Cyclist, Brennan Townshend

Brennan Townshend, from Chagford, Devon, has aspirations to become a professional road-racing cyclist. Brennan trains with the Mid-Devon Cycling Club, one of the most prominent clubs in South West England producing many champions and professional cyclists. Brennan trains 15-20 hours per week and races in the UK and France.

He is currently competing in his second year at junior level bicycle road racing; at the end of the season he intends to move up into the Under-23 category and will be looking to join a professional team. This season so far he has placed first, fifth and sixth in the Springtime Pursuit Series and won the Series overall.

Brennan studies A-levels at Okehampton College and with extensive training commitments has limited time to work to raise the funds required to allow him to fulfil his ambitions; last season he committed to paid work and found that he was not able to compete in many races. In addition his parents are not in a position to cover the substantial costs relating to his sport. As such the JWCT provided Brennan with a grant of £1,000 in April 2011 to cover race entry fees, transport to races, and equipment, clothing and repairs.

He competed in the first national event of the year, the Cadence National Junior Road Race, placing fifth overall and winning the King of the Mountains competition. Last season he competed in the National Junior Road Race Series, producing his best results of two 16th places in the Junior Tour of Wales, finishing 30th overall and a 20th placing in the Bath Junior Road Race. He raced in France for the Mid-Devon Cycling Club team, in a two-day stage race of a similar ranking to an elite race, placing 30th overall out of 140 riders and was the youngest rider in the peloton. Throughout the season he gained 60 licence points earning him a second category licence.

Brennan said "I really appreciate the help that the Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust has given me, the funding will help me enter all the races I need to and cover my travel and race entry fees for the racing season ahead . . . I believe that with [this] financial support I will be able to make a huge development in the sport and will be able to move up to the next level.”

Brennan added “this season, beginning in February and finishing in September, will be a very important stepping stone to the next level of the sport, as I will be looking to be selected by team managers to race for their team. I will also be aiming to gain highly placed results in national events.”

April 2011

“This weekend I raced in the National Junior Tour of Bristol, a two-day stage race with a flat 100km first stage and a very hilly 98km second stage on Sunday. On the Saturday I finished in the main bunch placing 12th. The second stage I finished 8th and won the King of the Mountains. Overall I placed ninth on general classification.”