City sports shop slides in to save local ski ace Alastair Stang

Aug 27 2009 By Frank Hurley

Alastair Stang

A CITY sports shop came to the rescue of a Scots ski ace - after new skis failed to turn up in time for a top competition.

Alastair Stang was expecting the equipment to arrive at his home before he left for the Australian national championships with the Scottish ski team.

But they didn't arrive from top manufacturers Rossignol - and Alastair had to board the plane with his old set, which he had grown out of.

However, Greaves Sports of Glasgow stepped in and couriered new sets of slalom and giant slalom skis to the Glasgow teenager.

They arrived Down Under just hours before the first race of the competition.

And Alastair, 17, of Clarkston, notched up his best score yet in the slalom event using the new skis.

Dad Duncan said: "Race skis are very specialised and are only made in batches at certain times of the year. We took an extra ski bag to the airport hoping the skis would be delivered at the last minute and they could be checked through.

"But the new skis didn't turn up.

"They eventually arrived in Australia - thankfully before the first race. Despite not having trained on the new skis, Alastair took the risk of racing on them and it paid off.

"He had a fantastic result in the slalom to score 64 points - by far his best score to date."

Scotland is taking part in the national championships in Thredbo while the Australian-New Zealand Cup will be held at Mount Hotham.

Duncan added: "Alastair has completed his studies at Williamwood High School and is going to take a year out to ski with the Scottish team.

"He will attend various races and training camps before being based in Meribel, France, from late December until after the British and Scottish championships are held at Easter.

"After that he will study international business or accountancy at university."