming the first leg; Councilwoman Christine Preston biking the second leg; and Jeff Symons running the last leg. The town team finished in ninth place in the co-ed division.

Three blind and deaf athletes from the Helen Keller National Center in Port Washington successfully completed the full triathlon¬Maricar Marquez, who finished in 1:45:38, the second straight year she has completed the event; Brian Farney (1:56:09); and Anindya Bhattacharyya (2:08:01). Fourteen-year-old Jesse Walsh, a wheelchair athlete who was born with arthrogryposis, a birth defect that left him without the use of his legs, successfully completed the entire course as well, finishing in 2:43:40.

"We were thrilled at the great turnout for this year's triathlon and offer our congratulations to Scott Sullivan, Allison Sloben, Catherine Greeley and all the other local athletes who participated," observed Triathlon Director Steve Winkler. "It is a great day for everyone who participates and we were very happy to be able to join with our good friends in town hall to help show the world what a great facility we have at Roosevelt Park and what a beautiful area we have in and around the hamlet of Oyster Bay."