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.
What better day than Canada Day to celebrate some outstanding Canadian performances? June delivered world-class racing, breakthrough moments, and one result that deserves far more attention than it received. Here are Fitspeek’s Top 5 Canadian triathletes for the month.
1.
Tyler Mislawchuk Last month’s number five is this month’s number one — and it’s not hard to see why. It comes down to performance, consistency, and a bit of outright domination. Earlier in the season, he helped Canada snag a bronze in the mixed relay at the World Cup stop in China. June pushed things even further: Mislawchuk grabbed another win, this time at the WTS race in Huatulco, Mexico. He’s sitting 16th in the World Triathlon rankings and has a packed July ahead — Hamburg first, then back on home soil for Edmonton the following week.
2.
Paula Findlay Perhaps the biggest surprise with our list for May was Paula Findlay wasn’t on it — after all, she only managed a DNF at Oceanside 70.3 and second at 70.3 Chattanooga. Things are back to normal now with an inevitable win. The deed was done at the North American 70.3 Championships in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, when she took control on the bike and never looked back, winning by more than three minutes. Perhaps even more exciting than this win (her 4th North American title) is her debut at the Ironman distance later this month at Lake Placid.
3.
Nicolas Gilbert
You may not know his name yet, but you probably should. The Quebec native delivered one of the most dominant performances by a Canadian this season, winning Challenge Québec in 7:51:10 — an astonishing 28 minutes ahead of second place. Even more impressive, it was his full-distance debut after quietly building a solid résumé at the 70.3 distance. And he did it just one week after breaking four hours at IRONMAN 70.3 Mont‑Tremblant. And he did it while working full time as an auditor for the province of Quebec. If June had a performance that made everyone take notice, this was it.
4.
Beatrice Filion just 19 and hailing from St‑Jean‑sur‑Richelieu, Québec, announced herself in a big way with a silver medal at the Americas Triathlon Cup Montréal — her first international podium. She stopped the clock in 58:47, only three seconds behind American Annie Fuller, racing with the poise of someone far more seasoned. And how did she celebrate the biggest result of her young career? By grabbing her medal, heading straight out of the venue, and making it to her sister’s wedding. A breakout performance, a family dash, and a new Canadian talent officially on the rise.
5. Charles Paquet
Only the second athlete to carry over on the list from last month, Charles Paquet continues to prove that his breakthrough season is no fluke. After earning the first WTCS podium of his career earlier this year, the Quebecer backed it up with a fifth‑place finish at WTCS Alghero, remaining in the hunt with the world’s best until the closing stages of the run. He followed that with another solid performance at WTCS Quiberon, cementing his status as Canada’s top male on the World Triathlon Championship Series circuit. At this point, top‑five finishes are becoming the expectation, not the exception.
