Tom Reed British Under 16 Champion.

[Nevs]

Very many congratulations to you Thomas-you should feel very proud of yourself.
Very nice article in the E&E today,Cant type the whole lot out but will copy what is online on the Echo site until they put the whole version online.So much more detail in the article and hopefully the entire article will be online tomorrow.

Bet you never thought you would become a page 3 starlet in the Express and Echo

Well done Tom you have done yourself,your family and Exeter Cycle Speedway club proud.

John ,Paula,Craig and Gemma x

Cycle speedway win fuels Olympic dream for champion Thomas

11:15 - 29-August-2008

Be the first reader to comment on this story.

What's the fastest thing on two self-propelled wheels? It may well be 15-year-old Thomas Reed.

Thomas, from Beacon Heath, Exeter, has just powered away with the British Under-16 Cycle Speedway Championships, beating off older and bigger lads in the process.

Moves are already a-pedal to get the sport recognised at Olympic level, with the hope that Thomas could be in contention for a place in Team GB come 2012.

For full story, see Friday's Echo.


Colesy presenting a trophy to Tom a few years ago at the end of season Cycle Speedway awards night. Click on photo to enlarge

[idh]

Congrats Tom

Well done

Where did you get your talent from, not dad i hope.

[Nevs]

Full version.



WHAT'S the fastest thing on two self-propelled wheels? It may well be 15-year-old Thomas Reed.

Thomas, from Beacon Heath, Exeter, has just powered away with the British Under-16 Cycle Speedway Championships, beating off older and bigger lads in the process.

Moves are already a-pedal to get the sport recognised at Olympic level, with the hope that Thomas could be in contention for a place in Team GB come 2012.

Using a one-gear, aluminium-framed bike — specially designed by speed cycle guru Archie Wilkinson — Thomas took the championship he missed out on by one point last year, at Poole.

He already has the Welsh Open title under his belt and rides regularly in the British Premier League with Poole and represents Exeter Aces in the South West League.
Click here!

He has followed in the cycle tracks of his father, Mark, who is a regular with the Aces.

Thomas said: "Winning the title this year meant an awful lot. When I crossed the finish line in my final race, I felt on top of the world, especially after getting so close to winning the title last year.

"In my semi-final at Poole I was really pleased when I beat last year's U16 British Champion Carl Jarvis, from Leicester, which meant I had an unbeaten round.

"In the finals I was lucky in the draw but my nerves were tested in my first race.

"I had to have a flying gate to get round and I managed to pass the rest and hold them off till the end of the race, which put me in good stead for the rest of the meeting where I scored a 20-point maximum."

Thomas' team-mate Sam Dart was not so lucky. He was involved in an horrific crash in his semi-finals and was left with a suspected hand fracture.

Thomas has been racing since he was five years old, encouraged by his father who also rode for England.

This winter, Thomas will be travelling to Newport to train at the velodrome there in readiness for the world championships in Adelaide, Australia, next year where he hopes to fulfil another dream — to be junior world champion.

"I have to thank my mum and dad for taking me all over the country, as far afield as Manchester and Ipswich, and my sister Laura for all her support," said Thomas.

"And I also have to say a big 'thank you' to Brian Maunder of Exeter CSC for all his support."

Thomas's mother, Debbie, said: "He has done really well and we are all very proud of him.

"He has worked and trained hard and was so disappointed when he missed out by virtue of a referee's decision last year."

Thomas, a regular at the Exeter Aces training sessions held at the Cofton Road track in Marsh Barton, is now looking for sponsors to take him to the next level.

Details are available on 01392 669880.