THE Channel Islands Athletics Club has declined an invitation to attend the qualifying meet for the Women’s British League. Team manager Andrew Winnie has sensibly not allowed heart to rule head in deciding that the islanders would not yet be on a level playing field with other clubs in the league.

At present, he would rather concentrate on developing the depth of the CIAC women’s team, which currently realises heavily on the outstanding performances of its youngsters.

‘Our women have just been invited, if we wish, to go to the qualifiers for the national league. I believe it is an eight-team match and from that the top two qualify,’ Winnie said.

‘We consider it a nice honour to have been asked, but it is a bit early for us because it is for senior athletes aged 17 upwards and several of the girls who compete for us at the moment are younger than that.

‘We must not jump in with both feet before we are ready,’ he added.

The CIAC women lie fifth of 25 teams in Division One of the Southern Women’s League and have created a big impression in their climb up the ladder.