2012 Amy Gillett Road Cycling Scholarship

Junior World Champion Australian female cyclist Jessica Allen is the recipient of the seventh annual Amy Gillett Road Cycling Scholarship, delivered in partnership with the Amy Gillett Foundation, Cycling Australia and Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

The 18-year-old Western Australian will now become an official Ambassador for the Amy Gillett Foundation.

As the current Junior World Individual Time Trial Champion, Junior Oceania Individual Time Trial Champion, Australian 2011 Junior Road Cyclist of the year, and Junior Australian Points Score Track Champion, Allen has had extensive competitive cycling experience at junior ranks and will now step into the senior ranks with plenty more to gain.

Jess is set to keep you all updated with her trip and in the process of setting up a blog. For the mean time, feel free to follow Jess on twitter JessicaAllen93 or facebook.

Photos by Tony Lendrum

Amy Gillett Road Cycling Scholarship

Amy had a great love for life, sport and education. The Amy Gillett Cycling Scholarship seeks to honour her memory by supporting the young women who aspire to the same pursuit of sporting and educational excellence as Amy did.

This Scholarship offers a unique opportunity to assist Australia's talented up-and-coming women cyclists by providing national and international competition and training opportunities - the next generation of Amy Gillett's.

The Amy Gillett Cycling Scholarship is a partnership between the AGF and Cycling Australia High Performance Program. The AGF is also grateful for the support of Bianchi, Urban Hotel, Cadence Tours and Rudy Project for their generous donation of equipment and products for the recipient and the Australian Institite of Sport (AIS) with support of medical services for the recipient.

Applicants are judged on the following criteria:

1. Future development of talent and physiology.
2. Current and/or previous studying circumstances for furthering career.
3. Results to date at a competition both nationally and internationally
4. Potential to fulfil the Amy Gillett Cycling Scholarship through self confidence, leadership, sportsmanship, charisma, determination and life skills.
5. Team commitment.
6. Multiple sporting history, similar to Amy’s talents.

Applications are open to all senior women at the elite level (i.e. must hold a Cycling Australia ‘elite’ category women’s competitive licence for 2011), who are not current or past AIS scholarship holders.

Applicants must be available to fulfill the overseas competition program of the Cycling Australia High Performance women’s team and national competition program established in consultation with the AIS/CA National Coaches.

Successful applicant will be expected to:

• Uphold and support the ethos, aims and philosophy of the Amy Gillett Foundation
• Act as an ambassador to further the aims of the Amy Gillett Foundation. A mutually agreed program will be established with the AGF Chief Executive Officer via the AGF Athlete Agreement
• Sign the Cycling Australia Athlete Team Agreement

The scholarship winner will be decided by a selection panel comprising, but not limited to, AGF Board members, CA/AIS coaches and managers.

The panel will consider all applicants based on the above selection criteria and expectations of the winning applicant.  

The judging process:

• Panel members will individually score all applicants with a rating of 1 to 10 for each criteria listed
• Scores will be totaled and the top three applicants discussed in a meeting of all panel members
• The winning candidate will be contacted to confirm availability and commitment
• All other applicants will be contacted prior to announcement of winner

The selection panel’s decision is final and will not be entered into.

Previous Recipients

2011 - Joanne Hogan, VIC
2010 - Rachel Neylan, SA
2009 - Amber Haliday, SA
2008 - Carlee Taylor, SA
2007 - Carla Ryan, QLD
2006 - Jessie Maclean, ACT