Whilst the Nordic skiers limber up for the roller-skiing season, Scotland's World Cup and Europa Cup alpine skiers are already back in pre-season fitness training mode.

After a frustrating season plagued by injury, slalom and combined World Cup specialist Noel Baxter (Aviemore) is reported to be making steady progress whilst Finlay Mickel, the World Cup downhiller from Edinburgh, continues to receive physio treatment for an Achilles injury that is expected to keep him off the slopes until the early summer.

However, Alain Baxter (Stirling), Chemmy Alcott (London) and the likes of Europa Cup skier Dougie Crawford (Glasgow) are among the British alpine team members now cranking up their off-season preparations with cycling and weight training.

Meanwhile, the World Cup half-pipe specialists Ben Kilner (Banchory)  and Angus Leith (Aviemore) have reportedly been in Austria undertaking vital board testing ahead of next season.

Kilner, ranked 43rd in the world in half-pipe and whom narrowly missed failed to clinch a place in Team GB for the 2006 Winter Olympics, will be hoping to build further on some strong top 20 performances achieved this season, including a 13th place at the World Junior Championships in Valmalenco, Italy in March.