Island Games
| Island Games | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Multi-sports event |
| Frequency | Biennial |
| Location(s) | Various |
| Inaugurated | 1985 |
| Most recent | 2023 Island Games |
| Next event | 2025 Island Games |
| Participants | ~ 2,000 |
| Organised by | IIGA |
| Sponsor | NatWest International |
| Website | Official IIGA website |
The Island Games (currently known as the NatWest International Island Games for sponsorship reasons) are biennial international multi-sports events organised by the International Island Games Association (IIGA). Competitor teams each represent different island communities (with one team from the peninsula of Gibraltar) which are IIGA members. Currently, all competitor teams represent non-sovereign territories of European nations—some within European waters and some further overseas.
The most recent edition was the 2023, which took place in Guernsey with around 2,200 competitors from 24 islands or island groups participating in 14 sports. The next games will be hosted by Orkney in 2025.
History
[edit]The Island Games began in 1985 as the Inter-Island Games, as part of the Isle of Man International Year of Sport, and were intended to be a one-off sporting celebration only. Geoffrey Corlett, who became the first Games Director, not only contacted the islands surrounding the United Kingdom, but also encouraged the countries of Iceland and Malta, the territories of Faroe Islands, Greenland, Saint Helena, the Channel Islands and others to participate.
Initially, fifteen islands with 600 competitors and officials took part in seven sports,[1] with the total cost of staging the Games being put at £70,000. The track and field events were held on an eight-lane grass track, a far cry from the current games, which now use synthetic tracks in stadiums capable of holding thousands of spectators. The Games of 1985 were so successful that organisers decided to hold a similar event two years later.[2] The Games have grown from strength to strength, with limits now in place for the number of teams, and the number of sports at each Games, currently 12 to 14. Sark could be considered the most successful island, their population of 600 having acquired 20 medals by 2015, one for every 30 people.
NatWest International has been the main sponsor of the Games since 1999. In April 2018, they signed a deal extending their sponsorship until at least 2021. In 2020, Natwest International confirmed the Guernsey games, originally scheduled for 2021, but delayed to 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic would be the last tournament they would be sponsoring.[3] At the time the replacement sponsor had not been confirmed.
A traditional symbol of the games was started in 1991 when Åland asked all teams to bring some water from their islands, which was then mixed in a fountain. All future games has water from the previous fountain added to water from each island competing in the new games, creating a symbol of "mixing together".[4]
Games venues
[edit]
| Year | Games | Host island | Numbers of participants |
Athletes | Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | I |  Isle of Man
|
15 | 700 | 7 |
| 1987 | II |  Guernsey
|
18 | 1,049 | 9 |
| 1989 | III |  Faroe Islands
|
15 | 800 | 11 |
| 1991 | IV |  Åland
|
17 | 1,500 | 13 |
| 1993 | V |  Isle of Wight
|
19 | 1,448 | 14 |
| 1995 | VI |  Gibraltar
|
18 | 1,214 | 13 |
| 1997 | VII |  Jersey
|
20 | ~2,000 | 13 |
| 1999 | VIII |  Gotland
|
22 | 1,858 | 14 |
| 2001 | IX | Isle of Man
|
22 | 2,020 | 15 |
| 2003 | X | Guernsey
|
23 | 2,129 | 15 |
| 2005 | XI |  Shetland
|
24 | 1,658 | 14 |
| 2007 | XII |  Rhodes[5]
|
25 | 2,343 | 14 |
| 2009 | XIII | Åland
|
24 | 2,286 | 14 |
| 2011 | XIV | Isle of Wight
|
24 | 2,311 | 14 |
| 2013 | XV |  Bermuda
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22 | 1,296 | 14 |
| 2015 | XVI | Jersey
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24 | 2,430 | 14 |
| 2017 | XVII | Gotland
|
23 | 2,333 | 14[6] |
| 2019 | XVIII | Gibraltar[7][8][9]
|
22 | 1,700 | 14[10] |
| 2021 | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic[11][12] | ||||
| 2023 | XIX | Guernsey[13][14]
|
24 | 2,194 | 14 |
| 2025 | XX |  Orkney[15][14]
|
13 | ||
| 2027 | XXI | Faroe Islands[16][14][17]
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| 2029 | XXII | Isle of Man[14][18]
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14 | ||
Guernsey put in a bid for the 2021 Games following the Faroe Islands' withdrawal from hosting.[19] The bid was approved in July 2016. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Games were cancelled and rescheduled for 2023 with Guernsey still as hosts, with future hosts pushed out by two years as well.
