INTER-insular action is back as Jersey鈥檚 triathletes take on Guernsey tomorrow evening, at St Catherine鈥檚 for a 6.30pm start.
This marks a momentous occasion, as this will be the first inter-insular contest 鈥渇or many years鈥, originally coming to a halt during the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, through much encouragement from Jersey Tri Club鈥檚 sponsors, the Ana Leaf Foundation, as well as a lot of work between the islands鈥 triathlon committees, the event is back on.
鈥淭he Ana Leaf Foundation have been very generous and been a great support to the club,鈥 said Sarah Corcoran, Jersey Tri Club鈥檚 secretary.鈥
鈥淭his is the result of a shared effort with Guernsey, who have been very keen and massively helpful. I think it鈥檚 great that this event is back on. There鈥檚 so much history in this race.鈥
What鈥檚 great about this event is the accessibility. Whatever your age or ability, Jersey鈥檚 club are encouraging anyone interested to sign up and take part.
There鈥檚 still time left for 11th hour sign-ons, as registration is set to close at 12pm today.鈥淭he Jersey Tri Club have always been inclusive, priding ourselves on welcoming everyone and anyone to compete,鈥 Corcoran continued.
鈥淲e always strive to encourage, as that will only foster development. From a competitive standpoint, the more competitors we have, the more points we score, which would greatly help the odds.鈥
Competition will be had across two competitive legs, with tomorrow鈥檚 being the opening act.
Jersey鈥檚 course will be a sprint distance, consisting of a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run, whereas Guernsey鈥檚 second leg will be an Olympic distance of 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run.
Results will be decided through point totals, as all competitors will score points in the events. So, the more the merrier really does ring true, especially for Jersey鈥檚 inter-island victory hopes.
Relations with Guernsey Triathlon Club have always been friendly, which may sound odd considering how intense this rivalry can get, especially with the Muratti and Siam Cup.
Such a strong bond has made way for this event, and Corcoran details their dynamic: 鈥淲e have always got on well with Guernsey. There鈥檚 no need to be nasty and they鈥檙e all good people.
鈥淚鈥檇 say we have a good rivalry in competition, more like a bit of banter than any nastiness creeping in, which I think is right for sport.鈥
This positive relationship will be on full display after competition is finished, as all will be invited to a social, with food and drink on offer.
A total of 21 athletes will be travelling over from Guernsey, which is a milestone in itself, considering that鈥檚 the biggest squad they鈥檝e brought over since 2015鈥檚 Jersey Island Games.Historically speaking, Jersey have just pipped Guernsey to the post in triathlon supremacy.
However, Guernsey have become a lot more competitive in recent years, with a host of excellent athletes coming out to try flip the script, so expect a tightly contested affair at St Catherine鈥檚.
This was shown in Guernsey鈥檚 2023 Island Games, where the Sarnians just pipped their Jersey rivals to the post overall.
Numbers have curtailed a bit since Covid-19 at the Jersey Tri Club, but the imminent return of the Super League Triathlon to Jersey has boosted hopes for a surge in participation, with Corcoran adding:
鈥淪eeing the best athletes performing really does inspire, so hopefully that will boost numbers at the club, as it did the last time. Like most sports in Jersey, participation really does come in waves.鈥
Jersey Triathlon Club鈥檚 Junior Squad is also open for all juniors, offering a pathway to reach the top-end of the sport. Examples of this pathway are endless, including young talents challenging for Team GB selection this year in Luke Holmes and Siena Stephens, as well as Island Games athletes Peter Holmes and Tom Atkinson.
To further develop junior development, Guernsey鈥檚 junior triathletes travelled over to train with Jersey鈥檚 group in January, and the club hope that inter-island approach to training will continue in the future
All in all, with ideal conditions making way for a good race, Corcoran has a clear aim for the event, saying: 鈥淩egardless of result, I hope it鈥檚 a good, fair race and that everyone enjoys themselves.鈥
鈥淥bviously, we want to do well, and with the new trophy we need to start getting names on there, but as long as everyone鈥檚 having fun, that鈥檚 all that matters.鈥
For those who want to sign up, you can through Jersey Tri Club鈥檚 Race Nation page, which can be found on the event calendar at jerseytriclub.com. You only have until 12pm today, so make sure you don鈥檛 miss out.