Guernsey maintain long run of host victories

Guernsey maintain long run of host victories

The hosts claimed a 229-197 victory in the 2018 edition of the annual battle, as the visiting JASA KPMG side struggled to contend with the strength of the squad sent out by the home side in St Peter Port.

There were smiles for Jersey’s youngest contingent, though, as Isaac Thompson, Filip Nowacki, Sam Sterry and Matthew Deffains broke two relay records alongside individual records for Nowacki in the 50m butterfly [32.89 sec] and 100m backstroke [1 min 15.16 sec].

The boys 11-and-under quartet clocked 2.05.28 in the 200m freestyle – three seconds faster than the previous best – and broke an 11-year-old record in the 200m medley with their time of 2.29.15.

Jersey coach Nathan Jégou said: ‘No one has retained the inter-insular since 2007/08. The home island keeps winning it, which is good for them obviously, but the challenge it to try and hold onto it.

‘We will aim to win it back again next year when we’re stronger and then retain it in two years’ time.

‘The highlight for us was the 11-and-under boys, and the relays were really impressive.

‘To break the record by three seconds over 200m – that’s pretty shifty. Impressive.’

He added: ‘The Super League Triathlon was on so we had a couple of swimmers at that, and we also had a few in Hampshire camps.

‘And Guernsey flew back their boarding-school swimmers. It’s always a challenge when we go to Guernsey.’

Even with the home advantage, the Sarnians knew it would be a tough ask and GASA president Chris Butt was the first to admit this following the pre-match kit presentation.

‘I said, kind of tongue in cheek, “It would be great for you to win the cup back on Saturday”,’ he explained.

‘Then it actually came up, which makes me immensely proud.’

Jersey’s KPMG swim squad for the inter-insular was captained by Nathan Corrigan and Becky Le Maistre.

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