Applications for accreditation passes are now available for spectators wishing to attend the Island Games, which take place from July 9-15

The passes cost £25 each and allow access to the transport system, opening and closing ceremonies and tickets for sports events on request (subject to availability).

For anyone requiring information, there are still some berths available on a cruise ship. For further detail contact Fiona Dally, operations manager at Shetland Island Games 2005 Ltd on 01595 697429.

Leisure centres across Anglesey are being tipped for a £10 million revamp, as the island increases its efforts to host the 2009 Island Games.

With the race for the event due to be settled in Shetland next month, Anglesey is gearing up to provide facilities for more than 3,000 competitors.

Last week, the council outlined a plan of action, which included building new facilities and carrying out major and minor repairs on existing centres.

Derlwyn Hughes, responsible for leisure, said: “We heard the island’s leisure centres are in dire need of modernising, and that our bid to host the 2009 island games will require facilities of the highest standard, including a new six-lane swimming pool.

“Our main aim is to provide the people of Anglesey with the best possible leisure facilities for the next 20 years.”

The International Island Games Association will be meeting in Shetland on July 12, to decide the venue of the 2009 event.

Aland, Anglesey’s competitors to host the 2009 games, have also unveiled plans to develop facilities.

Last week, the city council of Mariehamn decided that a new grandstand will be constructed in Idrottsparken.

If their bid is successful, the new grandstand will serve athletics and football events, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.

It may seem like a long way off, but certain islands are already discussing the possibility of hosting the island games in 2011.

Bermuda is one of the 24 member islands who look likely to make a bid. They are, however, aware that the odds are stacked against them.

Speaking last week, Jon Beard, Bermuda Island Games team chief, said: “During the AGM of these games I will have to put a proposal to them, and then next year at the AGM in Rhodes I will bid proper for the 2011 games.

“We will have a number of issues we will have to overcome. For instance: what time of year would we host the games, because if it is everywhere here (hotels) are full? Also there is the football problem. It will be hot, but more importantly, where do we play the games since cricket will be using up most of the fields?

“Then at the 2003 games there were 1500 volunteers for the week. Are we going to be able to get 1500 volunteers? I don’t honestly know. In Shetland they are bringing extra police, buses, taxis and cars. We can’t and won’t be able to do something like that. Everywhere they have the games it becomes a big community effort. If our community is prepared to hold it, we can do it, and have a great time, but there are so many things you don’t know.”

* As part of their bid to host the 2009 island games, Aland last week announced that they will offer all participants free ferry travel from Sweden.

A spokesperson said: “It is possible thanks to a close co-operation with the shipping companies Eckero Linjen and Viking Line.

“The offer is not only valid for participants that choose to travel to the games via Sweden.

“It is also possible to use the free tickets for a relaxing day trip during the week of the games.”

People who need to organise transport at the island games in Shetland this July have been urged to do so as soon as possible.

Due to the anticipated influx of spectators coming to the games, the Shetland organisers last week highlighted the shortage of hire cars.

Because of the demand, cars will have to be transported to Shetland from the Scottish mainland and could cost about £450 per week to rent.

The rights to host the 2009 island games may be swinging in the favour of Ynys Mon, but the Aland bid committee this week insisted that they will increase their efforts to win the bid.

Dick Ekstrom, chairman of the Aland bid Committee said: “The Island Games Association executive committee has decided to recommend that the member islands delegates vote to grant the island games to Ynys Mon in Shetland.

“We congratulate Ynys Mon on this first round! The new situation has been analysed by Aland from an athletic, organisational, economic and political point of view.

“There is a total agreement to follow through with Aland’s bid. In a true sporting spirit, Aland will give its all throughout the entire match.

“We are still a long way from game, set and match.”

The Rhodes island games’ squad announced last week that they have withdrawn their football and volleyball teams from this year’s event in Shetland.

It is understood that Rhodes, who will host 2007’s event, could not afford the airfares and decided to cut these teams from their overall squad.

Gary Jakeman, general manager of Shetland Island Games 2005 Ltd, last week praised volunteers who have signed up to work in the event for their support and commitment.

At least 900 volunteers have so far been recruited to help out in the event, with 700 volunteers from the local community offering their services. Shetland volunteers will be joined by 200 technical staff from mainland Britain and further afield.

The Venerable Brian Partington OBE, of the Isle of Man, currently the only nomination to replace current chairman Bo Frykenstam, has pledged to continue the controlled growth of the event whilst keeping the philosophy of the ‘friendly games.’

He said: “I am honoured to have been nominated as chairman of the International Island Games Committee.

“Bo has been an excellent chairman and it was a privilege to work with him. His will be a hard act to follow.”

