It has been a week of sporting excellence, golden weather and renewed friendships as thousands of athletes from around the world have descended on Jersey for the NatWest Island Games. Tristram Colledge caught up with some of the sporting stars to hear their views on how Jersey has hosted the Games
YOU put in hours of training, pushing your body and mind to the limit in hope of achieving a place on the podium in the triathlon – one of the Island Games’ most gruelling events.
But, as a number of competitors from Gibraltar found out, no amount of experience can prepare you for Jersey’s maritime menace – sea lettuce.
‘When we did the swimming part of the triathlon we were taken a bit by surprise,’ says Akhil Viz over breakfast at the Merton Hotel,- his Gibraltar team’s home for the seven days of the Games.
‘When we swam off from St Aubin’s Bay we were swamped by green stuff. We had it on our faces, on our shirts, it was absolutely everywhere, but we just had to get on with it.’
GIBRALTAR
- Although not technically an island, Gibraltar, which shares its northern border with the Province of Cádiz in Andalusia, Spain, has participated in the Island Games since the second event in 1987.
- It has an area of only 2.3 sq miles and a population of 29,500.
ALAND
- Ninety per cent of Alands population lives on the main island of Fasta Aland, with the remainder scattered on 6,500 skerries (small rocky islands) to the east.
- Although Aland is technically Finnish, the 28,000 islanders speak Swedish as their first language.
ST HELENA
- Best known as the island where French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled, St Helena was discovered by Portuguese explorers in 1502.
- One of the most remote islands in the world, it is the second-oldest remaining British Overseas Territory, after Bermuda.
Of course it wasn’t just Mr Viz’s team who had to deal with the notorious slimy substance that has long plagued Jersey’s southern sea front, and with the Gibraltar team now in relaxation mode, it’s not something that they are too bothered about.
‘Sea lettuce aside, we’ve had a brilliant time,’ he said. ‘There’s been such a fantastic buzz around the place. The people have been very welcoming and the weather has held up really well for us.’
One of his team-mates, Chris Redondo, was similarly enthusiastic.
‘As the Games are held every two years, you do get to recognise people that you met first time around,’ he said.
‘It’s almost like a family atmosphere. People recognise you, you recognise them. It’s brilliant.
And it seems that the positive vibes are not just contained to the Iberian team’s camp.
Several members of the Aland team, who have also been staying at the Merton, spoke fondly of their experiences, although they found it difficult adapting to the hot conditions.
Pia Mattson (24), who has been competing in the women’s tennis event, said: ‘The two words that best describe the Games are fun and heat!
‘We have mainly been hanging out at the tennis courts, where we have been having fun with some of the competitors from other islands.
‘The heat has definitely made it more difficult to play, because we don’t get this kind of weather at home.’
The Scandinavian island’s athletics coach, Benita Gustafsson, said that the Jersey Games has been a very different experience from those in Bermuda two years ago.
‘We have really enjoyed the experience and we have noticed a difference from the previous games.
‘Two years ago in Bermuda things were very relaxed.
‘Things are definitely more strict here – the rules definitely seem to be the rules.’
Shooter Lars Helsing, who competed in the last Games that took place in Jersey 18 years ago, said that he thought little had changed about the Island.
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‘We also have much more open space. Here it’s quite tight – small houses, small backyards and narrow streets.
He added: ‘We have been very busy because we have been competing every day, so we haven’t been able to see too much of the Island.
‘But everyone has been really happy and there’s been an excellent atmosphere.’
Meanwhile, across town at the Talana Hotel, 14 athletes from St Helena, a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, half way between the continents of Africa and South America, have been making friends with Alderney athletes who have been staying at the hotel.
Team manager Gavin George, who took on the role after retiring from his job in the St Helena government, was particularly upbeat about the Games.
‘One of our athletes has never been outside St Helena before, so this has been memorable.
‘It’s all about establishing friendships and meeting new people.
‘Some of the guys from Alderney have been in our hotel and the teams have been bonding really well.’
Although Jersey people might complain about the lack of choice of shops in St Helier, Mr George says the team have been excited by the variety on offer.
‘In our spare time we have mostly been in town and exploring the shops.
‘We don’t have nearly as many shops, so it has been quite a treat for us,’ he said.
And it’s not just the shopping, he says, which is different from home.
‘The main difference is the terrain of the Island. St Helena is very mountainous and rugged and Jersey is quite flat in comparison.
‘Although we are similar sizes in terms of area, Jersey has many more people. We have only 4,000 so at home, everyone really does know everyone else.’
