Wyn Republic
AustrAliAn triAthlete | 33Not content with a successful race
production career as well as racing, in 2017
McKenzie and wife Beth, have launched a
new performance apparel brand, Wyn
Republic. It’s an idea that had been
bubbling in McKenzie’s mind for several
years. “In 2013, I came second in Kona,” he
recalls, “and my podium placing brought a
lot of attention to the suit I wore that day.”
While McKenzie was not the first athleteto wear a sleeved skin suit in Kona, paired
with his signature “Go Luke” trucker hat,
McKenzie’s outfit turned a lot of heads.
Over the next several years, both
McKenzies worked with their apparel
sponsor to push the development of
racing suits further, and the pair relished
the experience: “Beth and I spent two
years helping to refine aerodynamic race
suits. During that time we learned a lot,
and it sparked our interest in the apparel
space,” says McKenzie. They savoured
learning about fabrics, testing prototypes
as well as sharing their design input, and
they began to consider apparel as a path
they might pursue for themselves when
the time was right.
That time came in 2017. Wyn Republic
was born of McKenzie’s desire for
purpose-built, high-quality performance
apparel with a timeless design aesthetic.
McKenzie confesses that he’s married his
fanatical attention to detail when it comes
to racing performance, together with his
preference for sleek yet simple designs.“and I think that the Island House race is
something unique for the sport.” In 2017,
the race is entering its third year and is
well established on the triathlon calendar.
As a further testament to McKenzie’s
vision, short-course, multi-day triathlon
racing is attracting imitators, such as
Super League Triathlon, who also
recognise the media value and fan
excitement of super short-course racing.
© Nils Nilsen © Delly Carr