Orkney will host the 2025 Games.[20] They were awarded the right to host on 7 July 2018 at the AGM in Gibraltar.
The Isle of Man made an official bid to host the Island Games in 2029 in July 2023.[21]
In August 2018 it was reported that the Falkland Islands are considering hosting the Games in 2033.[22]
In December 2023 it was announced that the Faroe Islands would replace Ynys Môn as the hosts of the 2027 games due to funding having been directed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Faroe Islands, who had submitted a bid for the 2031 games,[23] expressed a desire to host the games early, having previously guaranteed funding towards the games in 2018,[24] and were selected as a replacement for Ynys Môn.[25]
Participation
[edit]A total of 28 islands, island groups or territories have participated in the Island Games; eleven of these have participated in every Island Games.
|
Locations of Island Games teams |
 Locations of Island Games teams in Europe
|
Medals
[edit]Every island has won at least 4 medals with Alderney the only island awaiting their first Gold.
| Island(s) | Country (and status) | Population | Years | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Åland
|
 Finland (autonomous province)
|
28,666 | 1985– | 191 | 200 | 190.5 | 581.5 |
 Alderney
|
 United Kingdom[a] (island; part of the crown dependency (Bailiwick) of Guernsey)
|
1,900 | 1987, 1993– | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Bermuda
|
United Kingdom[a] (overseas territory)
|
64,200 | 2003– | 107 | 115 | 119 | 341 |
 Cayman Islands
|
United Kingdom[a] (overseas territory)
|
56,700 | 1999– | 133 | 107 | 91 | 331 |
 Falkland Islands
|
United Kingdom[a] (overseas territory)
|
2,900 | 1993– | 2 | 11 | 13 | 26 |
| Faroe Islands
|
 Denmark (autonomous territory)
|
49,700 | 1985– | 269 | 255 | 301 | 825 |
 Frøya
|
 Norway (municipality island)[b]
|
4,300 | 1985– | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Gibraltar
|
United Kingdom[a] (overseas territory)
|
30,000 | 1987– | 77.5 | 86.5 | 119 | 283 |
| Gotland
|
 Sweden (county)
|
57,200 | 1985– | 336.5 | 245.5 | 252 | 834 |
 Gozo
|
 Malta (island)
|
39,300 | 2023– | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
 Greenland
|
Denmark (autonomous territory)
|
56,081 | 1989– | 24 | 31 | 38.5 | 93.5 |
| Guernsey
|
United Kingdom[a] (island; part of the crown dependency (Bailiwick) of Guernsey)
|
65,800 | 1985– | 536 | 549 | 534 | 1619 |
 Hitra
|
Norway (municipality island)[b]
|
4,250 | 1985–1989, 1997– | 4 | 10 | 15 | 28 |
| Isle of Man
|
United Kingdom[a] (crown dependency)
|
84,500 | 1985– | 530 | 495 | 460.5 | 1485.5 |
| Isle of Wight
|
United Kingdom (English county)
|
138,400 | 1985– | 203 | 208 | 220 | 621 |
| Jersey
|
United Kingdom[a] (crown dependency, Bailiwick)
|
105,500 | 1985– | 634 | 625 | 560.3 | 1819.3 |
 Menorca
|
 Spain (island)
|
94,400 | 2007– | 57 | 57 | 71 | 185 |
| Orkney
|
United Kingdom (Scottish council area)
|
21,300 | 1985– | 23 | 41 | 44 | 108 |
 Saaremaa
|
 Estonia (county)
|
31,000 | 1991– | 126 | 129 | 101.5 | 356.5 |
 Saint Helena
|
United Kingdom[a] (overseas territory)
|
4,250 | 1985–1987, 1997– | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
 Sark
|
United Kingdom[a] (island part of the crown dependency of Guernsey)
|
600 | 1987–2011, 2015– | 3 | 17 | 7 | 27 |
| Shetland
|
United Kingdom (Scottish council area)
|
23,200 | 1985– | 62 | 83 | 113 | 258 |
 Western Isles
|
United Kingdom (Scottish council area)
|
27,400 | 2005– | 28 | 26 | 27 | 81 |
 Ynys Môn
|
United Kingdom (Welsh principal area)[b]
|
69,700 | 1985– | 43 | 42 | 57 | 142 |
 Iceland
|
329,000 | 1985–1997 | 50 | 45 | 40.7 | 135.7 | |
| Malta
|
445,000 | 1985–1987 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | |
 Prince Edward Island
|
 Canada (province)
|
140,000 | 1991–2007 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| Rhodes
|
 Greece (island; Regional Unit (Περιφερειακή ενότητα))
|
115,500 | 1999–2011, 2015 | 53 | 52 | 45 | 150 |
Islands marked in grey are no longer members of the IIGA and so cannot compete at the Island Games.
