- April 26, 2024
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After hosting the Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final this June — an event the sport’s national and international governing bodies praised — the Sarasota-Bradenton Modern Pentathlon Foundation is already working on topping that effort.
Just eight months after the World Cup Final, Sarasota and Bradenton will host another international pentathlon competition this February, the first event of the World Cup series. As part of the preparations in advance of that competition, leaders from the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne and USA Pentathlon will conduct a site visit next week, which will include the formal unveiling of the venue for the 2015 event.
Modern pentathlon is a sport consisting of five different events: swimming, fencing, equestrian show jumping and a combined run/shoot event.
Katherine Harris, chairwoman of the Sarasota-Bradenton pentathlon foundation, said the February event represents a step up in scale from the World Cup Final. Because it’s the first World Cup event of the year, the field is broader, with more than 200 athletes descending on the area for the games.
Harris said former Olympians and other athletes in the area for the event will meet with youth and other community groups to share their stories.
“We’re working on emphasizing values more this time, rather than just the sport,” Harris said.
Harris said the organizations were also working on expanding the cultural entertainment offerings that were featured during the World Cup Final, including an international art exhibition.
She said February’s event should carry with it an increased impact on the local economy. This summer’s World Cup Final had a nearly $2 million local economic impact, according to Visit Sarasota County.
Although the scale may be bigger — and there’s less time to prepare for it — Harris said the experience hosting the 2014 World Cup Final should allow for a smooth transition to the 2015 competition.
“This is three times as big; there’s a lot more to do,” Harris said.
