Dale Garland powers out of the blocks during Sunday’s Blue Islands British Challenge Cup meet. Not all local athletes supported the event, though. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0631950)

THE organiser of the 2008 Blue Islands British Challenge Cup has hit out at the Guernsey public for not supporting the event.

Sunday saw British Premiership athletics teams Woodford Green with Essex Ladies and Sale Harriers and a number of other top athletes including Birchfield Harriers’ Jonathan Moore, who is the third-best long jumper in the country, battle it out at Foote’s Lane.

A total of 10 all-comers island records were broken. But only between 200 and 300 people were seated in the Garenne Stand to watch the free event, which has badly disappointed the Guernsey Island Amateur Athletics Club president and meeting organiser Rob Batiste.

The last time the cup was competed for, in 2006, an estimated 1,500 spectators crammed into Foote’s Lane.

‘An event like this takes a lot of time, manpower and a lot of money – it cost close to £30,000 to put on – and we’re really fortunate for all the support we get from Healthspan, Blue Islands and Sport Guernsey who have backed it for a second time,’ he said.

‘They want to see Guernsey stage top-class events and for the Guernsey public to see these top-class events. But where was everybody? Compared to two years ago, this was a very disappointing crowd, which is a terrible shame because we had some fantastic athletes on view and 10 all-comers’ records were broken by great performances.’