Hello readers!

In this day and age, we all need something to cheer about. Someone to root for. An example of someone using their gifts and abilities fully. Someone to get behind, as it were.

Someone who may even live close by.

As it happens, I have someone in mind. His name is Steve Wright and he is about to do something amazing.

He will be representing Canada at the World Duathlon Championships, taking place April 29 through May 7 in Ibiza, Spain.

I had the opportunity to ask Steve a few questions about this upcoming event, as well as his other passion, Kavi whisky.

Kingsville Times:
How did you first become interested in duathlon?

Steve Wright:
I started with triathlon on my 50th birthday. I was curious about the activity, and heard it was an event for all ages and abilities so I gave it a go.

I ended up winning in my age group, and the win kinda got me hooked. I did one or two more that year and then got into the routine of doing four or five each summer, mostly within Essex and Kent Counties, and a few in other parts of Ontario.

I found that I was pretty good at it, finishing on the podium more often than not.

After a few years my shoulder started giving me problems, so I decided to try duathlon. This cut out the swim, and allowed me to focus my training on the cycling, which I love, and the running, which I’m pretty good at (… for my age)  but is more of a means of keeping fit than an enjoyable activity.

KT:
Which came first for you, the running or the cycling?

SW:
I have been a casual runner for the past 30 years, but I consider myself more of a cyclist as I really enjoy it. I especially enjoy riding the local roads and the Greenway trail.

KT:
Did you enjoy running as a child?

SW:
I didn’t run much as a kid. I played some soccer and a little hockey, but I wasn’t particularly athletic.

KT:
What kind of training is involved in being a duathelete?

SW:
I am sure every athlete has their own training regimen, but I feel a blend of running and biking, combined with some strength and flexibility training is as good as it will get for me. I don’t consider myself an elite athlete, just pretty good for my age.

I know I would be better if I trained more. I don’t work with a trainer for example, and I know I would perform better if I did. This is more recreational for me than it is a serious sport.

KT:
At what point in your training did you realize … hey, I’m pretty good at this?

SW:
I guess when I kept finding myself finishing on the podium. I qualified for the world championships just before COVID, but then needed to re-qualify last year and I did it, by winning what I later discovered was the Canadian championship race, held in Montréal.

I tend to undervalue my capability, and keep saying it’s no big deal because I’m just competing against a bunch of old guys.

KT:
I’ve read the duathlon is considered more challenging than the triathlon. Wow. Is this true?

SW:
Triathlons have a much bigger following, and get more attention than duathlons, and I believe they are more of a test of well- rounded athletes than duathlons. However duathlons force you to invest more time into the run, which can have its own challenges.

KT:
Can you explain what the race structure looks like? How many kilometres of each activity will you be doing?

SW:
I will be competing in the “sprint” duathlon, which is the shortest but fastest of the duathlon competitions. The international sprint format starts with a 5 km run followed by a 20 km bike, and then another 2.5 km run.

Like triathlons, there are two “transitions” but in duathlons. The first is where you switch from running gear to bike wear, then grab your bike and dash out to the course. The second is where you hang up your bike, switch back into running shoes and head out to the final run course. You need to be fast in the transitions as well to be competitive.

KT:
How does it feel to be competing for Canada and on such a large scale?

SW:
Pretty darn cool.

KT:
Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions?

SW:
Nope.

KT:
How do you find the time to train rigorously for an elite international athletic competition, and simultaneously develop a unique whisky brand?

SW:
I don’t consider myself an elite international athlete, just someone with enough perseverance and dedication to work at it hard enough to be competitive.

As for finding the time, it’s all about prioritizing what is important to you, and making the time to achieve what you want.

I am a distilling consultant and a whisky brand owner, and I have been in the distilling business my whole career. I started right out of University at McGuinness distillers in Toronto, and then Hiram Walker in Windsor.

Fast forward 25 years and after many technical and management roles, I left the corporate world and started my own distillery consulting company.

Spiritech Solutions, originally in Tecumseh and now in  Kingsville, provides technical consulting, product development and educational services to distilleries in Canada, the US and internationally.

KT:
Can you tell me a bit more about your whisky brand?

SW:
Kavi Reserve coffee blended whisky is a blend of cold brewed coffee and Canadian whisky, using specially blended beans and matured Canadian whisky, lightly sweetened with cane sugar and aged for 30 days in barrels to develop smoothness and complexity.

Kavi is blended and distilled at Wolfhead Distillery in Amherstburg, and is currently available in Ontario, and hopefully in other Canadian markets later this year.

KT:
Is whisky your drink of choice?

SW:
Whisky is my preferred spirit type, although I am also a fan of wine and craft beer.

KT:
What possessed you to merge Coffee with whisky?

SW:
The idea came up about seven years ago, when cold brewed coffee was gaining a lot of traction, especially with millennials. The cold brewing process reduces the astringent tannins and sharp acidity of the coffee, and I figured the right blend of beans could complement a fine Canadian whisky.

I worked with Colonial Coffee in Windsor, who custom roasts, blends and delivers our beans within 24 hours for maximum freshness.

KT:
Do you always do two things at the same time?

SW:
Usually more than two at a time.

KT:
Have you considered adding whisky to your water bottle for your upcoming race?

SW:
Hmmmmm …

KT:
What’s next for you, moving forward?

SW:
I want to try and focus on finding more free time to enjoy more of what the great town of Kingsville has to offer.

**

Whether it’s making fine whisky, or training for his upcoming race, it’s fair to say Steve’s been busy. I know I confidently speak for all our readers when I say, first of all, way to go, and good luck in Ibiza!

We are all pulling for you, and know you will do us proud.  We look forward to the next two things you have planned.

Photos provided by Steve Wright