Performance athletes from Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Highland can now apply for funding to help them cover the cost of travelling to training and competitions in 2025-26.
The Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS) is in its eighth year, the fund’s aim is to help ensure talented athletes living in island and rural communities have the same access to training, competition and developmental opportunities as athletes living on the mainland.
Travel and accommodation costs can disadvantage island-based athletes and mean they may be less likely to compete in certain competitions which would help their journey as an athlete, ATAS funding helps redress that without the athletes having to relocate from their communities.
ATAS is funded by sportscotland and the islands’ local councils. Successful athletes can benefit from up to £1,500 from the programme to help with travel and accommodation costs when attending training and competitions.
It’s set to be a huge year for many athletes from island communities with the Orkney2025 Island Games taking place in July. It will provide a unique opportunity for athletes from Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles to represent their communities at a multi-sport event in Scotland.
Orkney weightlifter Ross Sinclair has a number of Scottish and British titles to his name and runs Orkney Amateur Weight Lifting Club. Ross has around 14 trips across the water annually for competitions, he’s also been forced to travel for injury recovery recently, so is thankful for the support.
Ross said: “I always try to book my flights well in advance to keep the cost down but sometimes that just isn’t possible when I get a last-minute call up. That’s where the ATAS funding is so helpful.”
Heather Gordon is an Inverness-based rower who is eyeing qualification for the LA 2028 Olympic Games. In 2024 she was crowned world champion alongside her mixed quad teammates at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Championships in her debut competition for Great Britain.
Heather is a personal trainer and coaches at Inverness Rowing Club. As part of Scottish Rowing’s performance group, Heather receives support from the sportscotland Institute of Sport and has recently started receiving funding through ATAS.
Heather regularly has to travel to England to train with the GB Rowing squad. Because of the amount and size of equipment she has to take, Heather has to drive to each training destination, occasionally having to make the 20-hour round trip down to Henley in London and back in just one weekend.
Heather said: “In the 6 weeks leading up to worlds, I spent more than half of my time away from home whether that was training or driving.
"The support I get is just incredible and I’m so lucky to have so many people helping me along on this journey. I’m really grateful to have received ATAS funding, it’s a huge help in covering some of my travel expenses."
Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said: “At sportscotland we recognise the difficulties faced by athletes in rural communities in accessing the best possible training and competition. ATAS is a key programme in helping to support athletes with those specific challenges."
“This is an exciting time for sport in our island communities. Orkney 2025 will be a historic occasion and a wonderful chance for local athletes to compete at a home multi-sport event.”
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About ATAS
