Sun set to shine on first day of Orkney Island Games

After the euphoria of a sun-kist opening ceremony and athletes parade, the focus now switches to the sports venues on the first day of the Orkney Island Games.

Orkney’s triathletes will take to the sea and roads of Stromness, which begins at 11am and will see a number of road closures.

Past games medallist Bobby Oag returns in the men’s, and he is joined by Erik Bews, Robbie Innes, Marcus Shearer and Andrew Skea.

Claire Rendall finished fifth in Guernsey two years ago and has since enjoyed success on the ultra circuit.

She will line up alongside her compatriots Alison Leitch, Jo Donaldson, Rebecca Learmonth and Caron Oag.

The Picky Centre main arena has undergone an impressive transformation into a badminton hall.

The first matches in the team event begins there at 9.30am, with Orkney taking on Bermuda at 12.30pm, followed by Gotland at 3.30pm and then the Isle of Man at 6.30pm.

The athletics competition at Picky begins at 2pm, with Charlotte Hume and Emily McArthur up first in the 400m heats.

Ryan Coltherd and Bobby Harcus are also competing in the heats of the same event for the men’s.

Ewan Foubister and Alistair Mackenzie will aim to make the finals of the men’s 1,500m.

In the women’s 100m heats, Sian Smith and Taylah Paterson will take to the track, from 4.10pm.

Connor Harcus and Gerrard Enemmuo make up the Orkney representation in the men’s event.

And in the 10,000m at 5.50pm, Erika Marwick and Jennifer Bichan will fly the flag for the home side.

Both Orkney’s football sides are in action as games are held at pitches in Firth, Rendall, Dounby, Stromness and Kirkwall.

Both Orkney sides face Norwegians, Froya, with the women at 3.30pm and the men at 7pm, both at the KGS 1 pitch.

The singles and pairs events get under way at Kirkwall Bowling Club, marking the first time in Island Games history that an outdoor green will have been used.

Neil Anderson and Isla Rendall carry Orkney hopes in the singles. In the pairs, Mark Causer and Greg Rendall, and Elizabeth McConnachie and Ruth Rendall will seek to take full advantage of their home green.

Orkney’s sailing team of Andrew Leslie and Kyle Harcus (ILCA 7) and Joshua Brown and Kavan Kynoch (ILCA 6) will aim to make waves.

The single competitions will commence on the squash courts at Picky.

America-based Birsay man Adam Bews begins his opening match at 9.45am, before Andrew Moar and Amy Walker are on at 11.15am.

See full schedule here or in The Orcadian.

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