Mr Frykenstam, from Gotland, has been proposed as a life member of the IIGA.

The International Island Games Association (IIGA) last week backed the Shetland event as a “technological first” for the NatWest Island Games.

As previously reported in The Orcadian, live pictures, available via the internet, will be beamed on to a large screen in Lerwick thanks to the Scottish Media Group.

Brian Partington, vice chairman of the IIGA, said: “This is a new concept for the NatWest Island Games with the profile of the event being taken to an even higher level.

“SMG Broadcast and Event Solutions will have around 38 staff working on its games coverage, enabling people from our 24 member islands across the world to watch a sports meeting take place - in some cases - many thousands of miles away.

“It is undoubtedly a major step forward for the games itself and should lead to some excellent publicity for our hosts in Shetland.

“With a population of 23,000, Shetland is the smallest to stage the gathering, as well as being the first Scottish island group to do so. Orkney and the Western Isles will add to the representation from Scotland.

“The latter are competing for the first time following their acceptance, at Guernsey 2003, as a member of the games community.”

The Cayman Islands last month received a grant from the International Island Games Association (IIGA) to help their weakened squad come to grips with the devastation caused by last year’s hurricane Ivan. The massive clear-up costs have been a huge burden on the island, and, as a result, many of their young sportsmen and women had to be sacrificed from competing in Shetland this July.

With it almost impossible for their team to gain the much needed internal sponsorship, the squad had to be reduced by half — first to be denied the opportunity of island games experience were the young competitors.

Following a meeting of the IIGA executive committee, it was decided to grant the Cayman Islands £2,500 to support the squad.

Speaking last week, Bo Frykenstam, IIGA chairman, said: “The executive committee agreed that, as a gesture of support and solidarity to a member island, the association should award a special grant to Cayman from the NatWest Development Programme.

“The £2,500 grant will now enable Cayman to send two more of its young and promising athletes — one male and one female — to the games.”

A provisional volleyball programme was published last week for this year’s island games.

Some 13 islands will be competing in the event that will take place in the Clickimin Leisure Complex’s two volleyball courts, with a third being used in Aith.

Orkney’s men’s team will be getting straight into the action on the first day of the games with matches against Rhodes and the Cayman Islands.

A match against Bermuda on the Monday will be followed by the men facing both Saaremaa and Guernsey on the Tuesday.

A day off for the women on the Sunday will be followed by games against Bermuda and Gotland on the Monday. Another busy day on the Tuesday will see Orkney’s women competing against both Aland and the Faroes.

Play-off matches on the Wednesday will be followed by medal play-offs on the Thursday.

The Shetland committee have insisted that the above schedule is only a first draft and may change.

With Orkney considering a bid to host the 2013 island games, it would appear that a lot will be needed between now and then.

At the Island Games Association (IGA) 2005 meeting, a strict and detailed plan of prerequisites was outlined.

For Orkney to have a chance of hosting the event, they will need to comply with the rigorous tests.

According to the Memorandum of Association of the International Island Games Association (IIGA) the member island shall, when hosting the games:

• improve the development of and participation in sport on their island;
• improve the administration of sport at a local level;
• develop the sporting facilities on their island;
• provide a wider range and level of competition for all athletes;
• provide opportunities for competitors to enhance their skill and performance level; and
• place their island on the sporting map

An agonising injury has ended the island games dream for one Orkney hopeful.

Michael Scott, 33, a solicitor at Drever and Heddle, ruptured an Achilles tendon while sprint training at the Kirkwall Squash Club last month.

Michael, who was one of three contesting the final squash place for the island games squad, suffered the injury which will rule him out for 6-12 months.

Michael said: “I was just doing some normal sprint training when it happened. It was a bit of a shock, I though the guy next to me had kicked me. I just went straight down and had to be carried off.

“I went to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for an operation which was optional, so I am slowly on the mend.

“It will take between six and 12 months to recover fully which is a bit disappointing. It was, perhaps, a bit careless. There are things I could have done. Maybe I was putting too much pressure on it. It definitely doesn’t put me off playing squash though.”

With Michael out of the island games equation, the final place is now to be decided between two. Although disappointed to be out of the running, Michael is certain that the squad can do well in Shetland.

He said: “I think the island games squad are looking really strong at the moment and I think they can go on and do really well.

“They are all working really hard in their preparations and they are performing really well. It is nice to see them all taking the island games seriously, they have been brilliant in the inter-county matches recently and thrashed some of the opponents. Things are looking good and, hopefully, it will go well.”

A sponsorship deal from NorDan Ltd means the company will supply £4,500-worth of windows for the viewing gallery at the island games table tennis event.

