Trent Chapman raced triathlon events all over the world in the late 90s with folks like Crowie, Simon Lessing, Miles Stewart and Greg Bennett. Chapman now works in marketing for Jim Beam and after a 5 year break from racing now has fun with triathlon, but hasn't slowed down much.
Slowtwitch: Should we call you Trent or Chappo?
Trent Chapman: Chappo. All true blue Aussie nicknames aren’t overly creative but they finish with an ‘O’
ST: As we speak you still race, but your day job is marketing Jim Beam in Australia.
Chappo: Correct. I am pretty lucky to currently be working as the Marketing Director at Beam Suntory for Australia & New Zealand. Some of the key brands I manage are Jim Beam, Makers Mark and Canadian Club. Jim Beam is currently the second biggest alcohol brand in Australia, only headed by beer brand Victoria Bitter. We love bourbon down here, so it makes for a pretty full but fun filled days.
ST: How long have you been doing that job and how did it come about?
Chappo: Mid 2003 I was finishing my University studies (I stretched it out to 10 years so was about time I finished it) and I guess like many athletes was at a crossroad. I had a contract to go race in the US with a team Crowie had teed up but at the last minute, as part of my university studies, went through a recruitment process for a sales representative role. The role was for a beer company. On the week I was meant to fly out to the US I was offered the beer sales job and took it. And that was it. I probably spent a few years wondering ‘what if’, and I still watch guys racing today and wonder but the timing was right. I guess I have approached my work career as I did my triathlon career, that is no standing at the edge…I jumped in head first. This led me pretty quickly from sales rep to a marketing role as Brand Manager on Australia’s best selling beer brand Victoria Bitter. From living as a pro triathlete to a role that offered free beer…well lets just say it was awesome. The role on VB led to the opportunity to be Marketing Manager on Jim Beam. I have been where I am for over 6 years now and progressed to my current role. It is great. Obviously working in the booze games can making training a challenge at times. But it is all about balance – work hard, train hard, play hard - both age group racing and partying with your mates!
ST: Have you been to Kentucky to check out the birthplace of Jim Beam?
Chappo: I am actually sitting in airport answering these questions as I wait to board a flight to Kentucky. I will spend two weeks in Kentucky spreading my time between the Jim Beam and Makers Mark distilleries. Working hard obviously, plus sampling just a few of the world’s best bourbons.
ST: You actually raced with Greg Welch, Miles Stewart and Greg Bennett in the late 90s. Does that seem to be ancient past?
Chappo: Yes! I shake my head most days to think guys like GB and Crowie are still competing, and winning races at the top end of our sport. They are amazing.
ST: Looking back now, what was your biggest success?
Chappo: Geez I am not really sure. Maybe because I never felt like I had that big success.
Some of my best memories would have to be:
- 3rd ITU Junior World Champs, Cleveland USA. Andreas Raelert, myself and Eneko Llanos had sprint finish for 2nd 3rd and 4th. We finished in that order.
- 3rd at Australian Champs and GB, Macca and I ran shoulder to shoulder until the 9km mark. The old boys put me to the sword.
- 3rd in a couple of Formula 1 Grand Prix races, and 4th in the series one year. Bevan won, as he always did, Miles was 2nd, my great friend Andrew Johns beat me on count back for 3rd. The Formula 1 series would probably have to be a highlight. It really was a high point for triathlons in Australia and everyone who was anyone in triathlon raced it.
- 1st at ITU Nuenen, Netherlands and running away from Simon Lessing was a very memorable moment.
- 3rd ITU World Cup Tizyvaraus where Dimitry Gaag, Hamish Carter and I entered the finish straight together and I got 3rd. But I think everyone knows how their two careers ended.
- I race in the ITU World Champs Australian team twice (98 & 2001) finishing 11th & 13th. I was disappointed with results but it was always so hard to make the Aussie team.
- Then after 5 years of a ‘real job’ coming back from being a lay beer guy to being first Aussie and 3rd overall racing as an age grouper in Ironman Australia 2010.
So heaps of great memories but I guess when I put it on paper it shows I always fell just short of reaching the heights I wanted to. My greatest achievement I guess was being able to race competitively in an area that had some superstars and beating them all when they had off days – Crowie, Bennett, Macca, Welchy, Bevan, Walton, Stewart, Robbo, Lessing, Spencer Smith, Carter, Whitfield, Docherty etc etc
ST: As you look at triathlon in Australia and maybe even other countries today, what is the biggest change from back then?
Chappo: I think when I raced athletes, such as Welchie, Crowie & Macca could race everything from short course drafting (Formula 1 & ITU World cups) to long course & ironman. And be competitive. I don’t think that is possible now. Both forms of the sport have become very specialized. And at the ITU end of the sport they are just in an entire different league these days – they swim exceptional, their pack bike riding is amazing and although the bulk of the athletes runs aren’t much quicker, the top echelon are!
In relation to Australia racing sadly I think the focus has shifted to long course. It is great Aussies dominate Ironman racing, but I think it is disappointing the ITU guys/ Girls don’t get the focus it was back in the late 90s/ early 2000s. The death of the Formula 1 grand prix, that was televised on free to air, is probably a big driver of this.
ST: When did you retire and did you actually walk away completely?
Chappo: As I said early I left mid 2003, took a job as a beer sales representative and didn’t do a single thing for about 5 years. 3 years of that I was living in Melbourne but I grew up and currently live in Sydney. While in Melbourne some of my best mates started to do Ironman triathlons, and these guys were football players, not triathletes! These guys are the Penrith Institute of Sport (Team PIS) guys. I said if I move back to Sydney I will do my first Ironman. In 2009 I did this. I think I finished 7th and did about 8 hours 45 minutes. I just did the one race then enjoyed the winter eating, drinking and watching football with my mates. I think I am good for about 12 weeks of solid training, a race, then that’s it.
