News

24 June 2019

Team Guernsey is officially ready for the off after a special event hosted by Guernsey’s Bailiff, Sir Richard Collas. It’s become a traditional part of the pre-games preparations with the team attending in their kit to hear the well wishes of the Bailiff and team sponsors Utmost Worldwide.

The athletes gathered at Beau Sejour Leisure Centre for the event. Local photographer Chris George was on hand to take some pictures of our sportsmen and women and it’s just as well he has a head for heights as he needed to be pretty high up to get everyone in the team photo.

Our team has been very well supported by our sponsors Utmost Worldwide who are responsible for our kit but they also traditionally give the Guernsey team a goody bag of extra items to take away. With a 200 strong team, our coaches, medics, VIPs and the GIGA Committee were all delighted to receive a recyclable drawstring bag filled with goodies.

Inside the bag are sunglasses, sunblock and clappers to make some noise in Gibraltar, as well as Guernsey team pin badges to exchange with team members from other islands. Each bag also has a Sarnia Cherie card to make sure we can all sing along with our island anthem during medal ceremonies. Thanks Utmost!

Team Guernsey 2019

Brian Allen – Chairman of GIGA, Guernsey’s Bailiff – Sir Richard Collas, Giorgio Daboni – CEO Utmost Worldwide

5 June 2019

Team Guernsey’s kit for Gibraltar has been revealed as the team’s flag bearer and water carriers were also named. Sponsors, Utmost Worldwide, have very generously covered the cost of the striking white and green kit for the whole team at this summer’s Island Games.

The kit, designed by KUDOS Sports in conjunction with the Guernsey Island Games Association, is made of a lightweight material aimed at helping the competitors cope in the heat of Gibraltar. It consists of trousers, 2 polo shirts, a gilet and sunhat with the logos of both GIGA and Utmost Worldwide on them. 

Giorgio Daboni, the Chief Executive Officer for Utmost Worldwide Guernsey said: ‘We know that all the athletes feel a great sense of pride when they are chosen to wear the Guernsey colours, and we are equally honoured to see our logo on their team kit. Once again, GIGA has done a fantastic job designing it and we can’t wait to see the full Guernsey team parade it in Gibraltar.’

As the kit was revealed the flag bearer for Team Guernsey at the Opening Ceremony on the 6th of July was also named. Nikki Trebert (Shooting) says she’s honoured to have been chosen for the job. Gibraltar will be Nikki’s 9th games having first represented the island for pistol shooting in 1997. So far Nikki’s won 17 medals in total – 7 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze. Trebert says the whole shooting team are feeling confident they can bring more medals home this time although they certainly don’t underestimate their opponents, with the home island expected to have an extremely strong team. 

Traditionally the water carrier for Guernsey has been one of the youngest members of the team. Fourteen-year-olds Oriana Wheeler (Swimming) and Emma Sykes (Basketball) have been chosen to jointly carry out the role. They filled a Guernsey copper can with sea water at Havelet Bay and will mix it with water from all the other competing islands as part of the opening ceremony. Making their debuts in the Island Games this year both Wheeler and Sykes said it was an honour to have been chosen and it will add to their overall experience at their first Island Games.

GIGA Chairman Brian Allen was pleased to be showing off 2019’s new team kit. ‘We are also delighted to be announcing our flag bearer and water carriers and to have such young athletes representing Guernsey is a testament to the calibre of sport we have in the island. We know they’ll do a great job for Guernsey in their roles at the Opening Ceremony, as well as in their respective sports.’

Brian Allen, GIGA, Giorgio Daboni, CEO Utmost Worldwide Guernsey, Nikki Trebert, Tony Mealing, Head of Customer Services, Jon Marley, GIGA, Oriana Wheeler, Emma Sykes.

1 June 2019

Both the shooting and squash teams have received financial support from leading vitamin, mineral and supplement supplier Healthspan to help fund their competing kit for the Natwest International Island Games in Gibraltar. While the overall team kit is covered by Utmost Worldwide, each sport also needs kit to wear during their events.

Michael Lawther, Chief Executive Officer at Healthspan, said: “The Guernsey way of life has always influenced our company’s core values, so being able to provide two teams with kits to represent our beautiful home at the Island Games makes the team at Healthspan incredibly proud. We’re excited to watch all the teams compete in Gibraltar and wish them all the best of luck.” 

Brian Allen, Chairman of the Guernsey Island Games Association, said: “We’re very grateful to Healthspan for supporting two of our Island Games sports with kit to wear when they’re competing in Gibraltar. All of our athletes make a big personal financial commitment to be able to compete at the Natwest International Island Games so support like Healthspan’s is a huge help.”

Laurence Graham, Squash Player-Manager said: ” With training intensifying, receiving our kits early to get a feel for them has been really helpful. We can’t wait to represent Guernsey in our news shirts thanks to Healthspan.”

Chris Jackson, Guernsey Shooting Team Manager, said: “We’re grateful for Healthspan’s kit contribution for the shooting team and we look forward to proudly wearing while representing the island in Gibraltar.”

Guernsey’s Squash team for 2019

Guernsey shooting team 2019

8 May 2019

A mix of youth and experience have been chosen by the GTTA Senior Selection Committee to represent Guernsey in the upcoming Island Games in Gibraltar. They’re looking to defend the team title, having won gold at their last three Island Games – Gotland 2017, Jersey 2015 and the Isle of Wight 2011.

