Sledgends in the making

Most sports stars take years to rise to the top of their discipline.

But eight-year-old Marco Ezzi has already won his first championship - just four months after first taking up his sport.

The youngster from Armadale has just won the junior section of the country's biggest dog sled racing competition, beating children up to four years older than him.

Marco was victorious at the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain's Aviemore Sled Dog Rally, which attracts thousands of dogs and more than 200 teams.

The St Anthony's Primary School pupil raced with his own beloved Alaskan Malamute, Buck, following in the footsteps of his father, David Ezzi, who has himself competed in the sport for three years.

Mr Ezzi, 32, said the family's interest had started as an enthusiasm for Alaskan Malamutes, which are larger than huskies, and developed into racing - with his son quickly showing promise.

He said: "I've been there for three years trying to do it, and he comes along first time and does it. We were always interested in the breed, and then got into the side of working them.

"It's only been four months since he first got a sled. He's been out training and he can handle the rigs and the dogs no problem. This season he started racing himself, he gets up in the morning and goes to the training twice a week.

"We train at Ae Forest, near Dumfries, and we're always away from here at about half-five in the morning."

At the contest, held on January 22 and 23, Marco won first prize in the J1 category for eight-to-12 year olds using one dog.

He won the first day's race with a 16-second lead, enough to see him scoop first prize, despite coming second on the next day's racing.

With no snow lying on the ground at the time of the race, he used a wheeled sled.

The youngster said: "I was nervous, but it wasn't difficult. The dogs really enjoy it. I like doing it because I get to meet lots of people."

Mr Ezzi, who works for Wiseman Dairies, said he was hoping to secure sponsorship.

He said: "We've got a Scottish championship race in March, so he's training now for that. It costs a fortune for us to do - we're away every weekend up north or down to England."

He said he had bought Buck, now 18 months old, when the dog was an eight-week-old puppy, so Marco could take up racing. "He gets up early and does the training. He loves it."

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