This Is Guernsey

Karl Taylor gets in the Beau Sejour pool in his wetsuit to take his promotional billboard shot. (0872002)

FOLLOWING the announcement of a new sponsorship deal, photographer Karl Taylor had to take to the water to illustrate a new ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers moment’.

The image, which sees three divers on the starting blocks at Beau Sejour, but with one facing backwards, will feature on a large new billboard by the public pool, marking the start of a new sponsorship deal for the island’s biggest club.

The photographer did what all good ‘toggies’ have to do and got into the water to capture the right shot.

Specsavers has agreed to a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club and it is a deal which will enable the club to continue to compete at island, Channel Islands, county, regional, national and international level.

Specsavers founder Dame Mary Perkins said: ‘We are delighted to offer support, both to youngsters learning to swim with the Beau Sejour Swim School, and also the competitive squads as part of the Beau Sejour Barracudas, so they can continue to compete at the highest possible level.’

The new sponsorship arrangement also means that from January next year the Club Championships, which are held throughout the year covering all strokes and distances, will become known as the Specsavers Series.

Swimmers collect points throughout the Series culminating in major awards which are presented at the end of the year.  The 2010 Series will be extended to include enthusiastic members of their Masters section.

Barracudas officials Alison Frankland and Debra Le Noury said how delighted they ‘went to Specsavers’ and are looking forward to working in close harmony with our new sponsors.

‘It is such a relief to know that we can continue to provide the necessary competition, both on the doorstep and away, to give local youngsters every opportunity to enjoy the sport at whatever level,’ said head coach Le Noury.

The club’s annual Open Meet, which is held in May and attracts swimmers from the UK, the Channel Islands and abroad, will be known as the Barracudas Specsavers Open Meet.

New kit is currently being updated to incorporate Specsavers’ logo and it is planned to present new caps and shirts to team members in preparation for the next major event in the swimming calendar, which is the Island Championships next weekend.

Article posted on 14th November, 2009 - 2.29pm