Lisa Gray has taken over the organisation of the Guernsey International WA1440 event, which drew 39 competitors to Port Soif over the weekend, following the death of archery stalwart Steve Yates.
‘We are going to continue to run it in his memory,’ she said in reference to her uncle and the late Bowmen of Guernsey president.
In fact, the opportunity of celebrating Yates’ vast contributions to the sport proved a selling point of the event.
Jersey’s Francis Rocha had been absent in the last few editions but had, following a relatively late decision, joined a contingent coming over in support of the wider Channel Islands archery community.
‘We came to celebrate Steve – we wanted to come across and show our support,’ the individual Island Games medallist said.
‘They’ve done a lot of hard work. We turned up and we’ve not got to do anything – it’s just a well-organised competition.’
In total, six Jersey and eight UK competitors took to the range for the popular event, which had been graced by consistent sunshine.
But amid turbulence with ferry cancellations, the Jersey cohort ultimately had to fly over.
For fellow Jerseyman and Games archer Tony Vardon, it had also been a worthwhile trip.
‘It’s a very well-organised shoot,’ he said.
‘The people are so friendly when you get here.
‘There’s always friendly rivalry, and it’s our first since Steve passed away, so we had to make the effort to get over.’
An up-and-coming Jersey competitor who has impressed at a Junior National level and last year won a Hampshire U16 indoor and outdoor double, Grace Harvey has enjoyed the opportunity to step up against Guernsey.
‘It’s nice that we have an inter-island competition, and it’s nice to come here and still have that,’ she said.
‘Pre-Covid, it was a big community.’
The teenager is still hopeful for the inter-insular to make a comeback, while she also has her sights on a possible Games debut in the Faroes next summer.
‘It would be quite nice to go, as there’s a lot of young archers who are coming up and going,’ she said.
‘There’s a group of us now at the same age who could go.’
Another promising youngster competing at the Guernsey International, albeit from slightly further afield, was Erin Hellewell.
The 15-year-old recurve archer shoots for Thirsk Bowmen in Yorkshire and had been a regular visitor to the island on family trips even before taking up the sport.
In her first full year of serious archery, and with this weekend’s Youth Finals in Meriden, West Midlands, looming, she chose to compete on Guernsey soil for the first time.
‘I’ve done a lot of competitions this year and I thought doing one outside of England would be nice,’ she said.
‘This is my first one outside of England.
‘It’s brilliant. The field is excellent though it’s a bit windier here than normal.
She also praised the ‘efficient’ organisation and the ‘welcoming and friendly’ people for making the weekend even better.
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