Sports
Weekend swim meet ends local swim season
(Stingray): The 2014 Caledonian Global Swim Meet, hosted by the Stingray Swim Club of Grand Cayman at the Lions Aquatic Centre, takes place Friday June 6th – Sunday 8th and has the distinction of being the last domestic meet of the 2013-2014 Competitive Season for Cayman’s age group swimmers. Swimmers from Stingray Swim Club, Camana Bay Aquatic Club, Treasure Island and Triple C School and all expected to take part, as well as some of Cayman’s Masters Swimmers. Head of Marketing, Vanessa Polack for Caledonian Global Financial Services Inc, said she was pleased to once again be supporting Cayman Swimming.
“With the recent announcement of the Commonwealth Games Team – and the inclusion of swimmers such as Brett Fraser, Alex McCallum, Geoffrey Butler, Lara Butler and Lauren Hew, who have all been a part of a dynamic and challenging local swim environment – we can say with confidence that supporting swimming here in Cayman is an investment which yields positive results. Caledonian prides itself in supporting empowering initiatives to help shape our youth of today into confident young adults for tomorrow. ”
She continued, “The upcoming Caledonian Global Swim Meet allows Cayman’s younger swimmers to challenge themselves in sprint and middle distance events and we look forward to seeing them put their many hours of training to the test. I encourage everyone in the community to come out and support these young athletes by volunteering or just cheering them on from the stands.”
Swimmers from Stingray Swim Club, Camana Bay Aquatic Club, Treasure Island and Triple C School and all expected to take part, as well as some of Cayman’s Masters Swimmers.
Stingray President, Amanda Roberts added her words of encouragement: “Swimming is a sport which develops extreme discipline, focus and commitment in athletes and we hear time and again these characteristics manifest themselves in the swimmers’ approach to their academic studies as well. In addition to fitness and academic studies, learning to swim is a life skill which can save lives. We thank Caledonian Global for its support of Stingray Swim Club and of all Cayman’s young swimmers and we look forward to an exciting weekend.
For information on how you can volunteer and help at the meet please contact MEET DIRECTORS: Elsy Adapa elsyalexandra@hotmail.com or Kathy Jackson skyjackswim@gmail.com .For information on Stingray Swim Club or the Summer Swim Camp visit our website www.caymanswimming.com or email stingraysec@gmail.com
Maples Reserves win rousing touch final
(CRFU): There was a rarified atmosphere at the South Sound Rugby Ground on Saturday as the massed hordes prepared to watch the final of the National Mixed Touch Rugby Championships 2014. Two teams had dominated the league this year and now they were to come face-to-face and get funk-to-funky in a winner-takes-all Final. The playing conditions were tough because overnight rain had made the pitch very slippy, whilst the baking sun made the humidity levels at pitch side close to 100%. Playing touch in a sauna may have a number of novel connotations to the playful mind but for these two teams it was going to provide conditions that would test their physical prowess and stamina to the limit.
Maples Reserves took to the field quietly confident that they had the moves and the grooves to get the job. They have a fast, mobile team of enthusiastic players able to play Touch at high tempo. Their opponent, SteppingStones, may not pack the blistering speed across the park that Maples do, but they have some highly experienced Touch players who can bamboozle any defence with their ability to switch, offload, reverse-pass and pick a gap.
Both teams started cautiously and there were handling errors aplenty. The pitch conditions meant sharp changes of directions were hazardous at best and none suffered more than poor Simon Raftopolous. Normally he bounces around the paddock like Tigger on springs but today he was more like Bambi on Ice in the first few minutes. Maples game plan was to make sure their defence was red hot and stifle Stones’ lightning pick-and-goes.
