I seem to recall a nice looking lad who frequently raced Ken Souza as a bit of an almost alter- ego. He had short hair and was rather straight-laced in appearance to Souza’s dashing “rock star” appeal.
Who was this lad?
Well, Paul is around here, but I’m thinking of another lad, a bit of an “accountant” to Souza’s “rock star”.
I think it was aerobar early adopter Brad Kearns.
Thank you Sir.
There were a few and they all looked straight laced compared to Kenny.
Jeff Devlin
Brad Kearns
Dr. Matt Brick
There was a young gun out of the AZ area I think before PT as well
mike pig
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There was “Big” George Pierce from Arizona. He was @ 6 ft. 5. Also, Benjamin Parades from Mexico. A former world class runner that was very fast! Our very own Emilio DeSoto, too. Jeff Devlin was always in the mix. He was 3rd at Kona one year.
Greg Watson came later I think. Jeff Devlin maybe, but not quite the same speed, especially on the run.
Was it Brent Steiner?
Yup Brent Steiner, I think he works in the industry still.
Nick Radkiewicks was a fast young guy out of Notre Dame as well.
Joel Thompson had that accountant look a well
I remember Souza back in the late 80s/early 90s dominating everything. In my opinion one of the greatest multisport athletes ever to this day. If he wasn’t considered “a stone with arms” in the water, maybe the “big four” would have been the “big five” (or “six” if you count Pigg).
Wouldn’t it be great to hop in a time machine and see the top duathletes of today racing a young Kenny Souza?
Brent does indeed still work in the industry, with Pearl Izumi. He used to be a rep for Softride way back in the day when I was working at Speedway Bikes in Tucson. It’s funny, I was a roadie then and had no idea what a legend Brent was until after I became part of the multisport breathren and left the stupid elitist roadie mentality. Paul Thomas could probably tell us, but I think Joel still has an MD practice in Tucson as well. Both great guys. Between Thompson, Steiner and Thomas, I don’t know what was in the Arizona CAP water back then… unfortunately it didn’t affect me athletically.
I think you are thinking of Joel Thompson.
Ironic that whatever was IN the AZ water didn’t help them in the water, hence they were studs in Duathlon, not tri.
Greg Watson
I got to ride with him back in '94 when I was still in High School. He happened to be in my LBS when I stopped in during a ride. He was super nice and let me tag along for a one hour ride around town. Super nice. Unassuming. A true class act and a good role model.
He was also one heck of a duathlete back in the day.
Kenny did not have a nemisis in the 80’s. Not till he got married did anyone even get close to him, and that was later on in the 90’s. Man that wife of his just sucked the life and speed right out of him. I think the other dominant duathlete just after Kenny was Michel Tobin. He was on top for quite awhile, and I see his name in adventuer racing all the time now. Dude could do it all…
Joel Thompson- the Thompson Timeless Transition Pedal- that was it…
Well, meant that in the sense of CAP (Central Arizona Project) Colorado river water that we were all drinking. But yeah, lotsa tongue-in-cheek there. 
Joel Thompson is a board-certified hand surgeon in Tucson. He still rides a bit and can throw down some serious watts when he feels like it. His practice has a couple of MD racers…Southwest Hand Cycling Team