Eve Smith-Lang makes GB wakeboarding team at age 13

Eve Smith-Lang started wakeboarding at the age of eight

The 13-year-old has been selected as the first-ever Scots girl to represent GB in the European Championships.

They take place in Milan from August 12 to 19.

The East Lothian schoolgirl started wakeboarding at Foxlake Adventures when it opened in the town five years ago, at the age of eight, after being introduced to the sport through The Active Schools Programme.

The programme, which Foxlake has been involved in since 2012, has since welcomed over 700 children from schools all over East Lothian.

The idea of the scheme is to provide opportunities for children to take part in higher-quality sport before and after school.

She said: “If it hadn’t been for Foxlake’s links with my primary school in Dunbar, I would never have had the chance to try out this amazing sport five years ago.

“From the very first day on the water I loved it and knew this was going to be a sport that would become my passion.

“Over the past five years I have worked really hard to improve and continually get better and have been lucky enough to compete and win different competitions all over the UK.

“The biggest surprise yet has to be getting picked to represent my country with the GB wakeboard team in Milan, which I still can’t believe.

“Huge thanks to all of my coaches who have helped me along the way, who I definitely couldn’t have done it without”

Eve’s mum, Sarah said they are proud of what she has achieved already.

She said: “We are so immensely proud of Eve for being selected to join the GB team, which she has worked really hard for. She has been so lucky to have some great coaches help her to achieve this goal, who have encouraged, supported and inspired her over the last five years and kept her motivated.”

James Barbour, director of Foxlake Adventures, said: “She is an incredibly talented young girl who we are delighted to support and look forward to seeing how she progresses over the years.”

Gareth Hill, Action Schools Co-ordinator, said: “To see Eve go on to achieve Team GB selection is an amazing achievement. When Active Schools started their partnership with Foxlake Adventures to offer primary school children the chance to try wakeboarding I don’t think anyone could have imagined in such a short space of time that someone who started five years ago would go on to GB honors.

“Eve got the taste through Active Schools and enjoyed it so much she then went onto train hard for the sport with Foxlake. It goes to show that when you put hard work in the rewards are there.”