Governing Body for Olympic Sports in the BVI
By: Charlie Jackson
With the top four in each group of each age group all vying for a place in the quarter finals of the BDO Primary School League some teams will face the Easter Break sitting pretty, whilst others have an uphill battle on their hands. [Read more…]
By: Dean Greenaway
The BVI Athletics Association has named 21 athletes including five individual medalists among its squad for the 43rd Carifta Games in Fort de France, Martinique, April 19-21. The announcement came during a press briefing at the Central Administration Complex Breeze Way on Monday morning. [Read more…]
By: Charlie Jackson
The top two teams in the Premiership both had victories on Sunday to further widen the gap between themselves and the chasing pack and are only split by goal difference as both have 14 points.
Playing the Rebels, who were looking for their first points of the campaign, the Islanders fell behind as early as the 2nd minute when Bryan Smith scored direct from a corner. [Read more…]
By: Dean Greenaway
Nelda Huggins of Top Notch Track Club—a two times Carifta Games U17 Girls 100m silver medalist—won her fourth straight BVIAA-LIME National Jr. Track and Field Championships sprint double to highlight the weekend competition. [Read more…]
After two fiercely competitive preliminary matches the Terry Evans Cup quarter Finals are scheduled to begin this Wednesday, March 19th, 2014, with the Sugar Boyz facing Virgin Gorda United on the A.O. Shirley Ground at 7.00pm.
The opening match of the competition went the way of Old Madrid, 2-0, against the Haitian Stars, thanks to an own goal in the first half and a Kenmore Simmonds second half strike.
Humphrey Leue’s miss hit cross bobbled in the box in the 17th minute and somehow found its way past defender, Cadeem Thomas and the goalkeeper, Daniel Philippe, to nestle in the back of the net.
For the next 15 minutes or so Old Madrid were thankful for the ‘keeping exploits of Hanif James to keep them ahead as he made crucial saves from Raphael Savory, Gregory Atime and Jared Younis. However with a minute of the restart Old Madrid got the breathing space they needed and as it turned out settle the match when Simmonds burst through a square back line and slotted home low past the despairing Philippe.
The second preliminary game saw a tenacious Ballstarz bow out of the competition to One Love via a late late heart breaking goal from Richard Morgan.
Neither side gave an inch or asked for one during the 70 minutes of frenetic action, yet just when it looked like the tie would go to penalties a moment of lapse in the Ballstarz defense allowed Morgan to latch onto a loose ball and thread his way goal ward before sliding home past Maxwell Dabreo.
The goal which came deep into the 3 minutes of added time at the end of the second half was celebrated like a Cup Final winner, such was the relief of One Love to have progressed.
The Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay will be introduced to the Virgin Islands at 9.00am on Thursday, April 3. Mr. Steve Augustine will bring in the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton at a public welcome ceremony at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park. Mr. Augustine represented the VI in athletics at the XV Commonwealth Games Victoria 1994 and at the XVII Commonwealth Games Manchester 2002.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is a symbolic event that heralds the Commonwealth Games and takes place every four years. It has been run since the 1958 games in Cardiff, Wales. The baton bears the Queen’s ‘message to the athletes’. When the baton ends its journey through the Commonwealth, it is returned to Her Majesty the Queen in the stadium. The message is removed and read aloud by HM to officially declare the Games open.
His Excellency Governor Boyd McCleary, Premier Dr. D. Orlando Smith, and Honourable Myron Walwyn, Minister for Education, Culture and Sports, will play key roles in welcoming the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay to the territory. The occasion will incorporate Scottish bagpipes in recognition of the host country for the XX Commonwealth Games.
The ceremony will end when the Minister hands over the baton to the first baton bearers. They will represent the three sporting associations slated to participate in the XX Commonwealth Games. The members from the squash, swimming, and athletics associations will run from the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park to the Wickham’s Cay I roundabout. This will be the first leg of the series of symbolic relays through Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and Virgin Gorda.
The BVI Olympic Committee, in its capacity as the local Commonwealth Games Association, is the host of the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay and encourages the public to participate in the relays.
“The baton relay routes are not too arduous,” said Ephraim Penn, president of the BVIOC. “Each leg is quite short and we have planned for the relay of the baton to pass through main communities and areas of historic significance. It’s a symbolic relay and we really want to see as many people join in either as runners or supporters.”
On Thursday, April 3, relays will pass through Road Town from 10:00am – 11.15am and will move to the First District. The Queen’s baton relay will then start at 11.45am from Capoon’s Bay, and run through Apple Bay and Carrot Bay. It will be driven to De Wedding from where the baton relay will be run through Cane Garden Bay. The relay route will end at the beach by the Methodist Church where swimmers from the BVI Swimming Association will escort the baton out to the Police launch for transportation to Jost Van Dyke.