ST: The last few years you have been torturing age groupers and Pros alike with some of your results. I know that not every race has gone as desired, but are you generally pleased with what you have been able to do, despite that busy job?
Chappo: Yeah. I love it! It really is just about getting out and having a crack with your mates. Sure I train my arse off for about 3months before I do an ironman (I have done three now), and set pretty high goals but it is definitely a totally different frame of mind and feeling to racing pro. In some way you don’t get the buzz of racing Pro, that is really intense…the adrenalin cant be higher, but racing as an age group athlete I guess the less pressure means you can race recklessly which sometimes delivers good performances.
ST: Talking about buzz, does Jim Bean fuel you during the race or is that strictly a post race reward?
Chappo: Absolutely. Everything in moderation right. It is about balance. And the stories of how good we are only get better the more Jimmy's my mates and I have. I will go cold turkey for the 6 weeks in to Kona. I hope the body handles it.
ST: How did you get connected with Team PIS?
Chappo: Team PIS (Penrith Institute of Sport) is the super elite of the Riff. [Riff is bogan speak for Penrith, or Penriff depending on your level of schooling. Ed]
PIS guys are all ex footy players, eat fried food, don’t train in winter, love a beer or bourbon with their mates, sledge, love the ladies - all shapes and sizes and we don’t discriminate, and often wolf whistle when we spot a fine specimen out training. We train hard, race hard a couple of times a year...oh and we love an after party!
PIS was started as there was a feeling that everyone was getting a little bit serious about this IM thing. I mean, we train and race hard, but we are far, far from professionals. So, taking the PIS out of each other became mandatory. Some couldn’t handle it and this evolved in to team PIS and the sledging only got better.
It was started in 2007 by:
‘The God Father’ – Stewy T-Bone Mulkern....gave himself the nickname as he is a bit of a wimp and reckons it would make him more respected, a bit like George Costanza of Seinfeld fame.
Mark ‘Big Dog’ Grady....10hr IM athlete that is always carrying a few kgs...doesn't say a lot but when the big dog barks everyone does what they are told....slowest transitions in the history of the sport, whether that be in training or racing.
Ben ‘Wild Bore’ Orr...I still don’t know if he talks. Super quiet but has won his age group in Kona.
Leigh ‘Golden Leeroy’ Chapman...little brother who is the Female Talent Acquisition Officer (FTAM)...thinks the ladies love him but I think to date we have 3 women in PIS...all married, kids and over 40yrs of age.
Corey ‘Quentin’ Chapman...older brother who is always injured thus the nickname.
ST: Most who have raced in Kona have noticed that passionate and vocal red and white striped Aussie group in Kona. Is that just how you are as group no matter where you go?
Chappo: We love the sport. It is simple as that. We know everyone has a story, and it often involves an epic journey to get to start line of an Ironman - Kona even more so. So we like to show how respect by racing or cheering as hard as we party. We also love a laugh, so look out for us as anyone that looks a little over weight, or has a beard we are likely to have a good intentioned sledge coming your way. And as for those ladies that are easy on the eye…we wont miss you.
ST: Is there much competition with other Aussie teams or is it all good?
Chappo: PIS just won the Australian Ironman Club Champs. We dominated! And we plan to do the same next year haha. There are plenty of good clubs in Australia. The Cronulla shire team, where Crowie, Macca and Welchy are from think they are a formidable opponent so we get great pleasure beating them up every chance we get.
ST: So what is next for you?
Chappo: Survive Kentucky over the next two weeks, then home to watch the Mighty Penriff Panthers football team through winter, They are currently top of the comp, which they haven’t been for over 10years. Then try to tackle this thing called Kona. I watched my dad race 25years ago, yes 1989, that year. It is when I fell in love with the sport. And I think the timing is right to give it a crack.
ST: What is the goal?
Chappo: I have three goals. My two brothers have both raced and post times around 9 hours 15 minutes - so I have to beat their times. I have a good mate racing, the garden gnome, who has only been doing the sport for 3-4years, so I can’t have him beat me. And I remember Rinny [Mirinda Carfrae] as a quiet junior, and now she is the greatest female athlete to ever race Kona. There is no way I am going to get ‘chicked’! I would never live it down. So watch out Rinny, I am coming for you, and I am going to outrun you too. Ha ha
ST: Should we have another Slowtwitch Kona gathering this year in October, will we see you there?
Chappo: Work hard, race hard, play hard…you put on the party, I will be there. I will be looking for a Jim Beam pretty soon after running down Alii Drive. I look forward to it.
ST: Is there anything else we should know?
Chappo: I wished the debate around who is the best triathlete in the world could be answered. Is it Brownlee, Gomez, Kienle or Crowie? I loved when I was growing up watching the best guys like Mark Allen and Welchy race all distances. I don’t think the long course guys can go back to short course racing but gee I would love for Ironman to make Kona so financially lucrative that it would attract the likes of Brownlee or Gomez to Kona. And if you have an Olympic medal in your trophy cabinet it probably should cancel any need for accumulating points in my opinion. If the dollars don’t attract them, well worse case the guys racing can have the chance to make a living. I hope that a $1,000,000 payday at Kona is not to far away. A race of its status deserves it.
As a student of the sport I want the best all on the same start line once a year.
Thanks again. Look forward to seeing you in your red & white in Kona.
