Alfred Olivetti has a message for those interested in having a good time in the area this weekend.

"It's the funnest time you can get barely naked without getting arrested on Hilton Head," he said.

Olivetti was referencing the 19th edition of the Beach Bum Triathlon, which is set to begin at 8 a.m. today on Coligny Beach. The race consists of a 500-yard swim, a 6-mile beach bike and a 3-mile beach run.

Forty competitors will take home a prized coconut monkey, which is handed out to the top 10 men and women in both the 39-and-under and the 40-and-over categories.

"They've got their own little cult following," said Olivetti, the operator of the triathlon and owner of On On Tri sports shop. "We get a lot of people coming from out of town scheduling their vacation around these monkeys. They literally go nutty about it.

"It's kind of a big deal now to win a monkey."

Around 150 participants had signed up as of Thursday afternoon and Olivetti expects that number to be around 200 by race time.

What: Beach Bum Triathlon

Where: Coligny Beach, Hilton Head Island

When: 8 a.m. today

Cost: $45

Registration: Register up to 30 minutes before race time.

Information: Alfred Olivetti 843-295-9565