O
n August 20 at the crack of dawn the 30th Annual Sandestin Triathlon
(formerly “The Elephant Walk Triathlon) took place in Sandestin,
luring more than 800 participants. Teams and individuals from as far as
California, Louisiana and surrounding areas were all in high spirits to
make this event another memorable one. There were lifeguards in the water looking out
for swimmers and sheriff’s officers directing the roadways and intersections to make
sure the athletes were safe.
A .5 mile Gulf of Mexico swim, 20 miles of biking along the beautiful emerald coast
and a 4 mile run through Sandestin Beach and bay side communities were the feats to
complete. At the end of the race the athletes were treated to snacks and massages while
others lounged around the pool and relaxed while they waited for the award ceremony.
Jessica Demello Jones was the overall female winner with a time of 1:31:05 while
David Robert Shearon clenched it for the men as an overall winner with his time
being 1:26:42. Other awards, like the Scott Christmas award and the male and female
Master’s award, were also given to participants.
photos & story by
Zhalman Harris
VIP Destin at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
Gulf Coast TriTeam
Sharyl Drake & Lacey Hilton
Adam Hall & John Tereo
Candice Taylor, Lauren Stevens & Chloe Giles
Kim Broughton & John Powers
60 | DestinMagazine.com
60 Event Sandestin Triathalon 1pg.indd 1
9/27/16 2:00 PM