- Jersey’s Island Games cycling team named
- Five Commonwealth riders in 16-strong squad
NO fewer than five former Commonwealth Games riders have been named in Jersey’s NatWest Island Games cycling team, which was officially announced this morning.
Experienced duo Sam Firby and Chris Spence will lead the charge for medals in the men’s road team, while Rhys Hidrio, James Patterson and Richard Tanguy – all of whom competed at Glasgow 2014 – will hope to perform well on home soil in the men’s mountain bike events.
Joining Firby and Spence will be Bermuda 2013 town criterium bronze medallist Greg Mansell and young prospects Jack Rebours and Stephen Haley. Multi-Island Games medallist – and a former Commonwealth Games badminton player – Kim Ashton has been selected in the women’s road team, alongside Laura Chellingworth and Clare Treharne.
Teenager Ollie Lowthorpe and Richard Payne will join Hidrio, Patterson and Tanguy in the men’s mountain bike team, while Helene Monpetit, Jemima Leach and Catherine Liron will make up the women’s squad.
Yet to set official targets for the Jersey team, manager Andy Hamon says the focus now is to make sure those selected are in the best possible shape ahead of the biennial event.
‘We don’t know exactly who the other islands will be bringing so it’s hard to predict what we’re capable of at the moment,’ he explained.
‘We expect Isle of Man, Guernsey and Menorca to all be of a high standard but we’ve never come away from a Games without a medal.
‘All our mountain bikers – both men and women – are of a high standard but Ollie Lowthorpe has been competing at top-end junior level events in the UK and Rhys Hidrio, James Patterson and Richard Tanguy all competed at the Commonwealth Games last year.
‘In the women’s events, Kim Ashton won gold in the Isle of Wight road race in 2011 and is riding as well as I’ve ever seen her riding, so I hope she can perform.’
He added: ‘For the first time we have a full team of ten men and six women, which gives us strength in depth. All of the team have been competing off-Island in preparation of what we hope will be a fantastic Games.’
JCA president Steve Lowthorpe said: ‘With only 67 days to the start of the Games our final preparations for the five events are now taking place. It just leaves the very important task of naming our cycling teams and to thank Ogier for their support in sponsoring all of the cycling events in the Games.’
Nick Kershaw, global managing partner at Ogier, said: ‘Ogier are delighted to sponsor the cycling events and the Jersey Cycling team kits. On behalf of Ogier we would like to congratulate all of those chosen to represent Jersey and wish them the best of luck in this year’s Games.’
Seventeen islands will be represented in mountain and road cycling events in the Jersey 2015 Games, which take place from 28 June to 2 July.
Men’s road team: Greg Mansell, Chris Spence, Sam Firby, Jack Rebours, Stephen Haley
Women’s road team: Kim Ashton, Laura Chellingworth, Clare Treharne
Men’s mountain bike team: Rhys Hidrio, James Patterson, Ollie Lowthorpe, Richard Payne, Richard Tanguy
Women’s mountain bike team: Helene Monpetit, Jemima Leach, Catherine Liron
