CHAMPION Helensburgh stone-skimmer Alex Lewis has set his sights on bringing some of the world’s best ‘skiffers’ to the town.

Alex, who won the All-England Championships with a record throw of 95 metres in Cumbria on Saturday, has unveiled ambitious plans to hold a top-class stone-skimming event at the skating pond at the top of Sinclair Street.

The 21-year-old former Lomond School pupil says that if the pond can be cleaned up it would make an ideal venue for a major stone-skimming tournament.

And with around 350 competitors, and some 1,000 spectators, having attended the All-England event on Windermere in the Lake District on Saturday, Alex reckons that bringing an event to Helensburgh could give the town a significant economic boost.

“Most stone-skimming contests take place in the middle of nowhere,” he said, “but in Helensburgh the pond is right next to a big town.

“The pond is 140 metres long and only two feet deep, and it has a walkway all around – it’s the perfect venue in my opinion.”

Alex visited the pond on Monday with a TV crew, who are filming a documentary on stone-skimming to be broadcast in the new year, and with regional Conservative MSP and Helensburgh resident Maurice Corry.

Mr Corry told the Advertiser he was backing Alex’s bid to establish a stone-skimming championship in Helensburgh – and to open up the pond to a much wider range of users.

Mr Corry said: “Alex approached me with an idea to transform the skating pond into a more inviting, usable location.

“His idea would allow the area to be used by more people for a wide variety of different recreational uses, along with the ability to hold the world champion stone skimming competition, which would attract a large number of competitors and spectators to the area.

“I fully support Alex’s plans, and hope the council will support them also.

“I would like to congratulate Alex on his recent performance in Cumbria.”

Alex, who won his second successive British championship earlier this summer, clinched the All-England title on Saturday with a throw 12 metres better than that of his nearest challenger.