As an attacking force Maples started the brighter and their quick pick-ups from the dump ball kept ‘Stones on the back foot. The interchanges from their bench (touch rugby has rolling substitutions) were smooth in comparison to the ‘Stones which suffered from a lack of communication at times. As Maples pressed their opponent’s line it took a splendid full-length dive by Dave Acutt to cross the whitewash. This is a trademark Acutt move and is almost impossible to defend as he goes fast, low and horizontal like a MiG-29 on a Crimean fly-over. When, a minute later, the splendidly bearded Ian Smith flew (not literally) through a gap to make it 2-0 Stepping Stones had to play catch up.
You can be sure though that SteppingStones do not role over without a fight and their Captain Morgan Shelver got one back soon after only for this to be cancelled out by Acutt’s second try of the day with a clean break from halfway. Back came the ‘Stones and Mike Smith scored after receiving a lovely switch and reverse pass to score through the middle. 3-2. Game on. SteppingStones continued to have a lot of the ball and the majority of the territory but they could not capitalize on the pressure they built often architects of their own downfall with dropped passes, miscommunication or choosing the wrong options. High pressure defence across the pitch was pivotal to Maples and their “enforcer” Andrew “Wild” West was more keen than most.
At the heart of the Maples attack was The Smiths. Now when you think of “The Smiths” you might be forgiven for thinking I am going to wax lyrical about the wonderful Morrissey and Marr and one of “the most influential British Guitar Band of the Twentieth Century”. You’ll be pleased to hear I’m not. Or perhaps when thinking of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” you might be drawn to that (really rather naff) movie where (allegedly) Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie first got it “on” on set. No. In Cayman we have our own version of The Smiths – Ian and Jane Smith, a recently-arrived-in-Cayman couple from the land of the Dingo, the Drongo, and the didgeridoo.
Both played superbly well, cobber. Ian, coiffured and superbly groomed like a male model from one of those cheap catalogues your Mum used to have delivered through the door, moved fast and sure across the turf never putting a foot wrong. Jane Hale-Smith, tall, dark and brooding started to pull the strings and with a succession of neat passes and offloads she kept Maples on the front foot and moving forward. She seems to move in Matrix time rarely getting caught in possession, and rarely a hair out of place – understandable considering she missed the final trainingsession in order to get her hair donefor the Final. Thus giving truth to the statement that “If you look the part, you play the part” because, with her newly tousled tresses flowing in the breeze, she dominated. Thanks to Omar at Rock Gorgeous Hair!
Maples responded well to the ‘Stones repost when Riley Mullen, thinking quicker than any on the pitch, took a quick tap penalty to stroll over from 5 metres, and a few minutes later Andrew “NSE” West scored in the corner to give Maples Reserves a half-time lead of 5-2.
The second half continued much as the first and Morgan Shelver was trying to move heaven and earth to get the ‘Stones going forward. SteppingStones were playing very narrow at times and when the ball was eventually spread wide they often made good ground.
The conditions were taking their toll and as frustrations grew on both sides there was some interesting jesting and jousting between some of the players. Heat can induce madness and for some it proved too much. The referees, Chandra Friesen, Steve Henshaw and Brad Stephenson had all their work cut out to keep a lid on some of the more “enthusiastic” touches, the pick of which saw the pint-sized Riley Mullen bump a benevolent and off-balance Scott McCarty on his backside. He was lucky to stay on the pitch, Mullen that is.
It was Hale-Smith that opened the scoring halfway through the second half with a neat finish to stretch Maples lead and the clock was now working against SteppingStones as they valiantly threw everything at the Maples defense. Big Shaun McDermot pulled one back with an easy dive over but it was fitting that inspirational Maples Captain Adam “COLT45” Huckle scored the final try in the final minute. His laidback approach to captaincy allows his team to play without fear and deliver the goods on the big day. And so, a final score of 7-3 gave the title of Champions 2014 to Maples Reserves. Jane Hale-Smith won the MVP award and the fizzy started to flow!
After the game Huckle said, “SteppingStones pose threats and they have been the best team on island for some time now. Morgan (Shelver), in particular, is a handful. We love D (defence) and knew we had to stop their ridiculously quick rucking. Our ability to score quickly and consistently has been decent too. Thanks to all the organizers for a great tournament, the league is going from strength to strength. Bring on next Season.”
