Skiing: Capital skiers make Scots school squad

Four up-and-coming Edinburgh skiers are part of the Scottish squad of 16 that heads off to the World Schools Ski Championships in Italy tomorrow.

The event begins on Monday in Gressoney with Iain Innes (Boroughmuir High School), Paul Henderson (Stewart’s Melville College), Lewis Rahil (St Thomas of Aquin’s) and Morven MacAllister (Mary Erskine’s) among the 20 Scottish athletes who have been selected.

Non-Alpine nations, like Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Denmark and Holland, are allowed to send a team of school children who are not all in the same school. Scotland’s team, led and selected by head coach Ronnie Naismith, is made up of the top seeded skiers of high school age.

Most of the team have been coached by Naismith over recent seasons through the FAST programme – Focused Alpine Scottish Ski Training – which provides a pathway for Scotland’s top children ski racers before they progress into juniors at the age of 16.

Naismith said: “I am really looking forward to this year’s event. The skiers who are in the team have known for a good few months and it has allowed them to prepare properly.”

As well as representing Scotland, the youngsters will also be competing in teams of five in their age categories rather than as individuals.