Interviews

Kyle DuFord has not won any Ironman races. He is not likely to. He will have more of an impact, however, than any Ironman winner on how issues proximate to triathlon are perceived and discussed.

He was founder, owner, publisher, and editor of American Tri, a magazine that was infrequently printed but frequently good. His approach was singular: Triathlon is a lifestyle, not just a thing you do several Sundays each year. Well, maybe not entirely singular—it's a gospel preached in these pages as well. Still, DuFord was the only publisher with the balls to print a magazine with that theme on glossy paper.

His publishing efforts did not ultimately succeed, but his editorial vision survived the end of his magazine. He's the new editor at Inside Triathlon. He was hired as something less than that. But it did not take long for DuFord's forceful editorial bent to allow him to elbow his way to the top of the masthead. Now he's The Man at Inside Tri as regards decisions about what you'll read. The degree to which his vision will extend past the title he runs, and change the trajectory of other multisport publications, is yet to be determined.

SLOWTWITCH: Why did IT hire you?

KYLE DUFORD: Quite simply, I was available because of our decision to close American Tri indefinitely. And, because of my background in focusing on age-group and lifestyle areas of the sport, I would help in their transition to this emphasis. And, they wanted to produce the best buyers guide in the industry—I hope I can live up to their expectation, and to the bar I've set for myself.

ST: Was the idea behind switching from a magazine covering elites to a magazine emphasizing age-group athletes and lifestyle yours, or did you warm your new employers up to it once American Tri's efforts were folded into IT?

KD: The original idea came from the pressure American Tri was placing on the industry in general. IT's idea of an AG emphasis was interpreted by the existing staff as elite AGs. Once I arrived I said, "Wait a minute, we're not covering age-groupers, but mini pros; that's still not the right mission." When I became the editor we made the shift completely.

ST: Then, would you say that your clarifying of the mission, before you became editor, led to your becoming editor?

KD: Without a doubt.

ST: Did the previous editorial staff resist the direction, and did its rebellion lead to the change?

KD: Most definitely. We had in place a very talented editor-in-chief as a writer and as an editor; who was competitive himself; who understood "sport;" but not entirely the realm of triathlon. When you're forced to cover a sport you don't know, you gravitate toward the news. The resistance to the change was part because I was the young, brash, cocky guy; and also that the knowledge base in place—with the exception of Cam Elford—emphasized elements other than those important to my understanding of our mission to reach age-groupers.

ST: IT started as age age group magazine, it strayed from that model, and the publishers are now returning to it. Does this mean Lew Kidder, the man behind the original magazine—then entitled Triathlon Today!—was right all along and is now vindicated?

KD: Lew Kidder always had it right. The problem was he was a little ahead of his time. From my understanding, you know, it was race results and stuff you couldn't get elsewhere. Now you can get results online, but [Triathlon Today!] was still connected to the age-grouper. That's our mission.

ST: There have been a lot of staff changes at IT. Do you have the reputation as Chainsaw DuFord, and if so is it earned?

KD: [Laughs] I've never heard that before. I officially haven't fired anyone. I replaced someone. The only other staff change I made was to decline to renew Cam Elford's contract. You can't have a managing editor manage a magazine in Boulder if he's home based in Vancouver. You also can't run a magazine when not everyone believes in the mission. Otherwise, the rest of the staff, the contributors, have either made a decision to follow this magazine, or to follow Cam. So no, it's not the case.

ST: It's not the case that you are Chainsaw DuFord, or it's not the case you are perceived to be Chainsaw DuFord?

KD: I'm sure people would consider me that way. Let's make no bones, my being here caused certain changes to take place, but I myself didn't take a chainsaw to the place. There are only two people here who weren't here before. It's not like I went through the entire building. One change was made before me, one change was made after me.

ST: What will your editorial emphasis be, that is, your personal emphasis? What will Kyle DuFord write about?

KD: I'll write about those themes that make me, the age-grouper, want to open the magazine myself. It's going to be tits...

ST: Tits? You guys also doing a swimsuit issue too?

KD: No, tips! I said tips! Information on how to become a better, stronger, wiser triathlete in-season, and how, during the off season, to improve on those things for next season.

ST: What about the technical staff, both equipment and training. Are you comfortable you have the right people on staff to write about this, and what new faces are on-board who will help you execute in this editorial area?

KD: The same contributors that have long helped IT-print in the areas of training—Joe Friel, Dave Scott, Lance Watson, Monique Ryan, and others—will continue to serve our needs. We're contemplating other contributors as well. What I absolutely feel is that we have the best resources at our disposal. On the technical side, I will continue to do a lot of gear reviews, which was my original role at IT. Phil Casanta will do bike reviews, and you [DuFord refers to me, the interviewer] as well if we can put a deal together. And Andrew Juskaitis and Lennard Zinn—both will help out in certain roles as needed.

ST: How are you getting along with Felix Magowan and John Wilcockson? Are you still in the honeymoon stage? Was there ever a honeymoon stage?

KD: Wow. Um. I don't think I've spoken one word to John Wilcockson. His role with IT has been very limited. He's more hands on with VeloNews than with IT. My relationship with Felix is wonderful. I think there is a honeymoon stage that will continue ad infinitum because he trusts in the vision of IT and he trusts me at the helm to execute that vision. That said, Rick Rundall is the president, the acting publisher of all titles, and Ted Constantino is the one to whom I report. I have a great relationship with Rick, and with Ted as well. It was a joint decision between Bill Garrels and Ted Constantino, with Felix' input, to hire me. I'd say it was the decision of Felix and Rick to put me in my present position.