Skiing: Italian job well done as Scots strike gold

Twelve-year-olds Lachlan Veitch, Fraser Middleton, Zak Vinter and Iain Innes competed in the event late last month and took home all the medals in their under-13 age category.

Lochaber High School pupil Veitch won gold in both giant slalom and super giant slalom, Glasgow Academy's Middleton won gold in the slalom and silver in the super giant slalom.

Vinter, who attends Mearns Castle High School in Glasgow, won silver in both the slalom and the giant slalom and Boroughmuir High School's Innes won bronze in all three events.

Innes' mother Nicki was there watching the boys perform along with other parents and she said: "The boys all did really well in Bormio and to see them all get on the podium was fantastic.

"The boys are dedicated to their sport and have certainly made the most of the great snow we have had in Scotland over the last few months. Hopefully they can each go on and build on these results in what will be a busy climax to the season."

The four skiers plus Duncan Kuwall (James Young High School in Livingston) were selected to join the British Children's Ski Team in April 2010 after the British Children's Ski Championships in Meribel, France last Easter.

This week Vinter and Innes are representing Great Britain at Topolino in Italy. This race is generally regarded as the premier event on the children's calendar and the unofficial World Championships for young alpine ski racers.

Teams arrive from all over the world to compete and it has the largest international entry of any of the competitions for athletes of this age group, with more than 40 countries represented. Middleton and Kuwall will also race for Team GB in Abetone, Italy, at the end of the month.