Defeated captain, Morgan Shelver (SteppingStones) was gracious in defeat, “I thought we played well with great moments in attack and defence. Unfortunately, when you play a team like Maples Reserves, your mistakes will be capitalized on, and we just made too many on the day. All in all they played better than us and made fewer mistakes”.
Maples Reserves are worthy Champions.
Throughout the season they have delighted the crowds with their standard of play and it is fitting tribute to their playing squad that seven tries were shared between six different scorers – a true team effort. For SteppingStones they will feel they failed to execute vital scoring moves during the first half in particular that may have changed the course of the game but they will go away and come back stronger next year. They gave it their all and no Captain can ask for more.
Grass roots football club boosts standards of play
(CNS): Officials and organisers of the Grassroots Football Programme said they were pleased with the attendance and standard of improvement shown by the players this season as it draws to a close. The Cayman Islands Football Association initiative includes eight programmes, reaching all districts with thirty-two coaches and six supervisors. During the 17 month duration of the programme, over 500 children registered and the average monthly attendance was 75 percent. The season ended with a vibrant festival on Saturday with almost 300 children in attendance, producing a showcase of talent, energy and skill.
Grassroots Project Manager Darrel Rankine said, “To maintain the interest of the players and parents and to see how keen they were even at the final festival is testament to the quality of the coaches and fun elements of the programme. The festival is an opportunity for all the boys and girls in the programme to come together in one setting with all the coaches. It was a great finale, despite the heat, it was obvious the kids enjoyed the play and each other.”
The programme restarts in September and officials are already looking ahead to the future.
“The programme is still finding its roots but I believe it is moving in the right direction – the future of football in these islands looks good from this level,” Rankine added.
CIFA 1st Vice President Bruce Blake told Cayman Football.com, “Congratulations to the coaches, parents and players and a big thank you to Maples and Calder for their continued sponsorship of the Maples Grassroots Program. The CIFA Executive is buoyed by the commitment shown by all involved and encouraged by the large turnouts weekly.
“Our children have a love for the sport and want to play football at every opportunity. If we continue to nurture such passion, the future of the game in the Cayman Islands looks bright,” he added.
Senior rugby players treat kids to tickets
(CRFU): The National Senior Men’s rugby team are providing tickets to Big Game 4 against USA South at the Truman Bodden stadium on 14 June to every youth player who played in the recent international tournament in Freeport Bahamas. This is in appreciation of the youth players unbeaten record and their support of the National Men’s team in their International test win over the Bahamas. National Captain Richard Lewis said he was delighted that the players have stumped up to buy these tickets.
“The Cayman RugbyUnion Legacy program is a huge part of who we are and what we are about and its about giving back to the community and youth players in every way we can,” he said. “We had hoped to be able to support these young players more while we were in the Bahamas but with our new professional preparation we were unable to spend as much time with these young protégés as we would have liked. The guys wanted to make up for that and thank the young Caymanians for their massive support of us when we played Bahamas in our first International of the year."
Details about the game and ticketing can be found at www.caymanrugby.com
Cayman riders first in show jumping competition
(CIEF): Once a year the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation plays host to the best youth show jumpers in the Caribbean for the second round of the Caribbean Equestrian Federation’s Junior Show Jumping Competition. In the first round of the competition hosted by Barbados in January 2014, the Cayman Team were represented by Isabelle Smith and Madeleine Aquart, both new starters in the team. They performed well and finished third. The team for the Cayman competition was picked by trial earlier in the season and the riders winning the right to represent Cayman were Isabelle Smith in the under 16 category and Hannah Fowler in the under 14 category. For Fowler it would be the first time riding for the team.