The viewing gallery will be added to Sandwick Junior High School, the table tennis venue, which will be used by the 70 competitors and spectators alike.

The new addition, which will bolster the school’s facilities for years to come, has been praised for adding to the sport’s venue.

To come in line with all major sporting events, the Island Games Association (IGA) officials have been considering whether or not to adopt the policy of the World Doping Agency.

The topic has been greeted by a mixed response in recent years, and is being investigated further.

The agency is based in Montreal and all countries who take part in events such as the Olympics have to sign up to its code of practice. Its introduction to the island games has been questioned because of the high costs involved in implementing such procedures.

SBS Logistics last week became the Shetland Island Games’ main sponsor by increasing their donation to £20,000.

The company has pledged £10,000 towards staging the event, and a further £10,000 for operational assistance.

SBS Logistics’ cash will provide assistance in erecting portable buildings for the emergency services, a games office and a medical centre, all of which will be based at Lerwick’s Clickimin Leisure Complex. John Scott, chairman of Shetland Islands Games 2005 Ltd, said last week: “Preparations are well under way now, only 87 days remaining until the opening ceremony on July 9. The organising committee is grateful for the hands-on support SBS Logistics is giving us.”

It may be considered as a diluted version of the Olympics, but the NatWest Island Games has produced athletes who have gone on to grace sport’s centre stage.

The Isle of Wight’s Kelly Sotherton, who holds the island games record in 100m, 100m hurdles and long jump, went on to win an Olympic bronze in the heptathlon.

Darren Mew, also from the Isle of Wight, is a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, Mattias Sunneborn, from Gotland, is a world indoor long jump runner-up, and Carl Prean, from the Isle of Wight, was one of the world’s leading table tennis players in the early 1990s.

Since the island games started back in 1985, NatWest has been the event’s main sponsors.

As well as sponsoring the week-long competition itself, the company also offers sponsorship packages each year.

Grants of £2,000 can be awarded each year which are aimed at assisting in coaching development, sporting progression, technical development and travel.

To cope with the sudden influx of visitors in July, the Shetland Island Games organising committee have worked tirelessly to enrol volunteers to assist in the operation of the event.

As well as offering accommodation for the event, many Shetlanders have volunteered in a number of different roles from first-aiders to welcoming hosts.

This year’s island games will be covered unlike any other in the history of the event.

Action from the games is to be beamed around the world in an attempt to promote the international event.

The opportunity arose thanks to EventScotland, a body set up by the Executive to promote such events, who believe the coverage will put the games on a bigger platform.

The costly plan has been endorsed by various organisation and companies.

According to The Shetland Times, EventScotland looks likely to put £105,000 towards the costs. Shetland Islands Council agreed last week to pledge £37,500 towards the TV coverage, with the Shetland games company putting a further £15,000 towards the costs.

The Scottish Media Group will receive the majority of the funding to provide edited footage.

A Swedish company is set to bring a 16 square metre LED screen which will be based in Lerwick and used to display results and footage.

Footballers at the island games may not be world class, but the goalposts they will be shooting into are.

Last week, Shetland football organisers were installing the premiership ‘box’ style goals at Gilbertson Park, Lerwick.

The goals into which Orkney will hopefully be scoring are the type used throughout Europe and the English premiership.

The football event received another welcome boost this week when the Ian Manson Memorial Fund agreed to donate £1,000 towards the match balls.

Some 60 match balls will be required for over 60 games which will be played at the 11 pitches around Shetland.

The FIFA-approved footballs will serve the 350 competitors taking part in this year’s island games’ most popular sport.

The new shooting range at Black Gaet was opened last week in plenty of time for this year’s island games.

The new site, which includes a small hut and parking space, will be home to the competitive shooting events which will be held in July.

The competition-standard traps were only possible due to a Shetland Islands Council grant of £142,000.

The newest recruits to the island games are gearing up to compete in their first-ever games.

The first job for the Western Isles, who are the 24th member island, was to host this year’s spring annual Island Games Association (IGA) meeting.

IGA chairman Bo Frykenstam said that he was pleased with the island’s ability to host such an event and said that he was looking forward to seeing the new recruits in action.

He said: “I am glad they have joined the games family and I am looking forward to see them compete for the first time under their own flag at the NatWest Island Games XI in Shetland 2005.”

The archery event at this year’s island games will have world record status for the first time.

The Grand National Archery Society (GNAS), the UK governing body for archery, agreed an application for the event to have FITA Star status - meaning that the judging will be of the highest possible standard.

The benefit to competing archers is that they will be able to qualify for FITA Star awards that they achieve.

In Scotland, there are normally only five FITA Star events each year, so the additional event will gives the Shetland Games extra prestige.