By Tony Isaacs, County Chairman

The money raised to send the Island team to the International Island Games in Aland, Finland was well spent.  Not only was the trip enjoyed by all, but it was also a good investment for the future.  The journey there & back was an adventure – Ferry, coach, plane, coach, ferry!  Total time 16 hours each way!  The accommodation for the IW contingent was “fit for purpose”, and was sited at the waterside and with its own swimming pool, which was welcome as the weather was extremely hot at times.  Another big plus was being only 20 minutes’ walk from “Games Street”, the entertainment area. 

In the actual competition, the younger girls struggled at first to find form against the strong opposition, but as the week progressed, a sharp improvement was noted, and by the end they were moving well and hitting the shuttle hard, not at all looking out of place.  The men competed well and were not overawed by the high standard of the opposition. 

Finishing 8^th in the team event was a real achievement.  All players performed well in the individual events, which took place over three long, hard days, with the finals taking place on the last Saturday.  Watching the top players in action was a real education, especially for the younger players.  The whole squad has returned fired with enthusiasm and looking forward to the games on the Island in 2011.