Garry Dodd leads the charge in the men’s event, playing in his 6th Games and looking to add to his 5 gold medals previously earned. Meanwhile for the women, veteran Dawn Morgan will hope to set more records as she competes in her 11th Games. Dawn has an impressive tally of 27 medals so far and 7 of them are gold. Paula Le Ber rejoins the team, having last competed in 2011.

Men 

Garry Dodd

Lawrence Stacey

Joshua Sacey

Ben Foss

Women

Dawn Morgan

Paula Le Ber

Sam Kershaw

Daisy Kershaw

Non-Playing Captain: Alex Robinson

Team Manager: Derek Webb

7 May 2019

32 athletes will represent Guernsey in Gibraltar this summer with some experienced stars of previous Games including Sarah Mercier and Louise Perrio on the women’s side, with Island Games veteran Dale Garland and Sam Wallbridge heading up the men.

Guernsey Athletics say that Mercier is arguably the strongest medal prospect having been in outstanding form of late – she’s attempting the 5,000/10,000m double for the first time. Mercier is joined in the 10,000m by Jenny James who has progressed markedly since the Gotland Games two years ago.

Sam Wallbridge claimed silver over the 400m hurdles in Gotland and will be aiming to bring home another medal this time around, whilst Joe Chadwick looks to have a strong chance of doing so over the 200m having debuted in the Island Games in the high jump in 2017. Ed Mason and Indi Gallagher were also medalists in Gotland and they compete again in the steeplechase and 400m respectively.

Team manager Tom Druce also has a number of youngsters making their Island Games debuts in Gibraltar and says “We have shown faith in some of the younger athletes who just missed out on their qualifying marks – with Guernsey 2021 around the corner it only seems right to try to expose athletes to this level of competition to aid their preparation for that.”

“Tom Brierley in the discus is a great example of someone who has put a lot in of late to try and make the team – the selectors noted the unfortunate situation with regards to the lack of javelin or hammer in the Games this time and the importance of putting the throws ‘out there’ as an event group. It is important for the development of that area of the sport and again to prepare and encourage ahead of 2021.”

“We have a few likely medal winners who unfortunately are not going to be with us this year for various reasons, but it is now time to focus on those who will be. There are at least one or two who I think will go under the radar for now and then produce something significant in July.”

10 March 2019

Guernsey’s Judo team for Gibraltar has been officially announced with five athletes competing in three weight categories. 

Under 73kgs – Lewis Bourgaize & Tom Barclay

Under 81kgs – Louis Plevin & Howard Joyce

Under 90kgs – Peter Childs

The Team Manager and Coach, Eddie Mann, says there are three events for the athletes to take part in. All five will be involved in the Individual events, the Team event includes one athlete per weight category and the Open event allows two athletes from any weight category to compete.

Eddie says Gibraltar is a fantastic opportunity for the team as Judo isn’t always included in the sporting lineup at the Island Games. He adds his athletes have been training hard doing a variety of competitions in the build up to the Games and is hopeful they’ll be able to bring home some medals.

Having received financial support from Guernsey team sponsors Generali in the form of a bursary they were able to use the money to bring 6th Dan Oxford University Coach Chris Doherty to the island to train with them all in preparation for this summer.

Left to right: Eddie Mann (Team Manager/Coach), Tom Barclay, Lewis Bourgaize, Howard Joyce, Peter Childs, Chris Doherty (Visiting Coach), Louis Plevin

23 February 2019

The Squash team has been named for Gibraltar this summer as the sport returns to the Games after six years.

Player-Manager Laurence Graham and Natalie Dodd are the two with previous Games experience. They won the mixed doubles bronze medal together in Bermuda in 2013, the last time the sport was included in the line up.

Four players are making their debuts in Gibraltar in July: Henry Birch, Janick Radford, Mark Le Conte and Karen Robinson

20 February 2019

Eight swimmers will represent Guernsey at an Island Games for the very first time this summer as part of the squad of twenty. The swim team named for Gibraltar is described as having a good balance of experienced swimmers and new talent.

Initially swimmers from the two local clubs signed up with their intent to compete but knew they were fighting for a maximum of twenty places available for selection.

Chris Butt, the GASA President, says it’s been encouraging to see so many senior swimmers, who’ve attended many Games in the past, still inspired to continue with the hard training required to compete at this level. Adding that the group of youngsters coming through the ranks are showing great potential too.

Following the success of the swim team in Gotland, members are focused on continuing to train hard over the coming months in the hope of enjoying similar success in Gibraltar this summer.

Chris Butt says for those who didn’t make the team this time it’s hoped they’ll continue to train hard and set their sights on future competitions including the home games in Guernsey in 2021.

Swim Team 2019

Courtney Butcher; Orla Rabey; Laura Le Cras, Tatiana Tostevin

Ben Lowndes; Tom Hollingsworth; Will Mansell; Jonathon Beck; Will Russell; Tom Teasdale; Louis Tostevin; Charlie-Joe Hallett

New caps

Ailish Rabey; Pip Gallagher; Molly Staples; Oriana Wheeler; Ellen Morley

Sam Lowe; Ronny Hallett; Toby Fitzgerald