Elite triathletes hope SuperTri race in Toronto will inspire more Canadians to take up sport
Two of Canada's top triathletes hope that a new race in Toronto will inspire more people to take up the sport.
Charles Paquet and Mathis Beaulieu will be racing in SuperTri Toronto this Saturday, kicking off the international league's season. They feel the short-course version of the multisport race is more exciting for spectators and, ideally, will lead to a new generation of Canadian triathletes.
'I think it's starting to be more popular, starting to be more known,' said Paquet, who is from Port-Cartier, Que. 'When I started the sport, I think people didn't really know what triathlon was but now it's starting to be more and more popular.
'Hopefully there's going to be a lot of people watching and I can inspire a few people to give it a try.'
Beaulieu, from Quebec City, has similar hopes, noting that there hasn't been an elite triathlon race in Canada for years.
'I think it could be really huge. I think it could be massive because there's not a lot of short-course racing in Canada,' he said. 'I think SuperTri is super light, dynamic, intense.
'I feel like it's fresh, it's new.'
SuperTri has shorter and faster formats, often with multiple short races in quick succession. An Olympic triathlon follows a standardized distance of 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-kilometre bicycle ride, and a 10-kilometre run.
The league will also hold races in Chicago in August and in Toulouse, France, in October.
In Toronto, competitors will do the Olympic distances but on shorter loops to stay within sight of spectators. That includes swimming in the sheltered waters of Ontario Place, biking on closed roads, and running along Lake Shore Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway.
Beaulieu has one recommendation for spectators hoping to catch the best view of the race.
'Everything happens in transition,' he said. 'They're going to get to see us all get from the swim to the bike then from the bike to the run.
'Some people say that we take our time in transition, but it's the most important thing in the triathlon. You go as fast as you can in the transition to get any advantage you can.'
Paquet and Beaulieu will both be in the professional race, but the triathlon festival will also have categories for amateurs. Paquet hopes that fans will be inspired not just by the elite of the sport but also the amateurs trying their best.
'I think that should be, hopefully, a good event to introduce people to triathlon like I was introduced to in the past,' said Paquet, who represented Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 'Then hopefully they can join the sport.'
The 20-year-old Beaulieu is on pace to represent Canada at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
13 minutes ago
- CBC
Kicking it old school: Why these childhood friends never want to stop playing soccer together
CBC Ottawa's Creator Network is a place where young digital storytellers from diverse backgrounds can produce original video content to air on CBC and tell stories through their own lens. Victories. Losses. Injuries, career changes, moves, fatherhood. Over their more than a decade on the pitch, "No New Friends" soccer players have seen it all, says longtime player and co-organizer Nick Pouponneau. He attributes the 60-minute Ottawa Footy Sevens soccer league games to helping him and other players navigate life both on and off the field. "No matter what happens, it's always going to be there for me, whether we win, whether we lose," Pouponneau said. "Soccer to me … it's a way of life." Pouponneau decided to profile the longtime team and explore how the sport has shaped its members in a video for CBC Ottawa's Creator Network. Decades later, childhood soccer friends still kicking it on No New Friends soccer team 4 minutes ago Wins, losses, broken ankles, breakups and moves: Players on longtime team say they've seen it all, and wouldn't miss their weekly games, in video for CBC Ottawa's Creator Network. Old friends and foes "Everything's happened, right? There've been breakups, there've been new jobs, they've been marriages," said longtime player Dominic Goss about the team, which came together over a decade ago from a group of friends who'd been who'd been playing — or against each other — since they were boys. "I mean, it's been life, right? [That] happened in the meantime." When soccer scholarships and degrees wrapped, the childhood buddies found themselves back in the city, at loose ends and looking for a way to bring serious soccer back into their lives, said Pouponneau. The name references a Drake song from that era. "We called ourselves No New Friends because we just had known each other for so long that it's like, 'Oh, we don't need new friends," said Pouponneau. He joked it's ironic because these days, players struggle to balance soccer and other commitments, and they often need new friends — especially those with younger legs — to pick up the slack. Soccer bonds and life plans But Goss said the teammates' history starts much earlier, back when soccer wasn't as popular in Ottawa, and the tight-knit community, many of them new to the country, often crossed paths at the gym at St. Patrick's High School. "Soccer was very much a sport played by immigrants and the kids of immigrants," recalled Goss, whose family immigrated from South Africa. He recalls his Canadian-born school friends tended to play hockey. "So it was a great bonding experience [for newcomers] that I think was necessary for a lot of people who maybe otherwise could have felt like outsiders." "We came to Canada in 1995 … from a war-torn country, and then one of the ways I made friends ... was through soccer," confirmed longtime player Francis Mavula, whose family came from Burundi, and whose brother also plays on the team. Mavula said soccer went on to shape the course of his life. After dreaming of becoming a professional player, he scored a