Be there tonight to welcome the Games

GUERNSEY today welcomes more than 2,500 athletes and spectators for the greatest sports event the island has seen. Competitors from around the world have been arriving all week and tonight they will march along the seafront, watched by hordes of islanders. Organising committee chairman Stuart Falla yesterday urged local people to support the Games and greet their visitors. 'The best way that the average Guernsey person can show their welcome is to be there tonight,' said Mr Falla. The opening ceremony is focused around the Victoria Marina. Each competing team has brought water from its island, which will be mixed together in a symbolic fountain, with music, speeches and a surprise finale. 'It will be buzzing. There will be so much waving and cheering and noise, people should make their way down to Town,' said Mr Falla. 'It is deliberately quite short - about an hour and a half - and some people won't have a perfect view, but it will be exciting.' Government House is also anticipating an inspiring week. The Lt-Governor, Sir John Foley, and Lady Foley are both looking forward to the week of events and the opening ceremony. 'They are as excited as everyone and have an extra interest because the Lt-Governors from the Isle of Man and Jersey will be here for some of the week,' said Col. Richard Graham, Sir John's ADC. 'They are very impressed with how much meticulous planning has gone into this week and will take extra pride in showing the other Lt-Governors how Guernsey can put on such a grand event. 'It really seems to be a great atmosphere and all we want now is some decent weather.' The first team to arrive was St Helena, on Tuesday. Competitors from Bermuda and the Cayman Islands got here midweek in time to fit in some last minute training. The busiest days at the airport and the harbour were yesterday and today. Welcoming parties met five chartered flights yesterday spread throughout the day, the last plane landing at 10.30pm. Although airport staff had to work late, no extra employees were drafted in to cope with the increased activity. Competitors from 10 islands arrive in the island today, including Jersey, Sark and Alderney. 'It has been a little busier and there is a bit of a buzz up here,' said a spokesman for Servisair. 'It's just fingers crossed for the weather now.' Once all the competitors are here, the work surrounding the travel arrangements is not quite over. The busiest day yet to come is 5 July, when the majority of participants and spectators leave the island. There are eight charter flights that day, in addition to the scheduled services. Events start tomorrow, with the first medals being awarded in competitions including cycling, shooting and athletics. The Games will also see a publishing first. The Guernsey Press and Star is the only newspaper in the history of the event to have planned a special daily edition dealing exclusively with the competition. It is being produced in association with PA News and distributed free with the Guernsey Press. Editor Richard Digard said: 'This gives us the ability to cover the Guernsey team extensively in the Guernsey Press and yet provide "national" coverage of the best of the rest of the Games, too.'