The Stories Behind My Sponsors

Triathlon is an expensive and time consuming sport and I am often asked about who ‘sponsors’ me. In return for their contribution I advertise the brand but there is more to sponsorship than the black and white contract. For me I always look to align with brands that have similar values to me and obviously products that work for me as an individual. Most importantly, I work on building a relationship, respecting the value of longevity. At the moment I work with TLA Management and I am aligned to five companies, each with their own stories.

1. McDonald’s Sutton Forest – Graham Marcolin My oldest supporter (other than my parents obviously!). I went to school for around ten years with Graham’s daughter and on the last day of school in 2010, Graham approached me wanting to support my then focus on running. Central to our partnership is that Graham is a ‘local company supporting a local girl’. Since then I have moved to Wollongong which is only an hour away and when our schedules align we will organise a coffee at the McCafe in Sutton Forest to catch up. We talk all things from triathlon, new McDonalds franchises to our favourite holiday destinations. Looking back on the journey, I have taught Graham about triathlon and high performance sport which I could not have pursued like I have without his help. McDonalds Sutton Forest will always remain the top sponsor on my race suits.

2. 2XU Australia I turned from runner to triathlete in 2012 so I was already very familiar with 2XU and their compression tights. In 2013, I was offered my first apparel contract with this Australian/New Zealand company. All my training apparel as well as my wetsuits are provided by 2XU and after working with them for 6 years now, it is a brand a truly believe in and I’m proud to be a part of as it continues to grow. I have been given opportunities to be in photoshoots for new products, celebrate with the team for their 10 year anniversary as well as keeping up with the latest active wear fashion and performance compression. Also, for the record it’s ‘Two TIMES You’…it’s all about multiplying yourself!

3. Zealous Swimwear

Another Australian brand who I also teamed up with in 2013, only a year after they were established in 2012. I still remember receiving the email offering me a contract. I was on a long ride and stopped with my training partner Tamsyn because she got a flat tyre. Maybe I should have helped her change the tube but instead I checked my emails and Hollie Piper the founder had emailed me. I was a swimmer pre-runner and triathlete and as a 12-year-old, swimwear fashion was a very high priority to me. To have been with Zealous Swimwear almost since the beginning is something I am really proud of and it has given me a lot of compliments on pool deck too!

4. Dedacciai Strada As bike riding becomes increasingly popular in Australia and all over the world, the pride people take in their bicycles is phenomenal. It feels good to park up your bike at a café to glance over mid brew and be like ‘yep, that’s a nice looking bike’. I have only been with Dedacciai this year but I have known Sabino Fausto Cannone for a number of years. An Italian company that has spread worldwide and I am seeing more of their bikes in Australia. I also run Deda Elementi components (bars, stems, wheels, bar tape etc.). Every year Dedacciai athletes are invited to a race somewhere in Italy where the brand is a supporter, giving us the opportunity to spend time with Sabino, other members of the team as well as race in breathtaking destinations on the Italian coast!

5. Spiuk Spiuk is another brand I have only been aligned with this season, based in the Basque country in Northern Spain where I have trained during the European summer since 2012. When you spend hundreds of kilometres on your bike every week, good quality shoes are a must and obviously a high quality helmet is a necessity for safety. Spiuk are open to athletes making suggestions to enhance ‘every ride of every rider’. I have been so impressed with their innovative mindset and I believe they will eventually be prominent worldwide in the near future and hopefully I will help play a part in that by choosing to wear Spiuk!

If you have any questions about these wonderful companies, contact me on any of my social media or email grace.musgrove@hotmail.com. I can’t thank these companies enough for allowing me to be a part of their team and hopefully this will continue in the future. Thanks for reading! Grace