Doris to represent Canada again in world duathlon

COBOURG — Hoping to help offset some of the costs to represent Team Canada at the 2019 ITU World Championships in Spain, Peterborough native Tim Doris held a fundraiser on Saturday.

Earlier this year, the 14-year Cobourg resident and elementary school teacher secured his shot to represent the nation during the world championships on April 27 in Pontevedra, Spain after triumphing in the provincial duathlon championships hosted in Bracebridge.

Taking first place in his age group, Doris took the championship title for the 50- to 59-yearold competitors and placed fourth overall in the event. To secure his win, he completed a five-kilometre run to start, a 20-kilometre bike ride and a 2.5kilometre trek to finish.

Doris said his training so far is going “extremely well.”

A Grades 1 and 2 teacher with the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board at St. Mary School in Grafton, Doris is also continuing to teach spin classes at the Cobourg GoodLife Fitness and is also a member of the Cobourg Cycling Club.

“I’ve been putting lots of miles in, running and cycling and building my base, and will continue the training right up until the end of March and then shift to speed work,” Doris said.

Doris grew up in Peterborough, attending St. Paul School and St. Peter Secondary School.

This marks the second time he has qualified for the world championships, though this year his focus has been on the standard distance races, instead of the international distance races he previously competed in.

Although he’s excited for his trip to Spain, the costs to make it there are adding up, he said.

In total, he’s expecting to spend somewhere around $5,000.

There are processing fees, costs to be a member of Team Canada and for the parade uniform and racing suits, training costs, then the travelling and accommodations and you can’t just fly straight in — even the actual cost of the race has yet to be determined, explained Doris.

He eventually came up with the idea of hosting a silent auction and called out to the “Kelly clan” at Kelly’s Homelike Inn for help, where he hosted his auction on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m.

Several local businesses and companies Doris serves as an ambassador for donated items for the auction, said the athlete.

The auction featured more than 30 items, ranging from electronics, to even pizza for a year.

“The amount of support that I have received from family, friends and local area businesses is overwhelming,” Doris said.

To commemorate his second his trip, Doris has also had some Christmas cycling socks designed and manufactured, which he will be selling at the auction.

Last time he went to the world championships, he sold and made T-shirts to share with the community and to help raise funds for his trip. The socks were made in B.C. by Endur Apparel.