L-128 member Dalas Santavy executes a snatch lift of 297 pounds (135 kgs) at the Canadian Championships.
Third-generation Boilermaker retains national title
DALAS SANTAVY, a member of Local 128 (Toronto, Ontario), is by day a Boilermaker, by night a light-heavyweight lifter. His latest achievement, clinching the Canadian weightlifting title for the 5th time at the Canadian Senior Championship in La Prairie, Quebec on June 3, establishes him as one of the greatest prevailing lifters in his weight division. Santavy’s total lift at the championship was 401 pounds (182 kilos).
Santavy credits the beginning of his career to his great-uncle, Joe Turcott, who began lifting back in the early ‘30s. But it was his father, Bob Santavy, a professional lifter himself, who inspired young Dalas to take his sport to the next level. “Dad was a lifter, so we would go lift in the gym together,” he recalls. His grandfather, Cyril Santavy, began the family’s proud Boilermaker legacy, with both Bob and Dalas carrying on the tradition to become second- and third-generation Boilermakers.
In addition to being a four-time Canadian overall champion, Santavy also holds the position of shop representative at L-128. He credits the union for supporting his involvement in weightlifting. “The Boilermakers sponsored me for the Canadian championships, and the world championships in Doha, Qatar,” he said. “They have been with me every step of the way.”
Santavy boasts an impressive list of achievements. He competed at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, and the Pan American Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 2007. Recounting the Sydney Commonwealth Games, one of his favorite experiences, Santavy says, “They were great hosts. We were rock stars the whole time we were there.”
He maintains a strict daily training regime, even after working a 10-hour shift in the Boilermaker trade. The regime includes three to four hours of conditioning and cardio exercises. “I finally found a balance,” says Dalas, of his hectic schedule.
Santavy is also an avid family man, with sons Broady and Noah set to follow in their dad’s weightlifting footsteps. Boady, 14, recently won silver at the Canadian Junior weightlifting championships. Noah, 13, is currently the reigning Ontario champion. Santavy’s younger son, Braeden, plays travel hockey for the Forest Predators.
When it comes to goal setting, Santavy favors a pragmatic approach. “Don’t kid yourself. It’s a lot of hard work, and there will be people constantly trying to rip you off your pedestal. You have to have a strong mind to burn through those obstacles.”
Santavy holds two current Ontario weightlifting records: the Junior Clean & Jerk, lifting 162.5 k at a bodyweight of 80 k, and the Overall Clean & Jerk, lifting 187 k at a bodyweight of 92 k.
