Scotland Squad for UK School Games Announced

Posted: 30 August 2010
Photos By: Darren Crawford

Eight youth athletes will be representing Scotland at the upcoming UK School Games in Newcastle between the 2nd and 5th of September.

The Scotland Squad is:

Female:
Hannah Ferguson - Glentress Riders
Louise Borthwick - Edinburgh Road Club
Flora Gilles - Peebles CC
Jenna Fenwick - Stewarty Wheelers

Male:
Tom Arnstein, - Equipe Velo Ecosse
Stuart McCluskey, VC Glasgow South
Angus Gillies, - Peebles CC
Charlie Wilson - Discovery Juniors

The Sainsbury's UK School Games is a multi-sport event for the UK's elite young athletes of school age.
The sports programme in 2010 will include road cycling (replacing track cycling from the 2009 programme), which combined with the existing programme of Athletics, Badminton, Fencing, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Swimming, Table Tennis and Volleyball gives a total to ten sports. There is integrated programme of disability events (physical and learning disabilities) in Athletics, Swimming and Table Tennis increases the athletes competing in 2010 to around 1600.

Each of the ten sports is combined into a four-day Games environment designed to replicate the feel of major event such as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Commonwealth Games.

The Sainsbury's UK School Games seeks to create an inspirational and motivational setting which not only provides our elite young sports people to thrive and perform at the highest levels, but encourages more young people to take part and succeed in sport. Responsibility for the development and organisation of the Sainsbury's UK School Games lies with the Youth Sport Trust.

The Cycling programme for the Games is:

Friday 3rd September

Session 1: Team Criterium
Session 2: Individual Criterium

Saturday 4th September
Session 3: Individual Time Trial
Session 4: Team Time Trial

Sunday 5th September
Session 5: Road Race

The Team manager for the Games is Brynley Davies. Brynley is a club coach with Edinburgh Road Club and has been responsible for the squad preparing for the Games.

A training camp was run to let the athletes meet each other and to focus on the technical elements of the team time trial which is one of the events at the Games. The squad then travelled to Ireland to race in the Mayo Youth Tour to gain some race experience as a team. Both Squads performed admirably and Scotland riders returned home with both the Boys and Girls yellow jerseys.

Brynley Davies Scotland UKSG commented:

"The challenge is there for our boys and girls youth squads at this year's UK School Games to step up and really compete at the highest level of youth UK road racing. All eight riders have impressed me over the past couple of months, at our Dundee training camp where we focused on team time trialling and more recently when defending the champion's jerseys, coming home with wins and trophies aplenty from the Mayo Youth Tour in Eire. More than anything they have shown that with preparation and no small amount of self sacrifice they can ride for each other as a team and can use that strength to their advantage. They are well prepared and I fully expect them to give their best over each of the five races that they will face."

Gary Willis Scottish Cycling Performance Manager Commented:

'It is encouraging to see such a strong squad of youth riders selected for this years UK School Games. This event supports our developing athletes experience a multisport games and is a key stepping stone in our commonwealth and Olympic pathway for Scottish Athletes.'