ONE of the fastest men in Europe is set to run at Foote’s Lane at the end of this month. Craig Pickering, the current UK indoor champion over 60 metres, is a confirmed starter for the first of three two-hour track and field specials ahead of the NatWest Island Games in Rhodes.
Dubbed the Fortis Golden Series, the three late evening meetings will pit Guernsey’s finest athletes against some of the best in the UK and, in Pickering’s case, Europe.
Pickering, who is a housemate of Guernsey star Dale Garland in Bath, won the national 60m title from training colleague Jason Gardener in early February, and a month later was pipped for European gold by the latter.
On Sunday he became British Universities 100m champion with a blisterring 10.29sec.
As one of the new breed of British track stars, Pickering is looking forward to running in Guernsey on Wednesday 30 May, as is Garland, for his own special reasons.
‘I am very much looking forward to racing again at Foote’s Lane, something I have not done for quite a while due to my uncanny ability to being injured for the big local meetings,’ said the island’s own 2008 Olympic hopeful.
‘That’s something I will try to rectify on 30 May and 20 June.
‘I loved the experience of racing here at the Island Games and the thought of running in front of a home crowd again, with perhaps even stronger competition is one I will relish.’
Garland said his housemate Pickering was happy to help out Guernsey.
‘He has turned down the chance to run in Belgrade in order to race here and he has the full backing of his coach, Malcolm Arnold.
‘In the indoors he was the fastest white man in the world, despite being a 100m specialist as opposed to the 60m.’
The Fortis Golden Series will see Garland and fellow Common-wealth Games star, Lee Merrien, run against some of the country’s best.
It is ideal preparation for Rhodes said Garland.
‘I am in a privileged position to be able to race in England and abroad more than most, but for the locally-based athletes these matches are vital for their Games preparations.’
In the opening meeting Garland will pit himself over 300m against two more of Malcolm Arnold’s University of Bath one-lap specialists.
His main rivals will be David Green and Bruce Tasker, both very fast sub 48sec. 400m runners.
On the same night, Merrien will attempt to lower the island all-comers’ two-mile record.
The distance star will attempt something similar, but over 2,000m, in the final Fortis Golden series meet on Wednesday 20 June, an event which will double as an official farewell for the entire Guernsey team heading to Rhodes a week later.
Series organiser Rob Batiste said that the matches will be of a similar standard to last summer’s Blue Islands British Challenge Cup which pitted the CI’s finest against the might of Birchfield Harriers and Woodford Green with Essex Ladies.
‘All the matches will last not much longer than a football match and thanks to our now excellent UK contacts and good sponsorship, we are able to bring over some top-class runners,’ he said.
‘We are in the process of booking up nationally-ranked athletes for the series, but we have assurances that Pickering will run and over the course of the series we can look forward to some quite special performances.’
Fortis director Peter Vidamour said his company were pleased to support an event which will give the local sporting public a real treat.
‘Sport gives a tremendous amount of pleasure to so many people in the Bailiwick and we are extremely proud to continue our long relationship with the Guernsey Island Games Association and especially with the athletes who will be travelling to Rhodes to represent the island.
‘We recognise that events such as the Fortis Golden Series give our athletes the opportunity to compete at a fantastic level and offers local supporters the chance to enjoy the spectacle of big name athletes racing in Guernsey.’
Denise Fawcett, chairman of the Guernsey Island Games Association, expressed delight at the arrangements made by Fortis Guernsey for the Guernsey teams send-off event on 20 June, which immediately preceeds the final Golden Series meet.
‘We are grateful to Fortis Guernsey, sponsors of the Guernsey Island Games team, for providing this opportunity for the families and supporters of the Guernsey team to give the team a rousing send off prior to the team leaving for Rhodes,’ she said.
‘It reinforces the fantastic sponsorship already provided by Fortis Guernsey to the Guernsey team and I urge as many family members and supporters of the team as possible to attend and make the send off event as memorable as possible.’
Article posted on 10th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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