Katie Ferguson: Larbert teen plays her part in making Scots history with ice-skating team Solway Stars

Katie, 19, skated alongside fourteen other teammates at the event which took place in Angers, France, over the weekend of 10/11 March.

Solway Stars set a new British Junior World personal best and placed 15th out of a total of 23 ISU teams.

Katie is also a long-standing member of the Starlight Synchro Club, based in Stirling.

For the past few years, every week, Katie has also travelled to Dumfries Ice Bowl to train with their Dumfries-based teammates at Solway.

Last year, she helped her synchronised ice-skating outfit become the first Scottish-based club to also be named International Skating Union Junior British champions, which played a part in them making the trip to France.

Katie’s ice-skating journey began at the age of 10, with Active Stirling and joined the Skate UK Learn to skate programme at The PEAK.

She said of her experience: "To represent Great Britain is a dream come true and a feeling I will never forget.

"Stepping on to the ice with my teammates was magical and to know you get to share the experience with your friends is amazing.

"The competition was nothing like I have ever experienced before. All the skaters were so supportive, and the crowd was ecstatic."

Katie is combining her skating with her studies in adult nursing at university and her goal is to just keep improving, she says.

“I just want to keep getting better and continue to enjoy being a part of the team, she said.

“Not a lot of people have heard of synchronised ice skating and I am proud to compete in the sport.”

Rhiannon Scott, Active Stirling’s Skating co-ordinator added: “It is an incredible achievement, and we are so proud to see representatives from our Stirling clubs shine so brightly out on the world stage."