Czechs make their comeback

GUERNSEY softball has re-established its historic link with Prague. The Czech Republic capital will be represented by Tempo Prague in this weekend's prestigious Hairtek International Fast-Pitch Tournament.

'We had teams from the old Czechoslovakia over here fairly regularly and we used to send teams over there,' said Guernsey Softball Association Mick Taylor, the main organiser of the Hairtek tournament.

'But that was in the 1980s. That was a different generation of softball in their country and over here. It must be 20 years since a team from the Czech Republic has been to Guernsey.'

Taylor would not discount the possibility that Tempo Prague's visit could be the start of another period of close links between the island and the central European city.

'There's a chance of that.'

Guernsey's games against teams from the former Communist country were a highlight of the GSA's boom years.

Taylor said that seven teams would compete in the festival, including four from Guernsey.

'We had provisionally scheduled the tournament for the weekend of 8-10 August, but we had to put it back because of a lack of interest. Back then we had no definite interest.

'Now we have seven in total: Rangers, Giants, Titans and Pirates of Guernsey, USAF Lakenheath, Great Britain and Tempo Prague.

'I would say seven entries is an adequate number. We could go bigger - perhaps up to 10 teams - if we had the use of a third diamond.'

An eighth team, FEL Prague, were due to compete, but they have had to withdraw because of problems over obtaining a travel visa for their pitcher.

The tournament starts at 9.30am on Saturday and play should continue until 4.30pm. The same schedule will apply on Sunday, while games will not start until 10am on bank holiday Monday.

Taylor was disappointed that last year's winners, Danish Dynamite, did not express interest in competing this year. USAF Lakenheath were runners-up in 2002.

The August Bank Holiday tournament was traditionally a major part of the bulging local softball calendar. However, by the turn of the century, it had all but died a death.

World politics was a major reason for that: the festival once attracted numerous British-based Air Force teams from around the globe, but their presence decreased at the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s and 90s. Only one visiting team took part in 2001.

New life was injected into the festival last year when prize money was offered for the first time.

That experiment was a success and a total pot of £5,000 has been put up for this year's event.

'There is no money in tournaments in Europe. That's why we did it: to try to raise interest in our tournament.'

Taylor said that teams from Prague had been very strong in the past and expected that Tempo, who have a good recent record in European competitions, would be one of the best teams at this weekend's festival.

The tournament's seven entrants will play in a round-robin format before the top sides feature in first and second, and third and fourth play-offs.