soccer scholarship and went on to captain the men's team at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. "Soccer has had such a huge impact on my life. I think outside of my parents, it's been the biggest influence in who I am," he reflected, adding that he remains in touch with teammates despite being sidelined this season by a broken ankle. The sport also had a big impact on Pascal-Olivier Ouandji, who joined the team more recently. Raised in Cameroon and Kenya, he moved to southern France as a teen to pursue serious soccer at a high school affiliated with a soccer club, later coming to Ottawa with a plan to pursue sports journalism. "I was so obsessed with sports and [soccer] in particular that I kind of planned my whole life around it," said Ouandji, who like many of the players now works for the federal government and also makes music. More than just a game As they got older, many of the players say they struggled with balancing their love of the game with adult responsibilities. But for some, that made the team even more important. "I'm 39 years old. I have a two-year-old daughter now," said player Aras Tahir, who grew up with this group. "It's kind of hard to keep in touch with people, and soccer is our way." Pouponneau said he, too, is grateful for the weekly excuse to connect. "We always have these long goodbyes at the end of the game in the parking lot, and we're walking out and they're shutting off the lights in the facility," he said, explaining it's a chance to catch up on everything from kids to sleep patterns, to more serious topics. "A lot of times you'll see guys hang back and have those more deep conversations from, like, 'Hey, I'm really struggling with XYZ thing,' or, 'I'm feeling stressed about work.' Just get advice from that kind of brotherhood perspective." Now that many of the players have become dads themselves, they say the team's weekly games are a way to pass on that passion for sport and time with friends to the next generation. But despite the increasingly family feel of the weekly games and the age of the longtime players, they stress that competition is still fierce. "That's what's so great about sports. It's a continuous challenge, and especially as you get older, the challenge changes, and ... gets more difficult as well, right?" said Goss. The team was league champion last year and is in the playoffs again this season. "I mean, you know what these young guys are like. They can just run and run for days, which is not something that any of us are capable of, and as a result we rely heavily on our experience." Soccer on film Pouponneau, who now works in the fitness technology field, said he teamed up with filmmakers Pearly Pouponneau, his partner, and Evan Hartling to tell this story as a tribute not just to his childhood friend group, but to other longtime teams and groups he's seen over the years. "I think that there's a lot of versions of No New Friends out there... guys that are playing together week in week out," he said, adding that he was pleased to learn through this project just how important the team has become. "It was just a bunch of friends getting together once a week, and we didn't know where that would lead to. But it's just kind of continued for over 10 years now, where we're still doing it," reflected Mavula with a laugh. "People get older, people get hurt ... life gets complicated. I want us to just keep it going. I want us to play as long as we can," added Goss. "I can't understate the importance of how soccer shaped the trajectory of my life," said Pouponneau. "When you meet people who get it ... they get it, you know?"
CBC
13 minutes ago
- CBC
Watch live coverage of World Aquatics Championships from Singapore
Click on the video player above to watch live coverage of Monday's finals session at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Having already secured one, Summer McIntosh continues her drive for five individual gold medals at 2025 worlds with the women's 200-metre individual medley at 8:19 a.m. ET on Monday. The 18-year-old superstar from Toronto will be joined in the race by compatriot Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., after the pair qualified for the final on Sunday — placing 1-2 in their heat, respectively. McIntosh owns the world record in the event with a time of 2 minutes 5.70 seconds, set during national trials in June. Reporter Devin Heroux will be on site in Singapore speaking to Canadians following their races, and will join The Ready Room show live on YouTube every day after finals, with Brittany MacLean Campbell hosting from Toronto. The show will include Canadian highlights, athlete interviews and analysis. Watch live coverage of every race at the swimming worlds on and CBC Gem, with finals beginning at 7 a.m. ET each day. The full competition schedule is available here. McIntosh kicked off her world championship campaign Sunday by taking down American icon Katie Ledecky in the women's 400m freestyle final, touching the wall in 3:56.26. "I think I'm at my best. I'm in the best shape of my life. So now I just have to act on that and put it into all my races," McIntosh said after Sunday's final. The result in the 400m free final helped McIntosh extend her Canadian-best career gold medal total to five at long-course worlds, and with her ninth medal overall moved into a tie with Kylie Masse and Penny Oleksiak for most ever by a Canadian. WATCH l CBC Sports' The Ready Room recaps opening day of swimming finals: Summer McIntosh wins gold in the 400m free, defeating American Katie Ledecky | THE READY ROOM 17 hours ago Day 1 of the swimming world championships started fast, with Summer McIntosh winning gold in the women's 400m freestyle, beating out Katie Ledecky of the USA, who took bronze. We hear from McIntosh as well as Canadian Ilya Kharun, who had a disappointing 50m fly. Brittany MacLean Campbell & Devin Heroux tell you everything you need to know from the world swimming championships.
