City garage puts bobsleigh rider back on Olympic track

Published on Monday 2 March 2009 08:58

WHEN Kenny Simm crashed his bobsleigh at a competition in Switzerland, his dreams of representing the UK at the Winter Olympics looked to be over.

Now though, thanks to a Leith company that specialises in car repairs and custom bodywork, the 26-year-old has his sights firmly set on Vancouver 2010.

Kenny, who lives in Haddington and is a member of the GB bobsleigh team, crashed his two-man vehicle during training for the fifth round of the European championships in San Moritz in January.

The front end was severely damaged, leaving Kenny with a 1000 bill and unable to compete.

Car repair firm Performance Auto Trix came to the rescue, though, by sponsoring him, paying half the cost of repairs and carrying out the two-week job at its West Bowling Green Street shop.

Kenny, development driver for the Great Britain team, said: "I was over the moon because in the current climate I didn't think there was going to be anyone interested in doing the work.

"It was a huge help because I couldn't afford to get it done myself. I'm really happy with the job that they have done – it looks brand new."

Owner of Performance Auto Trix, Shahan Uddin, 27, of Kingsknowe, said the bobsleigh was by far the most unusual vehicle that the shop had ever repaired. He said: "We've never had a bobsleigh or anything similar before. Everybody thinks it looks like a rocket!

"I thought there would be no harm in helping and I have always had an interest in bobsleighing.

"The bobsleigh had cracks everywhere and it was weak. We stripped it down to the casing and rebuilt it with fibreglass resin, and then we painted it white with the Union Jack flag on the nose.

"We feel privileged that we can help people out in sport."

A Lance Corporal in the Royal Marines, Kenny was part of the Royal Navy athletics team until he was head-hunted by Britain's number one bobsleigh driver, Lee Johnston, two years ago.

He said: "When I was asked by Lee I thought it was a total wind-up, I knew nothing about the sport and I didn't even know that Britain had a bobsleigh team."

Kenny was released from the Marines on a full-time sports secondment at the start of 2007.

The first stage of the selection process for the 2010 Winter Olympics begins on rails this summer at the Bath Institute of Sport, with the second part taking place in Germany's Oberhof on ice.

Kenny is one of around 20 bobsleighers aiming for a place in the team. To sponsor him, go to www.2manbob.com