One of the cool things about being a race announcer is that it’s almost like hosting a party. People are usually pretty happy when they cross the finish line, so there’s a really positive vibe, and you get to reconnect with a lot of familiar faces you’ve been seeing on start lines for years.
You also get to meet a lot of cool new people. Last year at the Wasa Lake Triathlon, I was impressed by the young guy who won the super sprint by about five minutes.
This year, that same athlete moved up to the sprint distance—a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and 5-kilometre run—and had a terrific debut, finishing just about 10 seconds behind Canadian triathlon legend Sam Lazar.
Bentley Togo is one of Western Canada’s rising stars in short-course triathlon, and he’s already making a name for himself in Southern Alberta.
I wanted to find out a little more about the athlete behind those fast times, how he got into the sport and where he hopes to go with it. Here’s my conversation with Bentley Togo.
Try it now! Thank me later.
Don’t guess. Torque it right.
We’re Fitspeek. We announce races, coach athletes, + talk to cool people.
As much as triathletes love to train, nothing matches the thrill of race day.
We all remember when COVID eased and we could toe the line again – charging through finish chutes, reconnecting with familiar faces, and celebrating the day’s battles.
None of those cool things about triathlon happens without TRI‑BC officials. They’re the ones who travel across the province and put in the sweat to ensure every triathlon is safe and fair.
This week on Fitspeek, we sit down with Greg Christensen, Technical Director for Triathlon BC, for a look at officiating.
We also discuss drafting, penalties, and talk about the sport from a different perspective. And for those who are interested, we dig into what is required to become a TRI-BC official. “If you would like more information about becoming a Triathlon Technical Official please email Greg at officials@tribc.org.
Try the Saturday App.
The Swagman Folding Torque Wrench. For repairs on the go.
We coach athletes, announce races, + talk to cool people.
With many Canadians celebrating the long weekend, Fitspeek looks back at what is probably the busiest month of triathlon in the country and delivers our July top 5 list.
1 Paula Findlay
If you’re old enough to remember the line, “I love it when a plan comes together,” you also probably remember a triathlon world without Paula Findlay. But Canada’s triathlon landscape has become a whole lot more interesting because of her.
Earlier this month, Findlay’s plan came together. Her first-ever IRONMAN. Her first-ever IRONMAN victory at Lake Placid.
Some may say her debut at the distance was a long time coming. But with all of her success at the 70.3 and T100 distances, why mess with a winning formula? Well, Paula’s patience in finally going all in at the IRONMAN distance paid off.
Her winning formula was vintage Findlay: stay near the front in the swim, crush the bike, then seal the deal on the run.
The last Canadians to stand atop the podium at the World Championships were Lori Bowden and Peter Reid in 2003.
Will Canada’s nearly quarter-century drought in Kona finally come to an end this fall?
2 Tyler Mislawchuk.
Tyler Mislawchuk is no stranger to this list. Last month’s No. 1 simply traded places with Paula Findlay—not because he had an off month, but because Findlay’s IRONMAN Lake Placid victory was impossible to ignore.
Mislawchuk spent July travelling like a migrating Canada goose. Hamburg. Toronto. Edmonton. If there were frequent flyer points for chasing podiums, he’d have earned a free trip by now.
The travel never slowed him down. He opened the month with a pair of respectable mid-pack finishes in Hamburg before returning to Canada to really rip things up. He landed in Edmonton and immediately got to work, collecting a pair of silver medals—one in the mixed team relay and the other after a gutsy, jaw-dropping sprint to the finish line in the individual race.
From there, it was off to Toronto for Supertri, where he capped off the month in style with a victory.
It’s another outstanding month for one of Canada’s most consistent triathletes, and more than enough to earn the No. 2 spot on this month’s Fitspeek Top 5.
3 Stefan Daniel
Although Stefan is making his debut on this list, he’s been on several lists of Canada’s Greatest Triathletes for over a decade.
World champion. Paralympic medallist. World Series winner. By now, excellence is simply expected.
July was another reminder of just how remarkably consistent Daniel has become. Racing against the world’s best, he added another international podium to an already overflowing résumé, proving once again that he’s one of Canada’s surest bets whenever he toes the start line.
One of the things that makes Daniel so impressive is that there are no shortcuts. Every race begins with a swim, followed by a bike and a run just like everyone else. The only difference is that he does it all while overcoming a congenital limb difference that has never defined him—only inspired others.
Maybe that’s why Daniel doesn’t always get the headlines he deserves. Winning has become almost routine.
For everyone else, that’s called greatness. For Stefan Daniel, it’s just another month—and it’s good enough for No. 3 on the Fitspeek Top 5.
4 Blake Harris
Before we tell you about this rising star from Manitoba, let’s run through a few names that could have claimed this spot but didn’t: Jackson Laundry, Cody Beals, Luke Tasker and Mitchell Kirby. All four have put together solid seasons, but none had the month Blake Harris did.
The former short-course elite has made the jump to the 70.3 and T100 distances, and he isn’t easing into it—he’s racing. A lot. Five 70.3 starts already this season.
In late June, Harris finished second in a stacked field at Mont-Tremblant. A few weeks later, he backed it up with a third-place finish at IRONMAN 70.3 Boise.
On a day when American Sam Long reminded everyone why he’s considered one of the strongest cyclists in the sport with a blistering 1:52 bike split, Harris hung tough, riding just under two hours before uncorking a blazing 1:10 half marathon. That’s about as fast as Lionel Sanders was running in his prime.
The scary part? Blake Harris is only 22 years old.
Give him a few more seasons of smart racing and steady development, and he just might become the most famous athlete ever to come out of Manitoba.
5 Sidney Clement
When we had Team Canada member Sophia Howell from Airdrie on the Fitspeek podcast, she was recovering from an injury and hoping to be back in time for the WTCS race in Edmonton. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite ready.
Enter 21‑year‑old Sidney Clement.
She didn’t just fill a spot on Team Canada—she helped the squad capture a silver medal in the mixed team relay. The opportunity, and the result, lands Clement on the Fitspeek Top 5 for the first time.
The Victoria‑based triathlete has been steadily climbing the ranks, racing a busy schedule of Continental Cups and World Cups while gaining the experience needed to compete with the world’s best. Earlier this season, she narrowly missed the podium with a fourth‑place finish at the Americas Triathlon Championships, another sign that even bigger results are just around the corner.
Just as impressive as the silver medal was the confidence Triathlon Canada showed in handing Clement a spot on the team—and the way she rewarded that faith with a podium performance.
At just 21 years old, Sidney Clement may not be a household name yet. But if July was any indication, she won’t stay off the radar for long.
For bike racks and more!
The Saturday Ap
Fitspeek. We coach athletes, announce races, + talk to cool people.
