2024 Sunshine State Games Events

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Of all the sporting events taking place in the State of Florida year-round, the only multi-sport festival held on an award-winning Florida beach is the Sunshine State Games (SSG) International Beach Games.

The Sheraton Sand Key Resort hosts the Fifth Annual SSG International Beach Games, September 27-29 with competition in seven sports and is supported locally by Visit St. Pete Clearwater (VSPC) and St. Pete Clearwater Sports & Events.  Six of the sports will be played on the sands of Clearwater Beach with the Gulf of Mexico in the background.  Powerlifting will be held inside the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in the Bay Room.

The action begins on Friday morning, September 27, at 9:00 a.m., with the 2019 Sand Key Beach Tennis World Cup with Men’s and Women’s Singles competition.  Women’s Powerlifting also begins inside the Resort, in the first of the two-day Drug Tested 2019 USPA North America Championships.

Several internationally ranked players will be playing at Clearwater Beach, according to Beach Tennis Sport Director, Steve Culver, including Mateo Godio, currently ranked second in Men’s Singles and 28th in Mixed Doubles by the International Federacion of Beach Tennis.  Godio won a Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles gold medal at the 2018 SSG Beach Games, and a Men’s Doubles Silver Medal.

The SSG Beach Games Powerlifting is a Qualifier for 2020 National Powerlifting, Bench-press, Deadlift Championship, with a master total, that takes place July 9-12, 2020, in Palm Springs, Calif.

On Saturday the expansive beach area behind the Sheraton Sand Key Resort will come alive with Ultimate (frisbee), Beach Volleyball, Super Heavy Weight Throw competition and Cornhole.  Besides the excitement of the five sports taking place on the beach, a mobile DJ will be providing music from a syst driven onto the beach in a Hummer.

Eight Ultimate Teams and 28 Beach Volleyball teams will be diving for volleyballs and discs on the sands of Clearwater Beach.  The Weight Throw competition features a variety of throws with implements weighing from 40 pounds to 300 pounds.

The 2018 Sunshine State Games Athlete of the Year Madison Malone, a weight thrower who will be competing in her third Beach Games, will receive her Athlete of the Year award during Saturday’s events.

Malone’s performance at the 2016 SSG International Beach Games earned her a trip to a national meet in New York City where she was seen by college track and field coaches.  Another impressive performance led her to a scholarship at Auburn University, where she was named the 2019 SEC Female Freshman Field Athlete of the Year both indoors and outdoors. She set Auburn records in the weight throw indoors and recorded the top 10 hammer throws ever at Auburn in 2019.

On the final day of the 2019 SSG International Beach Games men and women in kilts will be throwing heavy stones and other objects, pitching weighted bags over a bar and attempting to flip 20 foot cabers, weighing 50 to 60 pounds In Highland Games competition.

Over 300 athletes are expected to compete in the 2019 SSG International Beach Games.  There is no admission charge to take a trip to Clearwater Beach and venture out behind the Sheraton Sand Key Resort to visit the Games.  Parking is available at Sand Key Park, next to the Sheraton Sand Key Resort.

A complete calendar of events for 2019 SSG International Beach Games can be accessed below:

Friday, September 27
Beach Tennis, Men’s & Women’s Open & Advanced Singles, 9:00 a.m.
Powerlifting, All Women, 9:00 a.m.
Beach Tennis, Men’s & Women’s 40+ Doubles, 2:00 p.m.
Cornhole, Blind Draw Tournament, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 28
Beach Tennis, Men’s & Open & Advanced Doubles – Pool Play, 9:30 a.m.
Powerlifting, Men 52kg through 82.5 kg, 9:00 a.m.
Cornhole, Team Competition, 9:00 a.m.
Ultimate, Coed Team Competition, 9:00 a.m.
USATF Florida Association Super Weight Championships, 9:00 a.m.
Beach Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Teams, 9:00 a.m.
Beach Tennis, Men’s & Women’s Open & Advanced Doubles – Main Draw, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 29
Beach Tennis, Open & Advanced Mixed Doubles – Pool Play, 9:00 a.m.
Powerlifting, Men 90kg through SHW (Super Heavy Weight), 9:00 a.m.
Highland Games (Open Stone Put, Heavy Weight for Distance, Light Weight for Distance, Hammer Throw, Caber Toss, Sheaf Toss and Weight for Height), 9:00 a.m.
Beach Volleyball, Coed and 18U Boys and Girls Teams, 9:00 a.m.
Beach Tennis, Open & Advanced Mixed Doubles – Main Draw, 2:00 p.m.

About the Sunshine State Games
The 40th Sunshine State Games are presented annually by the Florida Sports Foundation (FSF), the state’s lead sports promotion and development organization, and a division of Enterprise Florida, Inc.  The Foundation works in conjunction with a variety of local sports industry partners to present the different competitions.  The Sunshine State Games, an annual amateur sports tradition in Florida, is part of the state’s $57.4 billion sports industry that accounts for 580,000 jobs statewide. #PlayInFlorida