Sunderland Echo Article

Great Scott is off to the Highland Games
A Sportsman is going Stateside to hammer the opposition at the world Highland Games.
Strongman Scott Thompson is part of a Scotland side taking on an American team, in Florida, competing in events such as the hammer, caber and sheaf toss.

Scott said "The Highland Games are really big over there - bigger than it is in Scotland now. Some say the competitors get treated like Royalty over there."
The 35-year-old from Sunderland is training six times a week to prepare for the challenge, which will test his strength and skill in a host of disciplines.
He will toss the caber, a 22ft long log weighing 100lb and attempt the sheaf toss - where he will throw a bail of hay over a bar using a pitchfork.
he will also throw the Scots hammer, lift a variety of weights over a bar which is then moved up in height and a form of shot putt using a stone.
Scott previously took part in the Highland Games in Scotland in 1996, where he finished second, and 1997.
Taking part in the games will cost Scott £2000.
Sponsors welcome

Scotty's Florida Highland Games Fund

In January 2010 I will be travelling to Florida to compete in two Highland games competitions. The first will be in Fort Lauderdale on 9th January. This will be a warm up to the main games. The Central Florida Highland Games on 17th and 18th January.
At the Central Florida Games, a team representing Scotland will be taking on a team of the best from America.

My participation is self funded and will cost me in total somewhere near the £2,000 mark. Im trying to raise funds to do this and have written to a number of businesses and companies to try and raise some or all of the funds needed.

If you want to help me towards this total, feel free to donate via my paypal account. You can do this via my paypal email address

scott.th74@hotmail.co.uk

All donations are gratefully received however big or small.

I will post regular updates on how things are going and will give updates from the games themselves so you can see how I perform.

Some of you may have seen the article about this in the Sunderland Echo on Tuesday 20/10/2009.

Thanks for any assistance or support you can give me, and if you cant, thanks for taking the time to read this.