High Life Highland is proud to announce the latest round of the Highland Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS), supporting twelve talented athletes from across the region as they compete at regional, national and international level. Delivered in partnership with sportscotland, the scheme helps performance-level athletes meet the real costs of competing and training in sports including cycling, athletics, squash, judo, cricket and badminton. As well as financial help with travel costs, recipients gain access to our facilities across the region to support their fitness and ongoing development.
About the scheme
ATAS was set up in 2020 to address a straightforward challenge: athletes living in the Highlands, Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland often face significant travel costs to reach training camps and competitions — many of which take place well outside the region.
The scheme is funded by sportscotland and administered by High Life Highland, supporting athletes competing at regional, national and international level.
Billy Sutherland: from Caithness to the international stage
Athletics is well represented in this round, and one of the standout names is first-time recipient Billy Sutherland from Caithness. Billy recently secured automatic selection for Scotland after finishing second at the Scottish Hill Championships in the Scottish Borders — and he'll be representing Scotland at the Under 18s Mountain Running Cup in Italy later this month.
"I'm really grateful to receive this support. Travelling to competitions and training camps can be challenging from the north, so this funding makes a big difference. Being selected for Scotland Under 18s is a huge honour, and this support will help me focus on performing at my best."
Travelling to competitions and training camps can be challenging from the north, so this funding makes a big difference.
ATAS Athlete
Jessica Craig-Gould: representing Scotland on the national circuit
Also among the recipients is squash player Jessica Craig-Gould from the Inverness area. Jessica competes regularly on the national junior circuit and travels across Scotland and the UK for training and tournaments. She recently represented Scotland at the 5 Nations in Dublin.
"I'm very grateful to receive this support from High Life Highland and sportscotland. It will really help with the costs of travelling to competitions and training opportunities and allow me to keep progressing in my sport."
Supporting Highland athletes to succeed
Darren Reid, Head of Sport & Physical Activity at High Life Highland, said: "At High Life Highland we are delighted to be able to support our talented athletes as they aim to succeed in their chosen sport and make the nation proud. It's all about ensuring they are given the best possible opportunities to excel at the highest levels of competition, and the Athlete Travel Award Scheme — and the benefits that come with it — have a key role to play in helping dreams become reality."
The full list of 2026 recipients
| Athlete | Sport | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Lucy Daly | Judo | Inverness |
| Olivia Poole | Cycling | Inverness |
| Andrew Baird | Athletics | Mid Ross |
| Mollie Parker | Cricket | Mid Ross |
| Heather Gordon | Rowing / Beach Sprints | Inverness |
| Jessica Craig-Gould | Squash | Inverness |
| Chloe Mackenzie | Badminton | Caithness |
| Nebi Sengular | Swimming | Caithness |
| Ross Allan | Cycling | Inverness |
| Murray Taylor | Athletics | Inverness |
| Billy Sutherland | Athletics | Caithness |
| Lachlan Thomas | Athletics | Easter Ross |
