Strobridge's absence to put strain on women
SWIMMING have been massive contributors to the Guernsey medal table cause at the two most recent NatWest Island Games, but they will be without two of their top names at next summer's event in Rhodes.
SWIMMING have been massive contributors to the Guernsey medal table cause at the two most recent NatWest Island Games, but they will be without two of their top names at next summer's event in Rhodes. Ian Powell, now based in Florida, and trainee-doctor Gail Strobridge have both ruled themselves out.
Alison Frankland, team manager, said they were sure to be missed but she was putting on a brave face.
'We will still be in a position to field a strong men's team with experienced Island Games swimmers.
'Gail not being available will leave a huge gap,' she added.
'It is anticipated that the girls team will be a mixture of experienced and inexperienced younger team members,' she added.
Powell, who won the 200m backstroke title in a Games record time in 2005, says he will be sad to end a run of four Island Games dating back to Gotland in 1999 when he was just 14.
Now 21 and with Olympic ambitions still burning, Powell says he has to concentrate on the US Championships next summer.
'I'm going to be in America and the main focus of the summer is the nationals in August.
The Guernsey team have won 22 golds, 27 silver and 18 bronze over the last two Games and only athletics has produced more golden success in that period.
The Guernsey Amateur Swimming Association have set qualifying times based on the sixth-place finish in the final of the 2003 and 2005 Games, whichever is the faster.
Times achieved in the period September 2006 to 23 April 2007 will be taken into consideration and the fastest two swimmers will gain selection.
Times must be achieved in a 25m pool and swum at a licensed meet held under ASA rules.
Swimmers from both the Guernsey Swimming Club and the Beau Sejour Barracudas are now in serious training to gain the qualifying times.
The next major event in the calendar is the Channel Island Championships which will take place over two weekends in late January.
There will be a further opportunity to achieve the qualifying standards at the Hampshire County Championships spread over three weekends in March.
Some swimmers will have the last opportunity to achieve or improve on their times at the Masters Open Meet to be held on the weekend of 20-23 April.
Despite the absence of Powell and Strobridge, the Guernsey team will still have its share of star talent in Rhodes.
Tom Hollingsworth, who is now at university and training with the City of Norwich Swimming Club, will be available.
He won four gold medals and set four games records and six island marks in Shetland.
Both he and Powell are training with the Barracudas over the Christmas period.
On the women's side, Jenny Salmon, a gold medallist in the 50 breaststroke in Shetland, Louisa Jurkiewicz, Sophie Castle, Casey Lee, Rebecca Charlton and Helen Mahy are all combining training with university life.
All six joined their respective club to continue with their training programme over the Christmas period.