With the competition set for 10 and 11 May, the Cayman Team welcomed competitors from Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
The first day of competition saw all riders in the under 16 category go clear with Cayman’s Smith posting the fastest time of the four. Fowler got off to a shaky start posting 8 faults leaving Hannah Deleon of Jamaica out front, the only rider to go clear in the first round. However in round 2, Deleon was the only under 14 rider to post faults, collecting 8 in the field, with her competitors all posting clear rounds. The under 16s remained pretty tight with only Amber Thompson of Jamaica collecting four faults in her round.
At the end of the first day, the teams were pretty well bunched together with Barbados out front with four faults and Jamaica and Cayman in joint second on eight faults with Trinidad bringing up the rear on 13 faults. However, as all show jumpers are fond of saying, ‘anything can happen’ and the third round on Sunday morning was to prove this true by shaking up the pack and turning things upside down.
It was the turn of the under 14s to go first on Sunday morning and only Fowler, now settled in her stride, would go clear. The rest of the teams collected a host of field and time faults. Jamaica picked up 11, Trinidad 15 and Barbados a costly 17. This thrust Cayman into the lead going into the final round.
All four riders in the under 16 category posted clear rounds putting the pressure on their teammates in the under 14s to follow their lead.
All four went clear with Barbados and Cayman collecting time faults but Cayman’s lead by this time was so well established that they clinched the title nevertheless. A delighted Fowler and Smith took the First Place Award for the Cayman Team with a total of 13 faults, with Jamaica in second place on 19 faults, Barbados in third on 23 faults and Trinidad and Tobago in fourth on 28 faults.
In the individual competitions, Fowler placed first in the under 14s and Smith placed second in the under 16s, which was a tough category with 3 of the 4 riders finishing on 4 faults and Smith missing out on the top spot by less than 3 seconds. Cayman’s success bodes well for the rest of the competition.
Jenna Boucher, who had kindly loaned her horse, Katrina, to the competition, was awarded a ‘Clear Round Horse’ Award as Katrina was only the only horse in the competition to go clear all four rounds.
Overall, these result put Cayman in joint first place with Barbados so far for the year. The next round of the competition is in September in Trinidad, with the fourth leg in Jamaica in November rounding out the series.
The CIEF was delighted to partner with a number of sponsors for 2014, both new and old: Gold Sponsors, Maples and Calder and Deutsche Bank were joined by Silver Sponsors Butterfield Bank, Cayman National Bank, Genesis Trust and Corporate Services Ltd., Stepping Stones and a host of Bronze Sponsors.
“We were so pleased that so many corporate sponsors came on board this year to sponsor this event. We were not only able to fund the costs of the competition with their donations but we were also able to build a fabulous jump course with nearly every jump sponsored by a company and sporting their company logo,” said Sharon Hinds, President of CIEF. “We are also very grateful for the support of the CI Olympic Committee this season and wanted to honour that support with an ‘Olympic’ jump built for them. These events are products of so many people and parts and we are grateful to all our sponsors, parents, volunteers, host families and coaches who made this event such a successful one.”
Olympic committee urges people to join fun-run
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee is encouraging everyone in Cayman to join in the annual Olympic Day run -walk, a 5k jaunt taking place on Sunday, 22 June in celebration of Olympic Day. Held annually in June the day is celebrated by millions of people in more than 160 countries to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games and as part of an international effort to promote fitness and well-being in addition to the Olympic ideals of fair play, perseverance, respect, friendship and sportsmanship. The fun-run will be the original 5K route, meeting at Truman Bodden Sports Complex for registration between 6:00 and 6:45am before the race starts on Aspiration Drive at 7am.
The participants will proceed to follow Academy Way, turning right on Walkers Road, left onto Denham Thompson Way, left onto South Church St to South Sound Road before turning left onto Walkers Road back to Academy Way and on to Aspiration Drive to Olympic Way, finishing at the stadium.
Entry is free, and all those present will receive an event shirt, a certificate of participation, refreshments, and opportunities for performance awards and entered to win random prizes. With over 100 nationalities represented in the Cayman Islands, runners and walkers are invited to promote the spirit of Olympism with costumes, flags or symbols of their particular home countries.
