THE CHAPMAN’S CHALLENGE
A tribute to courage and resilience
The human spirit thrives when tested by nature’s challenges – a truth embodied by Spencer Chapman’s remarkable story. His legendary journey through Malaya, captured in The Jungle is Neutral, reveals both his extraordinary survival skills and his profound bond with the natural world. Chapman, the officer-naturalist, stands as an enduring symbol of perseverance and harmony with the wilderness.
In 1945, British Colonel Freddy Spencer Chapman completed an unparalleled odyssey through the island’s ancient rainforest—three years of resourceful survival culminating in a legendary swim across Emerald Bay’s waters to rendezvous with a British submarine. This defining moment, set against the island’s natural beauty, stands as a testament to human tenacity, where sheer determination triumphed over extraordinary challenges.
The Chapman’s Challenge 2026 continues this legacy with a test of endurance: a 3.8 km road run around the island, a 2.4 km trek through a primordial two-million-year-old rainforest, and a 1 km open-water swim in the waters of Emerald Bay, finishing at Chapman’s Bar.
Prove your mettle and secure your place on The Chapman’s Challenge Leaderboard, competing for premium prizes while honouring a true legend of survival and perseverance.
Don’t miss your chance to take part in this unique and exhilarating event. Register now for The Chapman’s Challenge 2026 and push your limits in the heart of paradise.
THE CHAPMAN'S CHALLENGE LEADERBOARD
| No. | NAME | NATIONALITY | DATE | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Pole | Australian | 11.5.2019 | 00:45:04 |
| 2 | Jason Loh | Malaysian | 12.5.2018 | 00:46:52 |
| 3 | Rikigoro Shinozuka | Malaysian | 14.5.2016 | 00:47:18 |
| 4 | Callum Meehan | New Zealander | 11.5.2019 | 00:48:49 |
| 5 | Harriet Brown | Australian | 13.5.2017 | 00:51:17 |
| 6 | Mathieu Alkharfan | French | 12.5.2018 | 00:52:43 |
| 7 | Andrea Cloarec | French | 11.5.2019 | 00:53:08 |
| 8 | Stephen Spencer Chapman | British | 12.5.2018 | 00:53:15 |
| 9 | Benjamin Lewis | British | 12.5.2018 | 00:54:08 |
| 10 | Quentin Cloarec | French | 11.5.2019 | 00:55:13 |
