Other Sport

“How can you not love this?” asks Norman Ferguson as he grins almost maniacally on the shores of Loch Trolamoraig as he strips down to nothing but his shorts.

Whether you consider it brave - or bonkers - a handful of sea swimmers stripped down to their swimmers on New Year’s Day for a Hebridean ‘Loony Dook’ at Bosta Beach in Bernera.

Anybody running on a daily calorie deficit of at least 4,000 calories is going to run into trouble sooner or later – never mind someone like Stuart Macdonald who is bordering on ZERO per cent body fat, trains like a Trojan on a gallon of Red Bull and is built like Hercules’ bigger, more muscular brother.

The rugby stars of today – and tomorrow – from Stornoway Rugby Club were in action last weekend as the club flag flew across a variety of venues.

Connor Maclean galloped home to break the tape with a massively impressive top ten finish in the Lindsays Short Course XC Champs at Kirkcaldy at the weekend.

Secondary schools across Lewis and Harris are being invited to enter pupils to make up teams of four for the annual S1 & S2 Team Swimming Gala In conjunction with Sport and Health & Active Schools.

The Lewis and Harris Sports Council recently held their annual awards ceremony.

Both Mod Football Cups were in the warm grip of island players at the weekend and having their passports stamped ahead of a return to the Hebrides from Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail Glaschu 2019 to Stornoway and Uist and Barra.

Edinburgh wing and former Hawick star Darcy Graham is the only player retained from the starting line-up which defeated Samoa – and the only Borderer – in Scotland’s XV to face Russia in the Rugby World Cup on Wednesday.

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Badminton is far from a sport for the faint hearted. At the top level it is a ferocious sport, taxing on the body and a sport which requires elite level effort and talent.

After an evening where coaches and volunteers were recognised at the annual Scottish FA grassroots awards the spotlight turned to the final award.

Bodies crashing into one another. Bones thundering together. Players in matching jerseys piling on top of one another with the ball lost beneath the swarm.

Scotland kick off their 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign on Sunday when they face Ireland in Group A of the historic competition.

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After a long summer without rugby for island fans both our mens and womens teams will cross the painted white line and into sporting battle again this weekend as the curtain for the new season moves into near sight.

Christina Mackenzie has stood on top of the middle step of the podium at cycling, triathlon and ironman events on more occasions than the humble athlete would ever allow herself to boast, but all that experience, all those gruelling miles, glorious honours and sporting experience was no help as she took on her greatest ever challenge – Lejog.

A large crowd was on hand at Bayhead last Saturday to watch Camanachd Leòdhais and Uist Camanachd vie for the Heb Celt Cup in glorious sunshine. The sides could not be separated after ninety minutes and after a 1-1 draw, the match went to penalties.

Kara Hanlon has been riding a wave of swimming greatness for some time. A hat-trick of gold medals at the Scottish National Open Championships was followed by FIVE medals in the choppy and testing waters of international sporting combat at the NatWest International Island Games.