This story from the Times Online.They are not quite the Olympics, but the NatWest Island Games , which start today in Aland, in the Baltic Sea, is the closest that many of the 3,100 participants will come to tasting international glory in their chosen disciplines.
United in their geographical isolation, the athletes and officials are drawn from 25 small island communities ranging from the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean to St Helena in the South Atlantic to compete for medals in 15 sports.
Many of the journeys undertaken to reach Aland, a semi-autonomous, Swedish-speaking region of Finland, have been epic.
Adrian Bruce, 37, and Peter Munford, 62, from the Isle of Man, drove for two days across 1,100 miles, five countries and four ferries with the archery team’s equipment packed into a Land Rover.
Isle of Man Archery site. Story at IOMOnline here. The Mascot is Selina the Seal.
