August 12, 2011 – The 2011 Junior Men’s Canadian Road Cycling Champion, 17-year-old Émile Jean of Quebec, has put out a call out for financial support to fund his trip to the Junior World Road Cycling Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark next month. He has been selected to represent Canada with the National Team. In July he was qualified for the Junior Track Cycling Worlds, but was forced to decline the invitation due to a lack of funds – read his request below.

Financial Support Required to Participate in Junior World Road Cycling Championships
My name is Émile Jean and I am 17. I am a young rider competing in both road and track cycling in Canada. I just reached my goal for 2011, which was to earn a spot on the Canadian National Team for the World Road Cycling Championships. To this I added a Canadian Junior Road Cycling title and an invitation to the Junior World Track Cycling Championship.

My performance earned me the opportunity of going to Europe with the Canadian team for a preparation camp and then participate in the Junior Road Cycling World Championships  in Copenhagen, Denmark, to be held in September.

The cost for me to participate in the camp and the championships is on the order of $6,000 but is not covered by the Canadian Cycling Association so I am looking for interested sponsors to support me in order to reduce the financial burden of such a project.

Last July, in the absence of financial assistance, I had to decline the invitation to participate in the track world championships with the Canadian team.

I am proud to be an athlete and have the opportunity to represent my country on the international stage. I train hard so I cannot have a job, and my efforts and the sacrifices of my whole family, may soon be rewarded.

But without financial support, it will be impossible to pursue my dream and to persevere in my discipline.

Thank you in advance for considering my request.

Yours truly,

Émile Jean
5010 Montlieu, Trois-Rivières, G8Y 7H3
819-376-7040 ou 819-609-8306