When Scottish water-skier Nicole Arthur arrived at the world slalom championships two months ago, it is fair to say that the 20-year-old from Slamannan, near Falkirk, was relatively unknown to most of the leading competitors who had assembled from all around the world. Over the course of one weekend, though, that quickly changed.

On the lakes of Linz-Steyregg in Austria, Arthur confirmed her position among the elite performers, edging out more experienced water skiers such as American Karen Truelove and Karina Nowlan, of Australia, respectively to take the gold medal in the ladies final. Even though she was one of the youngest in the field, age proved to be no barrier. “I am very proud of myself and everybody who has worked with me to achieve this honour. It has been hard work,” she said.

It is such hard work that impressed the judges, who decided she was a worthy winner of the Champions Award, which it is an accolade for teams and individuals who do not compete in the spotlight but have nevertheless had an outstanding year.

It is perhaps not surprising that she chose water skiing as a sport. Family is an integral factor in her success. The Slamannan Water-ski club in Forth Valley was set up by her grandfather Ian Arthur, who introduced the sport to Scotland in 1952, after returning from the South of France. Nicole’s father John was also a competent participant himself – he was British Junior Jumping Champion in 1975 – and acts as her coach, a key component in Team Arthur; although in the winter, because the evenings become increasingly dark, she cannot train at all once her father John has finished work at 5.30pm.

Hardly the best preparation for a world champion but her results have clearly not been affected. Prior to the travelling to Austria, in the space of only a few weeks, she had won slalom titles in the British Open Championships, the British Under-21 Championships and the European Under-21 Championships. A fantastic effort. Then, after victory in Austria, she came third at the senior European Championships held in Receptor, Italy, narrowly beaten into bronze by Marina Mosti skiing in front of her home crowd.

Shortly after this event, the journey becomes transatlantic, the next destination being Santiago in Chile, with the world under-21 championships firmly in focus, in he first week of January. It was in this city that she won her first world junior title. “Scottish Lochs are cold, Florida waters feel like warms baths in comparison,” she has said. “It will be nice.” Whatever the odds are on an Arthur victory, don’t be afraid to put some money on this young, promising woman.

Also nominated: Great Britain women’s gliding team and TeamBath

Presented by: Sir Keith Mills, Deputy chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games

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