Photo Set #1: Island Games Opening Ceremony

[Updated with photos] The 2013 NatWest Island Games officially got underway this evening [July 13] with the opening ceremonies at the National Sports Centre taking place, with over 1,000 athletes from some 22 different islands entering the stadium.

The evening started with the arrival of Premier Craig Cannonier and the Governor George Fergusson. Immediately following their arrival, the athletes started marching in with the contingent from the Finnish island of Aland leading.

Following tradition, Bermuda’s large contingent was the last to enter and was of course the crowd favourite. As they moved around the track, each group was met with applause and cheers and as they filled the grandstand seats, they turned that area into large blocks of bright colours.

Island Games Chairman Jon Beard specially thanked the athletes who have come from all over the world to participate in these Games, and thanked the Government, volunteers, sporting bodies, schools, hotels, businesses, sponsors and all the other organizations and people that have helped to bring the Island Games to this point.

Earlier on there several Mexican waves around the Stadium, which were started by the athletes and picked up on by the spectators.

Games Chairman Jorgen Petterson, Premier Craig Cannonier, and Governor George Fergusson also spoke and each welcomed the athletes to Bermuda. Ending his short speech, Governor Fergusson declared’ “Let the Games begin.”

During Premier Cannonier’s speech the paper containing his prepared remarks blew off the table and he said “there goes the speech” and carried right on. Someone handed him back the paper, but he tossed it aside and said “it’s okay,” causing the crowd to cheer.

Each of the Islands brought water from its surrounding ocean to the games. This water was poured into a receptacle at the start of each Games and then a sample is collected at the end and is brought to the next Games.

Bermudian athlete Shianne Smith collected the sample from the 2011 Games in the Isle of Wight and she poured this sample into the Bermuda 14-foot Fitted Dinghy which is being used as the receptacle for the Bermuda games.

The night came to a close with a fireworks display, and following Bermuda tradition, the Gombeys came out to end the evening’s events.

The Island Games was in 1985 and today includes 24 member islands in, or associated with, the nine sovereign nations of Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK, plus the Caribbean.

The 24 member islands come together every 2 years to compete in friendly competition in up to 14 sports. The last Games were held in Isle of Wight in 2011, and the next Games will held in Jersey in 2015.

The 24 members are Aland, Alderney, Bermuda, Cayman, Falklands, Faroe Islands, Froya, Gibraltar, Gotland, Greenland, Guernsey, Hitra, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Menorca, Orkney, Rhodes, Saaremaa, Sark, Shetland, St Helena, Western Isles and Ynys Mon.

Competition will kick off in earnest on Sunday [July 14], with in 13 sports being contested at various venues across the island, with badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, cycling, football, gymnastics, sailing, sailboarding, squash, swimming, tennis, triathlon and volleyball all scheduled for tomorrow. You can view the full schedule for Sunday here.

View the second set of photos here, and click to enlarge the first set below:

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