Just got back. Sadly, probably only 1/2 capacity for the event, but the setting was incredible. On the beach in Sand Key with big globe lights, and a huge stage with a reggae band playing. Food IMO was great. Mike Reilly hosted the festivities and there were speeches from a Ford rep, Ben Fertic, Welchy, the mayor of Clearwater. Pretty low-key crowd. They emphasized how everyone here was part of history for the first-ever 70.3 Championships, and thought I felt it, I think alot of the athletes there might not have. They had a parade of nations of sort with the flags of all the countries represented, and it was cool having Robert McKeague up on stage at 81 years old.
The evening ended after Reilly finished, even though the band continued. Everyone was pretty much gone after that.