The Province
3 hours ago
- The Province
Summer McIntosh wins first gold medal at worlds in her quest for five
Published Jul 27, 2025 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 4 minute read From left to right: Silver medallist China's swimmer Li Bingjie, gold medallist Canada's swimmer Summer Mcintosh, and bronze medallist U.S.' swimmer Katie Ledecky celebrate on the podium of the women's 400m freestyle swimming event during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on July 27, 2025. Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP via Getty Images SINGAPORE — For Summer McIntosh of Canada, it's one gold medal won at the swimming world championships with four to go. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors McIntosh is aiming to win five gold medals in individual events at the worlds in Singapore, and the first one came Sunday in the 400-metre freestyle on the first of eight days in the pool. Only legendary American Michael Phelps has ever won five individual medals in the worlds. He also did it at the Olympics. McIntosh won but did not break her own world record, winning in 3 minutes, 56.26 seconds. Li Bingjie of China took silver (3:58.21) with a late charge to leave American Katie Ledecky (3:58.49) with bronze. A year ago in the Olympics, Ledecky also took bronze in the 400. McIntosh was the silver medalist with gold for Australian Ariarne Titmus of Australia. Titmus is taking a year off and did not swim and has since lost her world record in the event to McIntosh. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. For Ledecky, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, it was her 27th medal in the world championships in an astonishing career. She won her first Olympic gold in 2012 in London, and then started adding world championship medals beginning in Barcelona in 2013. About 25 minutes after winning the 400, McIntosh came back and qualified first in the 200 individual medley, clocking 2:07.39. American Alex Walsh was second in 2:08.49. That final is Monday. 'I've never done a double like that,' McIntosh said. 'I think the 400 free, at past world championships and Olympics, I haven't been at my best. And I haven't been where I wanted to be. So, to finally stand in the centre of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet.' The Canadian added: I think I'm at my best. I'm in the best shape of my life. So now I just have to act on that and put it into all my races.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The shock of the first day might have been Chinese 12-year-old Yu Zidi, who was the seventh fastest in qualifying and will swim in the final. Asked her reaction, she replied: 'Oh, I'm in,' unaware she had advanced. 'I will continue to work harder,' she added. 'I hope to find a breakthrough at these world championships and show my potential.' Asked for her reaction to the competition, she added. 'You can feel it's quite intense. I try not to think so much and just give it my all.' The 200 IM might not even be her best event with the Chinese likely quicker in the 400 IM and the 200 butterfly. Meanwhile, the United States is swimming with what appears to be a weakened team after officials acknowledged Sunday that some members of the team had come down with 'acute gastroenteritis' at a training camp in Thailand prior to arriving in Singapore. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Nikki Warner, a spokeswoman for USA Swimming, would not say how many fell ill in Thailand. She cited health confidentiality rules. She said all American swimmers had traveled to Singapore. In the other early individual final Sunday, Lukas Martens of Germany won the men's 400 free in 3:42.35, edging Sam Short of Australia who was .02 behind. Bronze went to Kim Woomin of South Korea in 3:42.60. Martens is the defending Olympic champion and also holds the world record of 3:39.96. McIntosh, who won three gold medals a year ago at the Paris Olympics, holds the world record in the 400 free — 3:54.18. She will face off again with Ledecky in the 800 free later in the meet, probably the most anticipated race in Singapore. Though she holds the 400 free world record, McIntosh had failed to win gold in the event in the Olympics or previous world championships. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. McIntosh will also be after gold in the 200- and 400-individual medleys, and the 200 butterfly. Famed Olympian Michael Phelps is the only swimmer to have won five individual gold medals at a world championships. The other two gold medals Sunday were in the relays. The United States was the favourite in both and failed to win either. The Australian women took gold just ahead of the United States in the 4×100 freestyle relay. The Aussies clocked 3:30.60 with 3:31.04 for the US. The Netherlands took bronze in 3:33.89. On the men's side in the 4×100, Australia also took gold in 3:08.97. Italy took silver in 3:09.58 with bronze for the United States in 3:09.64. There were three other semifinal results on Sunday. Qin Haiyang of China took the 200 breaststroke in 58.24 with Paris Olympic champion Nicolo Martinenghi second in 58.62. The Italian was initially disqualified for moving on the blocks, but was later reinstated on appeal. Gretchen Walsh of the United States and Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium tied in the 100 butterfly in 56.07, and Maxime Grousset of France took the men's 50 fly in 22.61. Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Vancouver Canucks Sports Vancouver Whitecaps News BC Lions
