Tom & Drew in World U21 Qualifier call-ups

Eagles stars Tom Brennan and Drew Kemp have been selected as the GB nominations for the 2021 FIM World Under 21 Qualifiers which take place in Germany and Latvia on the 12th of June.

GB were originally due to have four places in the qualifiers but with the Belle Vue round being cancelled due to the pandemic, allocations have been reduced for all federations.

Youth boss Neil Vatcher said: “In the last couple of years we have had riders like Robert Lambert and Dan Bewley, and that has made the picks fairly easy, whereas this year it is only right to say we have about five or six riders of similar standard, so this year’s pick has been causing me some sleepless nights.

“On reflection, basing it on what riders did in the 2020 season, Tom Brennan (pictured) was fantastic for GB in last year’s FIM World Under-21 Team Cup Final in Denmark, and Bewley aside Tom was GB’s star rider in that event.

“Drew Kemp started the 2020 season slowly, but towards the end of the year again was fantastic particularly in all three British Finals – senior, Under-21 and Under19, and when he competed in Pardubice in the Czech Republic at the Golden Ribbon event.

“Therefore, basing it on those performances, Brennan and Kemp will be GB’s representatives, of which both allocations will be at the Gustrow track in the North of Germany.

“It is also only right to say that Anders Rowe was spoken to, but he has decided this year to concentrate all his efforts on his two British clubs in his league racing.”

The qualifiers take place on June 12 with the three-round Final series in late-summer.

Eastbourne HG Aerospace Eagles Director Ian Jordan said:

We are both delighted for Drew and Tom to receive this honour as individuals and delighted and proud for our Club and the vindication it gives to our project and aims.

There will be times when in the advancement of their Individual and International Team GB ambitions, that Lewi, Drew, Tom and hopefully Jason, will miss Eastbourne HG Aerospace Fixtures. 

That is considered by us as a measure of their and our success and we will always give our riders the opportunity to choose when and where they want to ride in respect of any International and regulated and FIM/ACU/ SCB and BSPL approved Fixtures.

We are building a short, medium and long term Squad of riders and where possible and applicable we will promote Jake (Knight) and Nathan (Ablitt) into the Senior Squad and Team.

We have also told Team GB and the Team GB Academy Management; that whenever we require the need of guest or Rising Star replacements that we will always in the first instance seek to give track time and opportunity to members of the Team GB set up. 

We wish Drew and Tom all the best on the 12th June and will aim to back that up with a home win against Edinburgh on the same day.

Image credit: Mike Hinves