Later in the day the CIOC is inviting everyone to Public Beach to witness some of the local talent in demonstrations organised by their National Sport Federation between 4:00 and 6:00pm. Not only can watch some of our athletes perform, but you will be able to find out more information on the upcoming activities for the youth and development of the sport.
“After a large and successful celebration last year in honour of our 40th Year Anniversary, we have decided to move the Run/Walk portion of this event back into George Town because of the road worksin the area of Public Beach,” said CIOC Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Powell. “We have scheduled the run in the morning to beat the heat and encourage all participants to come out to the beach that afternoon to support our budding athletes and learn more about what our National Federations have planned this year.”
Registration prior to race day is encouraged and may be accomplished online through www.caymanactive.com/olympic. The CIOC thanks Andy Bonner for all of his hard work on our website, and continued support of Olympic Day in the Cayman Islands.For additional information please contact the CIOC at CIOC@candw.ky or on 946-6984.
Cayman sending largest ever team to Glasgow
(CNS): A 28 strong team of local athletes competing in seven different sports will be heading to Glasgow this summer to represent Cayman at the 2014 Commonwealth Games which start on 23 July and last until 3 August. The athletes will compete in Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Shooting, Squash and Swimming. The athletes, most of which are familiar faces on the national and international sports scene, are the largest group of sports men and women the country has ever sent to a commonwealth games across the most sports. From sprinter Kemar Hyman and hurdler Ronald Forbes to Tafari Ebanks inthe boxing ring and Brett Fraser in pool fingers will be crossed for a medal or two.
“This is the largest team that we have ever sent to a Commonwealth Games, in more sports than ever represented and we’re extremely excited to support our athletes who have worked so hard to get here,” said CIOC President Donald McLean.
Cayman is entering the competition on a high, as track star Cydonie Mothersill-Stephens won the first Gold medal for the Cayman Islands at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. Mothersill-Stephens, who recently retired, said she is now s content to be watching from the sidelines this year. “I have accomplished what I’ve wanted to accomplish, which was to bring home a Gold medal, and I am excited to watch all of our athletes compete this summer.”
Mothersill-Stephens who is the Meet Director of the Cayman Invitational but is now heavily involved in the administration for the Cayman Islands Amateur Athletics Association as the First Vice President said she hopes to use her years of experience on the track to benefit Cayman’s youth.
There are only 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations but 70 teams participate in the Commonwealth Games as a number of British Overseas Territories such as the Cayman Islands, Crown dependencies, and island states compete under their own flag. The four Home Nations of the United Kingdom—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—also send separate teams. Apart from many Olympic sports, additional sports that are played largely in Commonwealth countries, such as Squash and Netball, are included in the competition schedule for Glasgow.
The Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Games will take place on July 23 with the Closing Ceremony plannedfor 3 August
Members of the Cayman team are as follows:
Athletics:
Alexander Pascal
Ashleigh Nalty
Carl Morgan
Carlos Morgan
David Hamil
Kemar Hyman
Rhymiech Adolphus
Ronald Forbes
Troy Long
Tyrell Cuffy
Boxing:
Tafari Ebanks
Cycling:
Michele Smith
Gymnastics:
Bethany Dikau
Shooting:
Andrew Schirn
Christopher Jackson
Edison McLean
Squash:
Cameron Stafford
Daniel Murphy
Eilidh Bridgeman
Julian Jervis
Marlene West
Myron Blair
Swimming:
Alex McCallum
Brett Fraser
David Ebanks
Geoffrey Butler
Lara Butler
Lauren Hew
For pictures and immediate information on the Cayman Islands delegation at the Commonwealth Games visit website http://www.caymanolympic.org.ky or the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CaymanIslandsOlympicCommittee
The Commonwealth was first held in 1930 and has taken place every four years ever since (except 1942 and 1946 which were cancelled due to World War II). The Commonwealth Games are described as the third largest multi-sport event in the world, after the Olympic Games and the Asian Games. The Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which also controls the sporting program and selects the host cities. The costs of hosting the event will be shared by the CGF and the host city, while the travel costs of athletes and coaches are paid by the CGF.