Participation in other games
[edit]Of the 24 current IIGA members, two (Bermuda and the Cayman Islands) have competed in their own right at the Olympic Games.
Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey and St. Helena have each sent teams to the Commonwealth Games.
Olympic athletes
[edit]Islanders who have gone on to participate in Olympic Games events include:
- Mark Cavendish (Isle of Man) — cycling (Olympic silver medal winner)
- Alastair Chalmers (Guernsey) - 400m hurdles - Paris 2024
- Cameron Chalmers (Guernsey) - 4 × 400m - Tokyo 2020
- Dale Garland (Guernsey) - 4 × 400m - Beijing 2008
- Rebecca Heyliger (Bermuda) - swimming
- Pál Joensen (Faroe Islands) — swimming (World Championship bronze medal winner)
- Lee Merrien (Guernsey) - Marathon - London 2012
- Cydonie Mothersille (Cayman Islands) — 200m (World Championship bronze medal winner)
- Kelly Sotherton (Isle of Wight) — heptathlon and 400m (Olympic bronze medal winner)
- Mattias Sunneborn (Gotland) — long jump and 200m (World Indoor Championship silver medal winner)
- Albert Torres (Menorca) — cycling[26] (World Championship gold medal winner)
- Andres Lauk (Saaremaa) − cycling − Atlanta 1996
Sports
[edit]The host country chooses between 12 and 14 different sports for their games from this list:
| Sport | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII | XIV | XV | XVI | XVII | XVIII | XIX | Total | XX | XXI | |
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| Bowls (Indoor‡, Lawn∞, or Ten Pin*) |
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| Football | |
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| Gymnastics | |
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| Judo | |
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| Sailing (may include Sailboarding*) |
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| Shooting | |
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| Squash | |
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| Swimming | |
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| Table Tennis | |
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| Tennis | |
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| Triathlon | |
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| Volleyball (may include Beach Volleyball*) |
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| Total sports | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Notably, the Island Games' football tournament is one of the most well-established tournaments of non-FIFA international football.
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Inaugural Inter-Island Games - Isle of Man 1985". iiga.org. Archived from the original on 19 November 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ "The Games". Jersey2015.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "Guernsey Island Games in 2021 the last to be sponsored by NatWest International". itv.com. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "Bailiff of Guernsey McMahon opens Island Games on St Peter Port seafront". 8 July 2023.
- ^ "NatWest Island Games - Rhodes 2007 June 30th - July 6th". Rhodes Results 2007. Archived from the original on 5 July 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2017 sports". Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
- ^ James Law. "BBC Sport - Island Games: Menorca pull out of hosting 2019 event". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "BBC Sport - Island Games: Gibraltar bid to host 2019 competition". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 8 August 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Guernsey to host the 2021 Island Games". IIGA. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ "2019 Island Games: Gibraltar axes football, cycling and volleyball". Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Guernsey NatWest International Island Games 2021 postponed". International Island Games Association. 26 September 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "'Stability needed after Games postponement'". Jersey Evening Post. 15 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Guernsey to host 2021 Island Games". BBC News. 2 July 2016. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
- ^ a b c d "2021 Island Games Postponed To 2023". 9 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Orkney to host 2023 Island Games". 7 July 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ "Ynys Môn secure rights to host International Island Games". 28 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ "Island Games 2027 - New Hosts". 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Isle of Man confirmed as 2029 Island Games host". 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "Island Games: Guernsey to bid to host 2021 event". 4 August 2015. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Dates for Orkney 2025 International Island Games Confirmed - News | VisitScotland.org". www.visitscotland.org. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ "Official bid to bring Games back to Manx soil". 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Falklands wants to host the 2033 Island Games". 27 August 2018. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
- ^ "Faroe Islands to host 2031 International Island Games". 14 July 2023.
- ^ "Faroe Islands to bid for the Island Games". 30 May 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ "2027 Island Games: Faroe Islands to host after Ynys Mon pull out". 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "About the Games". IIGA. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
External links
[edit]
