	Week Beginning 29/01/2008

Lothian Skier triumphs at SOGB National Event......

Local athlete, Claire Jeffray from Gifford, was the sole representative from Lothian at the recent Special Olympic National Alpine Skiing Championships held in Pila, Italy and organised by Special Olympics Great Britain. The competition is held every 4 years but this was the first time it had been held abroad as snow conditions in Scotland have been inconsistent in previous years. 61 athletes took part, coming mainly from various regions in England (South East, Southern, West Midlands, Eastern, & Greater London ) and Wales, as well as Lothian as the only Scottish region.

As with all Special Olympic events competitors were put into groups according to ability to compete in Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super Giant Slalom. Each competitor had to ski two successful runs for both the Slalom and the Giant Slalom. (meaning no falls, missed gates etc). Both timed runs counted, the final race time being an average of both runs. In the Super Giant Slalom there was only one run. This is the longest run with the fewest gates.

As one of the advanced group Claire faced the toughest opposition and she was therefore delighted to gain silver in all three events, despite having very little racing experience and never having raced on snow before, having qualified for the Nationals last October in Birmingham on an artificial slope.

Claire's mother, Ann, who accompanied her as her coach said "Claire would never have performed as well as she did, if it had not been for the encouragement and expert help she received from Gary Latimer, a Ski Instructor at Hillend who is an expert racer himself. The Hillend Group of Disability Snowsport UK of which Claire is a member were also wonderfully supportive and helpful towards Claire, making her feel so welcome, despite being a recreational and not a racing group."

Making it a real family occasion, Claire's brother, Calum, played the Pipes at the Opening Ceremony held on the first day of the Championship, leading the competitors down the slope towards the waiting crowd below. And after the Olympic torch had been lit, Claire was given the honour of being the athlete chosen to read the Special Olympics oath....."Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

A final comment from Ann Jeffray sums up the whole occasion "It was a wonderful week, bringing together a courageous group of young people, all with learning difficulties, but who refuse to let this get in the way of success and enjoyment of their chosen sport. They all skied to the very best of their ability and showed the world the true meaning of triumph over adversity. The standard of racing was astonishing and I felt privileged to be both a spectator and a mother of a Special Olympian."