Just for a change a trip to a place where English is the first language (albeit with a Scottish tinged with Norse accent) and pounds and pence are standard currency (albeit with funny pictures on the banknotes). The 11th International Island (not Highland) Games were recently staged in the most Northerly part of the British Isles. The Shetlands actually belonged to Denmark until 1469 when the Danish King made them a wedding dowry for his daughter’s marriage to James III of Scotland. Many place names and some of the local dialect still reflect the Scandinavian influence.
24 islands, or 23 and one peninsula to be strictly correct, contest the Island Games every two years. It’s a sort of mini-Olympics for islands with entry limited by population not size hence Greenland’s participation. Population-wise Shetland is the smallest island group to host the games and the 23,000 human inhabitants are far outnumbered by sheep and seabirds. 15 sports take place and the influx of about 3,000 competitors, officials and supporters stretch the limited accommodation facilities of the Shetlands to the limit. Two cruise liners and various schools and halls are commandeered for the occasion. Nearly 40 ‘ground hoppers’ also attend and our party of four managed (eventually) to secure a self-catering Scandinavian style house with views over the sea and Loch Spiggie, only a half mile from one of the three Good Beer Guide pubs in the Shetlands.
We travelled by air from Gatwick to Aberdeen with British Airways and then on to Sumburgh at the Southern tip of the Shetlands with Denim Airways, though the crew did not wear jeans. With public transport options limited a hire car was essential to cover at least some of the 1,500 square kilometres and 100 islands, of which 16 are inhabited.
Football tournaments for men (10 teams) and women (6 teams) are held. Some of the normal entrants such as Isle of Wight, Jersey and Gibraltar do not compete this time, while the late withdrawal of Rhodes causes the men’s programme to be completely re-drawn. The men form two groups of five with the top team in each group contesting the final, the second placed sides playing for the bronze medal and further play-offs for the minor placings. The women’s event is on a straight round-robin basis. A football programme for the whole event is available for £1 with a large glossy programme for the entire games costing £4.
10 grounds are used and strategic planning of military precision allows each to be visited without any problems. Most of the venues are just basic pitches but all are excellently prepared and most have picturesque settings. New rustic looking changing facilities are provided in many cases and the excellent organisation extends to some superb and imaginative catering facilities. The massive display of home made cakes at several locations and the steak rolls at Sandwick spring to mind, but the highlight is the fish barbecue at Whalsay. A vast array of items is on offer, all caught fresh that morning and available for a donation.
Our match schedule, all in the men’s competition, was as follows:
Day 1: Guernsey v Orkney (3-0) @ Cunningsburgh (Att: 358) and Aland v Saaremaa (1-2) @ Strom Park, Whiteness and Weisdale (Whitedale FC) (Att:85).
Day 2: Greenland v Orkney (2-1) @ Baltasound Park, Unst (Att:198).
Day 3: Orkney v Ynys Mon (0-2) @ Harbison Park, Symbister, Whalsay (Att:178) and Aland v Isle of Man (0-1) @ Sandwick (Att:165).
Day 4: Greenland v Guernsey (0-6) @ Burra (Att:208) and Falklands v Isle of Man (0-9) @ Boddam (Att:147).
Day 5: Guernsey v Ynys Mon (3-0) @ Seafield, Lerwick (Att:101) and Shetland v Isle of Man (1-0) @ Gilbertson Park, Lerwick (Att:2,145).
Day 6: Aland v Greenland (3-2) @ Fraser Park, Scalloway (Att: 87); Isle of Man v Western Isles (0-4) @ Seafield, Lerwick (Att:127) and Shetland v Guernsey (2-0) @ Gilbertson Park, Lerwick (Att:5,804).
With two exceptions all the grounds were on Mainland. Harbison Park required a 30-minute ferry crossing and an uphill walk of about half-a-mile to the floodlit astroturf pitch and that fish barbecue.
Baltasound involved a drive to Toft on North Mainland, a 20-minute ferry crossing to the island of Yell, an 18-mile drive across Yell, another short ferry crossing to Unst and a further 8-mile drive to the most northerly football ground in the U.K. There is a pitch slightly further north at the RA.F. base but apparently this is either no longer in use or too small to host proper matches, depending on who you talk to. Baltasound is also home to the Valhalla Brewery which provided most of the liquid refreshment during the week, with 5 different beers to choose from. Just up the road is a curious bus shelter with curtains, arm chairs, plants, a computer and books. It wouldn’t last 5 minutes in most of the rest of Britain and we did not notice any actual buses.
Of the Mainland grounds, Fraser Park is well enclosed with elevated viewing behind the stone wall on the road-side and the islands’ main ground Gilberson Park even has a stand with about 10 rows of covered terracing. However, this is set back from the current pitch position and for the Island Games a temporary stand with about 150 seats is erected directly in front of the permanent structure! The layout of the park allows elevated standing from rocky outcrops on one side and from, on or behind the dry stone walls which surround much of the ground. This is particularly useful when a crowd estimated at around 6,000 turns up for the Final.
The actual football is most enjoyable. In Group I Isle of Man look strong contenders after their demolition of the Falklands. Saaremaa whose captain has 68 caps for Estonia, hold the Isle of Man and Shetland and defeat Aaland but inexplicably lose to the Falklands. Shetland v Isle of Man is in effect a semi-final. The Manxmen, requiring only a draw, seemingly play for just that, but Shetland’s 79th minute winner, coming just after ‘the visitors’ had substituted their top striker, scuppers their plans.
Group II is dominated by Guernsey who win all their games. After a fine performance against Greenland and already guaranteed a place in the final they can afford to rest a number of key players for the last group match with Ynys Mon. They still win 3-0 against a toothless Anglesey side guided by Osian Roberts, and are hot favourites to win the tournament for the third successive time.
Shetland have other ideas and turn in a passionate skilful performance in the final to gain a most deserved success through two second-half goals. The crowd who represent more than a quarter of the islands’ normal population go wild and there’s dancing in the streets of Lerwick that night. To complete a good tournament from a Scottish point of view the Western Isles, taking part for the first time, ensure the bronze medal in style with a 4-0 victory over Isle of Man, having earlier been involved in a 4-4 draw with Greenland and defeated Orkney 5-4.
The Faroes convincingly win the women’s event and their game against Bermuda is the first full international to be staged as part of the Island Games football tournament.
We managed to get a taste of some of the other sports as well, including athletics, volleyball, bowls, swimming and cycling in the form of the town centre criterion that traditionally ends the games. Even found a little time for bird watching, be it puffins and skuas or the Aaland ladies volleyball team.
The only downside was the weather. While most of Britain seemed to be enjoying a mini-heat-wave, we were seeking shelter from the wind and drizzle. Still, you cannot expect too much from a place where the all-time record temperature is 23 degrees C. and the climate was not enough to prevent an excellent week being enjoyed. Full credit to Shetland for a superbly organised event. Roll-on Rhodes in 2007.
Web Ed - thanks for a magnificent article Dave. For travellers requiring more information about the Games I have found two sites that may be of interest: http://www.shetland2005.info/ and http://www.islandgames.net/