Travis Bramley (centre) on top of the podium at the British Triathlon Festival
PLYMOUTH triathlete Travis Bramley admits he could not have wished for a better season.
The Ivybridge Community College pupil has enjoyed a tremendous final year in the youth age category.
Prior to last weekend, he had already won the British Triathlon Championships, the London Triathlon, the British Aquathlon Championships, the English Aquathlon Championships and the British Super Series title.
But the 16-year-old capped off his season with a nine-second victory at the British Triathlon Festival at Mallory Park, Leicestershire.
“It has all gone pretty much to plan,” said Bramley about his year. “But winning four out of six races in the Super Series is more than I could have wished for at the start of the season.
“Last weekend I didn’t have to win as I’d already had good results at London, Liverpool and Hyde Park, so I’d already secured the Super Series title, but I wanted to go out on a high.
“I just wanted to stamp my authority on it and go into next season on a high.
“The juniors were there also and I wanted to prove what I could do.”
Bramley moves up to the junior category (under-20s) next season.
“Next year is quite a big step up in terms of challenge and distance,” he said.
“I think the thing I am going to work on mostly is my run. The key to success in triathlon does seem to be more and more frequently the run. I need to make sure I get my 5k time down.
“I’ll keep working on the track over the winter to make sure I have that speed next season.
“Because it is such a big step up, I would like to still be competitive next year and be up there in the races, but it’s not that essential as you have three years in that age group.
“But my target race for next year is going to the European Youth Relays.”
Plymouth Tri Club member Bramley missed out on going to the European Youth Relays this year after a rare off-day at Blenheim Palace Triathlon, where he was only third in his age group.
“The only international competition for my age was the European Youth Relays which is for youth category and the first year of the junior category,” he said.
“Qualifying for that was at Blenheim Palace and I just missed out as I had a bit of an off-race.
“It was a bit disappointing but there again it meant I could go to Liverpool (for the British Championships) and to win that was quite important to me. The two events clashed on the same weekend so I would have had to make a decision between them had I qualified.
“Next year, though, I will be top of the age group in that international and hopefully I will be able to give my best.”
Bramley, who also won the National Schools’ Indoor Rowing Championships this year, will soon be turning his attentions to winter training.
“Now I go into winter training, which is more base work really – getting the miles in your legs, keeping your fitness up and making sure you stay injury and illness free,” he said.
“But I’d also like to fit in a bit of time for rest and recovery.”
When asked what his highlight of 2015 was, Bramley, who runs for City of Plymouth AC and swims for Caradon SC, said: “It would have to be winning the British title at Liverpool or last weekend when I managed to win with the most competition there.
“Two lads weren’t at Liverpool as they were racing at the European Youth Relays, but they were there last weekend. They came ahead of me at Blenheim so I wanted to almost silence the competition a bit and show that I did have an off day at Blenheim and I am capable of beating them. That was quite special. To prove that to myself was the most important thing.
“Winning at Liverpool was amazing. It’s been nice to win British titles before at aquathlons and biathlons but it never really meant as much as triathlon because that’s an Olympic sport.
“When you say to people you British champion at triathlon people instantly think it is a major sport and know what it is.”