On Thursday 9th March, Sophie Thornhill MBE very kindly made the long trek down to Cambridge from her home and British Cycling base in Manchester. After a series of train delays, Sophie arrived at Churchill at 7.30pm on the dot and so jumped straight on stage with CUCC Women’s Captain, Jess Atkinson, to talk to the gathering of cycling fans about her golden cycling career.

Sophie Thornhill and Jess Atkinson

Sophie began by explaining how she was born with Oculocutaneous Albinism, a condition that affects pigment in her skin and eyes, and has caused her vision to be limited to about 8% of what the average person can see. She recounted stories of many a hairy moment when riding solo bikes as a child, before being given the opportunity to ride as a stoker (on the back) of a tandem in her early teens. Since then she hasn’t looked back, and now at the age of 21 she has one Paralympic Title, seven World Titles, two Commonwealth Titles, eleven National Titles and let’s not forget the MBE!Continue reading→