Sommer Sports Celebrates 40 Years of Triathlon

March 9, 2023

Establishes Clermont, FL as World Triathlon Destination

CLERMONT, FLORIDA, March 9, 2023 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – In 1983, Clermont resident, avid runner and nursery owner Fred Sommer participated in his first triathlon and fell in love with a sport so new it didn’t have official rules or standard distances for each of the three components – swimming, cycling and running.

“Back then, triathlons were new with only a few events in Florida,” he said. “I knew Clermont would be an ideal venue for a triathlon, so I decided to start one here so my triathlon friends and others in Florida would have another race to enter.”

In 1984, the Great Clermont Triathlon took place and became an immediate hit with the athletes. It wasn’t long before Fred Sommer was able to turn his one-race experience and passion for triathlon into a successful event business, Sommer Sports. The following year, 1985, Fred introduced a Biathlon (now called Duathlon), Sprint Triathlon, Kids Triathlon, and a Half-Iron Distance Triathlon to Clermont. It was that Kids Triathlon that three-time Olympic Triathlete, Hunter Kemper, participated in his very first triathlon. Later even more events were added to the Clermont schedule, including the Great Floridian Triathlon, the longest running independent (non-Ironman licensed) full distance triathlon in the country.

Sommer Sports portfolio of events grew even more and helped establish Clermont, FL as the “World Triathlon Destination”, bringing hundreds of thousands of athletes to Clermont, from all 50 states and more than 35 countries. Sommer Sports, with Fred at the helm, has produced nearly 300 triathlons over the past 39 years in Clermont including multiple State, Regional and National Championships, along with the National Senior Games Triathlon and Special Olympics USA Games Triathlon. Sommer Sports is believed to be longest-running triathlon production company in the United States, having produced triathlons for 40 consecutive years.

Not limited to just Clermont, Sommer Sports has been involved with events throughout Florida and across the United States. For nearly a decade it also operated a national triathlon series, the TriAmerica National Triathlon Series Tour, that took place in multiple states across the U.S.

Fast forward 40 years to March 11, 2023, when triathletes and enthusiasts arrive in Clermont to participate in the 40^th Annual AdventHealth Great Clermont Triathlon, the traditional triathlon season opener for Clermont Triathlons.

When asked how much longer he plans to do this, Fred Sommer said, “Sommer Sports has grown with the sport and changed with the sport, and it is part of a lifestyle that I am very passionate about. There is a whole new generation of athletes waiting to experience multi-sport, and we are experts at creating awesome event experiences! I still enjoy what I do so no exit plan is on the immediate horizon.”

For a complete calendar of upcoming Sommer Sports Events, please visit https://sommersportsevents.com/Calendar.

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About Sommer Sports and Sommer Sports Events – With four decades of event experience, Sommer Sports is one of the most respected names in the event industry. Besides managing its more than 20 owned events, Sommer Sports provides turnkey event solutions, event management, equipment rental, and chip timing to dozens more events each year. For more info on Sommer Sports Events please visit www.SommerSportsEvents.com