A north-east sports star with Olympic ambitions will be the only Scot at a global skateboarding event in May.
Reece Archibald, 25, is flying the Saltire on his own at the world freestyle championships in Cloverdale in Canada.
The mental health nurse from Macduff, who splits his time between his career and striving to raise the profile of Scottish boarding, is now urging local firms and individuals to get behind his championship bid.
Mr Archibald needs funding and equipment, including footwear, before he travels to the competition.
Last night, he insisted people could donate anything to help his cause – not just cash.
He added: “About 60 skateboarders from all around the world will be there.
“I still work as a nurse to help fund myself, but sponsorship would help with flights or accommodation. But anything at all that people think I would benefit from would be helpful.”
Mr Archibald took up the sport when he was 11, after his friend showed him a Tony Hawk video game, and he participated in his first competition when he was 16 – finishing third in a world event in England.
He said: “Skateboarding has been a great stress reliever for me.
“Things don’t always work out, but it has taught me to keep active. Some people might not think of it as a sport, but it’s a social sport that’s grown recently.
“I’m now at the point where I am trying to put everything into it.”
Mr Archibald’s skateboarding talent has drawn attention all over the world since he started broadcasting his efforts over his own YouTube channel – freestyletrickipedia.
He has performed as part of the Liverpool Fashion Week and even invented his own skateboarding tricks.
But, as he explained: “It’s crucial for me to have a good year. If the Tokyo Olympics decides that freestyle skateboarding is a sport, I have to be competing and getting my name out there.”
People interested in supporting Mr Archibald’s effort can contact him by e-mailing reece.archibald@hotmail.com
