ORGANISERS of the Fortis Golden Series want to recreate the magical Foote’s Lane atmosphere of the evening sessions at the 2003 NatWest Island Games. Next Wednesday sees the first of three Fortis Golden Series meetings in four weeks in the build-up to the 2007 Games in Rhodes.
Over the series, all of the island’s top track and field stars will be in action, as well as some of the top men and women in the UK.
Meeting promoter Rob Batiste said: ‘2003 was fantastic down there. The roar we got from a full Garenne Stand as Dale and the like came into the finishing straight was brilliant.
‘It really lifted them and we want to recreate something similar with these meetings which will be, in some cases, of a higher standard of the Island Games.’
Stars of the show next Wednesday will be UK indoor sprint champion and European 60m silver medallist, Craig Pickering.
Touted as the fastest white man in Europe, perhaps the world, Pickering should blitz the island all-comers’ best.
Dale Garland Lee Merrien have their own eyes on all-comers’ records.
Garland is targeting a sub 47sec. time and says he will have to be at his best to win.
Merrien challenges the island two-mile record which has stood at 9min. 5sec. to Dave Kreckeler since 1969 and he is confident of not only erasing that mark but also the longer-standing all-comers mark set by the legendary GB international Ron Hill at 8-59, which has stood since 1962.
Like Garland, Merrien cannot be assured of victory in front of his home crowd.
Somalian Moumin Geele, who beat him over 10k at last weekend’s Great Manchester Run, is sure to set a fast pace.
Entry is free.
* ONE Guernsey star not competing in the Fortis series is sprint hurdler Kylie Robilliard.
The twice English Schools champion is out for the season and faces possible surgery for an acute ankle problem.
Article posted on 25th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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