Island Games: Get to know ... Gotland

‘We are not so close to our neighbours in Gotland as you are in Guernsey,’ said Gotland Island Games Association secretary Bo Ronsten.

Even so, the main island features a city of more than 23,000 people – fully 40% of the total population. This is the west-facing port city of Visby, which can boast a cruise ship quay capable of accommodating two 340m-long ships. This major capital project was first discussed in parliament in 2011, approved in 2014 and completed on time in 2018.

The parliament in question was Sweden’s Riksdag, as Gotland has far less autonomy than many other islands in the Island Games family. Its relationship with Sweden is more akin to that between the Isle of Wight and England, with county status and two seats out of 349 at national level.

‘The Gotlandic people think of ourselves as a very friendly people,’ Bo told us.

‘We try to be very good hosts. We are very proud of our island, as most islanders are.’

Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy, along with IT and the manufacture of concrete from locally-mined limestone deposits.

The local news agenda has been dominated in recent months by considerations familiar to us here in Guernsey.

‘Right now we have a challenge with our transportation to the mainland by boat,’ Bo said.

‘It’s our most important way to travel and the contract is now due for negotiation, so we are waiting to see what demands the government are going to put into the negotiations. We have very fast ferries but because of environmental considerations, some want to slow them down. It is a problem for sport.’

When it comes to the prospects of the island’s young people, Bo describes a phenomenon with which many islands are familiar, unwittingly coming very close to quoting Ebenezer Le Page from GB Edwards’ much-loved Guernsey novel.

‘If you’re a youngster, you probably want to go to a bigger city but at the end, a lot of the youngsters want to come back to the island because it’s very special.’

One of the lures that can entice them back is the wide variety of sports on offer.

‘We have 53 sports that are played on the island,’ said Bo.

‘Football and equestrianism are very popular and so is floorball – a kind of indoor ice hockey without skates. It is played internationally and Sweden has been very successful.’

When it comes to Island Games competition, Gotland has achieved enormous success in both shooting and table tennis.

The Baltic island has won more golds in the former than any other island, with 111 in smallbore and pistol alone. Many of these have been won by Peter Nordgren, who is heading to Guernsey this summer to compete and first took part in the 1980s. He has represented Sweden in international competition.

Table tennis, meanwhile, has seen Gotland garner 108 medals, more than twice the number won by their nearest rivals.

Gotland will also be travelling – via a direct charter flight – with competitors in archery and athletics who have recently competed successfully at national level.

In terms of a sporting rivalry, Bo said the obvious candidate was Aland, the Swedish-speaking but Finnish-aligned archipelago to the north.

‘It’s a brother-and-sister relationship,’ he said. ‘We are very competitive in sport but very friendly otherwise. I think you have probably a little bit more competitiveness between Guernsey and Jersey.’

About Gotland

Area: 3,184 sq. km (1,229 sq. miles)

Population: 61,001 (2021 census)

Population density: 18.4 per sq. km

Time zone: One hour ahead of Guernsey

Distance from Guernsey: 1,625km (1,009m)

Total IG medals won: 810 (325.5 G, 240.5 S, 244 B)

Medals won in 2003: 32 (11 G, 12 S, 9 B)

Competitors coming to Guernsey: 93

Route: Direct charter flight from Gotland to Guernsey

Sports in which competing: Archery, athletics, badminton, cycling, golf, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis

Biggest sports star: Hakan Loob (ice hockey)

National delicacy: Saffranspannkaka – saffron pancake with jam and cream

Parliamentary representation: Two seats in the 349-seat Swedish parliament