Beer miler Lewis Kent signs new multi-year deal with Brooks

The second fastest beer miler of all-time re-upped with Brooks on Monday signing a multi-year deal with the sportswear brand. Lewis Kent, the current FloTrack Beer Mile World Champion, made history in 2015 when he became the first sponsored runner in the four-beer, four-lap discipline.

The primary difference between the new deal and the old is that Tuesday’s signing is with Brooks U.S. instead of Brooks Canada. He will be managed out of their Seattle office.

Kent, of London, Ont., signed a shoe and apparel deal with Brooks in November 2015 and went on to win the FloTrack Beer Mile World Championships in December setting a then world record of 4:47.17. He also appeared on Ellen. Currently, Canadian Corey Bellemore holds the beer mile world record having twice broken 4:40 in 2016 including an astounding 4:34 in July.

RELATED: Corey Bellemore to make beer mile return at FloTrack Championships.

Kris Mychasiw, Kent’s agent, told Canadian Running that the new deal will last until December 2018 and that “the details are similar to his past contract with the brand.” Though exact details of his previous contract remain unknown, it was “more than we would pay an amateur athlete and less than we would pay an Olympian” as reported in 2015.

Kent also signed on as a brand ambassador with National Beer Mile last year, a circuit of races across the United States, which was originally reported to be worth upwards of six figures depending on bonuses and event growth.

“The big difference is that his contract is now based out of the United States and no longer the Canadian office,” Mychasiw says speaking of Tuesday’s announcement. “Brooks is offering us with a lot of support with a few projects that we are developing around Lewis.”

“2017 has quite a bit going on for Lewis,” Mychasiw says of the details. “There’s two major projects that will make news in early January and a trip to Europe/Asia and Australia planned for another initiative.”

No hangover for Lewis Kent as he signs a new multi-year deal with Brooks #runhappy #BeerMile pic.twitter.com/DtmZ0O1Xu0

— Kris Mychasiw (@Mychasiw) November 22, 2016

Kent and Bellemore will be two of the many Canadians competing at the Dec. 17 FloTrack Championships. Kent is the defending champion while Bellemore won the Beer Mile World Classic in the summer, the first of the year’s two annual global events.

The beer mile has seen significant growth with the addition of the two global events. The FloTrack Championships will be run for the third year in December. Runners drink four 355 mL beers of at least five per cent alcohol at the beginning of each 400m loop. Vomiting results in a mandatory penalty lap and beers cannot be opened in advance. The world’s top beer milers can consume each beer in five seconds.

Kent drinks Toronto-based Amsterdam Blonde as his beer of choice during races.