Following a relay through Great Harbour at 2.30pm, Queen’s baton will be transported to the BVI Spring Regatta at Nanny Cay Resort & Marina where the Tortola Sloop, Intrepid will receive the baton and conduct a sail-by in the company of Optimist sailors.
At 8.30am on Friday, April 4, the Premier will welcome the relay to Virgin Gorda at the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. Relays will take place through the Valley, to the Baths and the Bregado Flax Educational Center. The baton will then return to Trellis Bay, Beef Island at 4.30pm. Relays will be cycled, run and walked through East End/Long Look to the HLSCC.
The Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay will conclude its visit to the Virgin Islands at the HLSCC. There will be a cultural presentation featuring local and Scottish performers and a ‘Tasting under the Tent’ to showcase the cuisine of the VI and Scotland.
This is the third time that the relay will visit the VI. The first occasion was in August 2005. The VI will be the 54th country to be visited on the relay’s journey through 70 Commonwealth nations and Overseas Territories. The baton will arrive from Anguilla on April 2 and will depart for Jamaica on April 5.
The key stakeholders involved in organizing the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay events include the BVIOC, the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Premier, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (to include the Departments of Culture, and Youth Affairs and Sports), the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, and the BVI Tourist Board. The event is supported by the BVI Red Cross, Foxy’s Bar, the Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society, and Rotary Club of Tortola.
The Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay is sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports, the Ministry of Finance, CCT, BVI Bank Association, Roadtown Wholesale, San Bendetto, Powerade, and Harneys.
A detailed itinerary of the route can be found on www.bviolympics.org or can be requested from the BVIOC office. Contact Cleave Farrington on 542 1007.
Under the watchful eye of BVI Football Association Technical Director, Mr. Keith “Grell” Griffith as well as Coaches, Thomas Albert and Cassandra Gregg, over 30 youngsters attended the first practice session ahead of the Special Invitational Tournament hoping to make the final squad for the U13 Representative team.
The Youngsters who all take part in the BDO Primary School League were put through their paces by the Coaching team on the A.O. Shirley Ground, firstly with some intense ball control and passing drills and then to close the session, a practice match, giving them all a chance to impress.
“I must say that, probably, in the just over five months since I arrived this is the best I have seen from the youths. They look enthusiastic and skillful, so today is a great start. We have to select a final of squad of 12, which is stipulated by the Tournament organisers, but as we have already told the parents even if their child doesn’t make the final squad, they should continue to come out as we have plans to go to Puerto Rico and Miami”
Thomas Albert is the Coach and he was equally impressed with not only the turnout, but also the quality of the players
“What I’ve seen today is a lot of great players and it won’t be easy for us to narrow the squad down. The players have shown that any of them can take a spot, but at the next session they will have to work harder, push themselves more and more and prove they want to represent the BVI”
Albert intends to get the team disciplined and playing an attractive game of passing and movement, taking the game to the next level.
The Tournament is in St Maarten from April 18th to 22nd and also includes other Caribbean Countries and teams from the USA.
As action continued over on Virgin Gorda in the BVIFA / BDO Primary School Leagues this past Saturday, March 15th, 2014, the jockeying for the qualifying positions across all age groups continued.
In Under 7 Group A games the Seven Day Adventist School closed the gap, momentarily on Begrado Flax Educational Centre with a 2-0 win over Enid Scatliffe Red, courtesy of goals from Kevaugn Glasgow and Alex Leonard. However BFEC also recorded a 1-0 victory over Althea Scatliffe, thanks to an Amari Fannis strike, leaving them top with 21 points. SDA are second on 13 and ASPS have 10.
In Group B First Impressions Orange stay top despite being held 0-0 by Rainbow Primary and Robinson O’Neal Primary leapfrogged into second place on goal difference ahead of Montessori with a 2-0 over Cornerstone. Jaadon Quashie and Jeriek Samuel sealed the points, scoring within a minute of each other.
Montesorri beat St Georges 3-0 ( Sam Potgeiter, Sebastien Esser and an Own Goal) to leave themselves, Robinson O’Neal and Cornerstone all on 13 points with just two goals, separating them, whilst FIPS Orange have 14 points.
In Under 9 Group A action Pelican Gate routed Rainbow Primary 6-0 with two goals apiece by Jaden Augustine, Requan Garraway and Jaidon Dabrea. St Georges, though, missed out on going into second place in the standings as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Rainbow.
Cedar Green stay top on 9 points, FIPS have 6, whilst St Georges are tied for third on 5 points with identical goal difference.
In Group B, the idle Cedar White remain in first place with 15 points although ASPS narrowed the gap to just 3 points with a resounding 5-0 win over Robinson O’Neal.
Two goals from Allen Martin saw him go top of the goal scoring charts in all age divisions with a total of 11 and further strikes came from D’Eandre Rogers, T’Quorey Regisford and Keshoy Martin.
