Lottery cash is ice-ing on cake for Scottish sports stars

Friday 29 September 2000

Continuing its programme of investing in developing our top Scottish performers, sportscotland today announced lottery support for our ice skaters and curlers to help them prepare for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

In the latest round of awards under sportscotland's Talented Athlete Programme, thirteen curlers will receive funding, including the current European Champions, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Louden and Warwick Smith, skipped by Hammy McMillan.

The curlers will use their Lottery money to help with the costs of their training and competition programmes, with the top priority being qualifying to represent Great Britain at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002.  The curlers have to gain points through a series of competitions and the successful men's and women's teams will be announced after the World Championships next April.

Six Scottish ice skaters, including Scottish Senior Champion last year, Stephanie Main-Leigh, and Christopher Tees, who was third in the 1999 British Junior Championships, also benefit from Lottery funding.

Outside the winter sports, boxer Gary Young, who won a gold medal at the recent Gaelic Games, will use his first year of funding from the programme to increase his training and competition programme.

Ian Robson, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said:  "Awards made through the Talented Athlete Programme help Scottish athletes performing at the top of their sport to sustain that performance, or those who are showing potential to step up to higher levels.

"The consistent message we are already getting from our athletes in Sydney is that the support that Lottery funding has given them in their preparations has made that crucial difference.

"We need to build on that success which is why in addition to investing in our current top performers, we are also investing in developing our next generation of youngsters coming through."

Underlining that commitment, Ian Robson also announced today awards made through sportscotland Lottery Fund's Junior Groups Programme to Snowsport Scotland (£40,000), Scottish Squash (£21,000) and the Scottish Judo Federation (£35,000). 

The awards will help to pay for training and competition programmes to further develop the talents of youth squads performing at the top level within their age group and help them progress to senior level.

• A full list of this month's Talented Athlete Programme awards is below.

sportscotland Lottery Fund Talented Athlete Programme Awards - September 2000

BOXING - 1 award totalling £2,000

CURLING - 13 AWARDS TOTALLING £82,311

ICE SKATING - 4 AWARDS TOTALLING £12,000