CAL to greet Games baton with water salute

(CNS): The Commonwealth Games baton will be arriving in Cayman Friday from Jamaica to a specially organised water cannon tribute from Cayman Airways. The baton is making its way around the Commonwealth countries of the world competing in the games which will be held in Glasgow in July. Part of the Queen’s Baton Relay celebrations the baton contains the Queen’s message to the athletes and while in Cayman it will be carried around the island in a multi-sport relay.  The relay is the curtain-raiser to the Games and Cayman is sending its largest team to date to the 2014 games with athletes competing in Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Shooting, Squash and Swimming.  

Aside from the watery greeting Secretary General of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC) Carson Ebanks, Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Cydonie Mothersille, and Glasgow 2014 Chef de Mission for the Cayman Team Jennifer Powell will be ready to receive the baton before it starts is all islandrelay.

The baton will make its way to each district in Grand Cayman, with the first leg of the relay beginning with Her Excellency the Governor at her residence.  She will pass the Baton on Seven Mile Beach to CIOC President Donald McLean to begin the relay through the district of West Bay.  It will make its way across the North Sound, with a short stop at Stingray City before traveling through North Side, followed by East End and Bodden Town and finally making its way into the capital of George Town. 

Throughout its journey the baton will travel by Jet Ski, foot, cycle, sail boat, and horse, just to name a few.  It will stop at numerous historical locations such as the Turtle Farm, the Wreck of the Ten Sails and the National Museum and be carried by an impressive list of prominent Caymanians, young and old.

The CIOC is extremely pleased to announce that elite athletes Cydonie Mothersille, Ronald Forbes and Brett Fraser will all be on island to participate in the relay among numerous Caymanian athletes of all abilities. 

As the first Gold Medalist for the Cayman Islands, competing in the 200m at the last edition of the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi 2010, Mothersille will carry the Baton for the final leg of the relay, arriving at Heroes Square for a short cultural reception open to the public between 4:00pm and 6:00pm at Celebration Park next to the Court House where everyone has the opportunity to see the baton and meet Caymans top athletes.  There will be live music provided by Swanky Kitchen Band and a short quadrille performance by George Town Primary. 

On Monday, April 14th, the baton will make its way to the sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman before its departure the follow morning to the Turks and Caicos islands.

The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving 71 teams of athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years. Glasgow 2014 will be the 20th Commonwealth Games and will be held from July 23rd to August 3rd.  It will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 261 medal events on show.  The first Queen’s Baton Relay was staged for the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff and has been made a tradition ever since.  For the first time in history, the relay will be covered by the BBC across its entire journey.

For more information on the Queen’s Baton Relay and how you can be a part of it, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games or the Cayman Islands National Team, please contact the CIOC at:
Email: cioc@candw.ky Website: www.caymanolympic.org.ky
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CaymanIslandsOlympicCommittee.

Visit the official page for the Queen’s Baton Relay to follow its journey:
https://www.glasgow2014.com/queens-baton-relay