BFEC also had a comfortable win, 3-0, over Ebenezer Thomas/Agape with Sheldon Toney netting a hat trick in the 5th, 12th and 14th minutes.
The sole game in the Under 12 division ended in stalemate between Cedar Blue and St Mary’s. The point sent St Mary’s into a tie on points for second place in Group A with Althea Scatliffe, who have a slightly healthier goal difference. Joyce Samuel Primary stays top with 10 points.
The VIVA Power League continued its weekend games concluding on Sunday with a thrilling five (5) sets game between defending champions Just Dream and Gunz; Just Dream secured the win! Below are the results with stats from Friday- Sunday Games:-
Friday March 14th, 2014:-
Legends defeated Raw Power in straight sets: 25-10, 25-17 & 25-15
LEGENDS
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Amadonna Creese |
6 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
| Debra Dagou |
4 |
7 |
8 |
1 |
RAW POWER
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Lauren Welch |
4 |
7 |
12 |
|
| Khaiyah Doward |
5 |
6 |
3 |
|
Just Dream defeated Raw Power in straight sets: 25-20, 25-21 & 25-18
JUST DREAM
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Canice Marquis |
16 |
1 |
10 |
1 |
| Drexel Glasgow |
5 |
2 |
6 |
|
| Marlon Solomon |
3 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
RAW POWER
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Frandy Martin |
9 |
3 |
4 |
|
| Leon Smith |
8 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
| Denfield Solomon |
6 |
3 |
5 |
Saturday March 15th, 2014:-
Phoenix Red defeated Phoenix Black in straight sets: 27-25, 26-24 & 25-20
PHOENIX RED
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Danielle Selkridge |
8 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
| Sharonda Pickering |
4 |
6 |
1 |
|
| Sabinah Clement |
2 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
PHOENIX BLACK
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Brenda Pinder |
7 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
| Janelle Scatliffe |
1 |
6 |
6 |
|
| Rochelle Woods |
3 |
2 |
8 |
Gunz defeated Swat Unit in 4 sets: 25-22, 25-13, 24-26 & 25-16
(No stats available!)
Sunday March16th, 2014:-
Just Dream defeated Gunz in a thrilling 5 sets: 11-25, 15-25, 25-21, 25-20 & 19-17
JUST DREAM
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Canice Marquis |
12 |
1 |
6 |
|
| Drexel Glasgow |
6 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
| Travis Jack |
4 |
9 |
5 |
2 |
GUNZ
| Players name |
Kills |
Blocks |
Digs |
Aces |
| Neville Brathwaite |
13 |
9 |
8 |
|
| Clyde Potter Jr. |
11 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| Akeem Robinson |
5 |
3 |
13 |
|
| Nevin Brathwaite |
9 |
7 |
||
| Norville Brathwaite |
5 |
1 |
13 |
You may contact the PRO of the BVI Amateur Volleyball Association Cleave Farrington at 542-1007; email address cleavef@gmail.com for more information
With a resounding third overall finish in the 2014 Byte CII North American Championships Sam Morrell became the first British Virgin Islands sailor to qualify for an Olympic yachting berth. Competing in Jensen Beach, Florida Morrell easily secured one of the four spots available to sailors from the North American and Caribbean region.
Morrell will join sailors representing the USA, Canada, Bahamas, the USVI and the Bahamas at the event.
Conditions in the four-day regatta ran the gamut from light and shifty to windy.
“I’m much faster in strong wind,” explained the 14-year old Morrell. “My results in the 3 light wind races on the 2nd day were OK, but I was better when the wind was up.
Going into the events final 2-races on day four, Morrell had a great chance to secure a qualifying position. He needed to finish no more than three points behind the USVI sailor and four points behind the competitor from Bermuda. In the end he beat them both and moved into 3rd overall in the regatta and the 2nd qualifying position.
A total of 10-races were held in the four day regatta which saw 30-sailors from the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean compete for 4-remaining spots in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Nanjing, China this August. The USA and Canada had previously qualified and Morrell joined the Cayman Islands, Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands in winning spots. Sailing spots in the Youth Olympics are apportioned to countries from different regions around the World.
This was Morrell’s second chance to qualify. He attended the Byte World Championships last August in Newport Rhode Island.
“I did poorly at the Worlds,” he admitted. “But, I returned to the VI and trained hard. A lot of training and coaching got me into great shape for this event.”
Morrell, who turns 15 on March 27th, has been sailing and racing dinghies since he was 9. Switching from the Optimist to the Byte was a calculated move.
“I was sizing out of Opti’s [Optimist dinghies] and we set the Youth Olympics as a goal.,” he explained.
Morrell has represented the British Virgin Islands in the Optimist New England, North & South American Championships and finished the 2013 Optimist World Championships in 112th position.
The Youth Olympic Games are held every four years. The 2014 Games will be held in Nanjing, China.