For more information visit the Official Website for the Games: https://www.glasgow2014.com/
Tennis lessons resume at East End Primary
(TFCI): Pupils at East End Primary were delighted to welcome back tennis pro Noel Watkins last week, as weekly tennis lessons once more resumed at the school thanks to Cayman National’s ongoing sponsorship. Ethana Villalobos, a prefect at the school, has been part of the Cayman National-sponsored tennis programme at East End for the past three years. Ethana, who celebrates/celebrated her 11th birthday on Thursday 29 May, reported, “Tennis is one of the best things of the week. Tennis and football are my favourite things at school.” “East End’s young players are carefully selected to join the Cayman National programme by three criteria: good behaviour, talent and enthusiasm,” reports coach Watkins.
Players are drawn from all age groups. Each weekly lesson lasts one hour, with the youngsters using short-handled racquets, slow balls and mini nets specially designed for juniors.
“East End is a super bunch of kids, I really enjoy working with them and their tennis has come on well,” reported Watkins. “They can now serve and rally, and are having great fun with tennis while learning the necessary skills.” Watkins is being helped this term by an assistant coach, Aine Leonard of Ireland.
East End is not the only school that benefits from Cayman National’s generous sponsorship: Bodden Town, North Side and West Bay schools are also treated to tennis lessons, which are organized via the Tennis Federation of the Cayman Islands in conjunction with Watkins at Cayman Tennis Academy.
“The youth of the Cayman Islands is one of the focuses of Cayman National and we recognise that participation in sports provides opportunities for leadership, socialization as well as development of skills in our youth. In addition they are offered an opportunity to learn new skills, while having fun interacting with their peers. Cayman National is pleased to see the programme off to a great start this year,” said Shari Whittaker, Cayman National Bank Marketing Manager. (Below: East End students with Noel Watkins and Aine Leonard)
World Athletics Day qualifier for CUT
(CNS): Alongside 122 other IAAF members the Cayman Islands Athletic Association will be taking part in the 2014 edition of the IAAF World Athletics Day on Saturday. Now in its 19th year, the IAAF World Athletics Day is the sport’s annual worldwide festival of youth and one of the busiest programmes of competitions in the athletics calendar. The Meet will take place at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex at 4:00pm and CIAA has confirmed that it will be used as a qualifier for the CUT Age Group Championships which will take place in Trinidad and Tobago on July 25 & 26.
The World Athletics Day offers the opportunity to promote the sport through youth participation in clubs and schools.
The festival has always been held on a designated weekend each year and whilst Saturday, May 10 & Sunday, May 11, 2014 is the preferred weekend for the IAAF’s Member Federations to celebrate the IAAF World Athletics Day, the option of holding their celebration at any time during the month of May has been allowed in an effort to aid the greatest possible number of participating Federations.
Cayman Rugby squad preps for major games
(CNS): Following its recent impressive performance with a 35 to 7 win against local rivals Bahamas earlier this month, the Cayman rugby squad travels to Bermuda on 7 June for Round 1 of the NACRA tournament before hosting USA South here on 14 June. The Bahmas win moved the team up to 58th place in the International Rugby Boards world rankings. If Cayman win both games they will go onto play the top seeded team from the South to decide who wins the 2014 NACRA regional tournament. Interactive ticketing for the Big Game 4 V USA South will go live on www.caymanrugby.com on Thursday 22 May at 8am.
Tickets are $15 adults and $7 children under 12 if pre purchased through the site or $25 on the door. Cayman hosts the 2013 NACRA champion USA South for the first time and the game is expected to be the best Big Game yet.
For more details see flyer below