Sports

I first reached the shores of Anguilla in July 1998 by invitation from Mitchelle Lake and Shawn Romney to assist as a visiting coach for the Anguilla Tennis Academy’s annual summer tennis camp. It was indeed my first trip to the Caribbean and not the last of the many “firsts” I have experienced here.

Anguilla’s Rainbow Warriors arrived in Bad Neustadt, Germany on Monday 29th May amidst the pomp and circumstance reserved for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ participating countries. The Anguillian delegation was greeted by television and media crews; hoards of people waving the Anguilla flag and a 2.3 km long red carpet that was rolled out around the entire city for the Anguillians to walk on. As a result of this red carpet, the Guinness Book of World Records has cited Bad Neustadt as being the city with the longest rolled red carpet in the world.

The Ronald Webster Park Annex was alive as three of the four matches ended in exciting draws in the first round of the CCB sponsored Female Football League last week.

The fourth annual Anguilla Regatta was held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 12, 13 & 14 and proved once again to be a great success according to the organizers.

The Anguilla Tae Kwondo Club held its bi-annual grading exams this year at the Road School on Sunday 7th May.

Thirty-five upcoming junior and senior football players in Anguilla will be getting an opportunity to spend seventeen days in Germany to witness the FIFA World Cup 2006 matches.

The Ronald Webster Park was a riot of colour and friendly rivalry as fourteen or more public and private sector teams participated in a series of fun day activities for the Labour Day holiday.

The 2006 Anguilla Female Football League (AFFL), sponsored by the Caribbean Commercial Bank, commenced at the Webster Park Annex on Sunday, April 30, and will continue until July 7.

The Anguilla Cricket Association has met with Clive Lloyd, one of 18 West Indies legends of the sport overseeing arrangements in the various islands for the Stanford 20/20 Cricket Tournament due to commence in Antigua in July.

The British Football Coach with the Women’s League in England has praised the Anguilla Football Association for its work and uniqueness on the island.

For the first time, the inter-house athletic competition at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School has spanned two days – Wednesday and Thursday April 5 and 6. Cable and Wireless has been the overall sponsor of the athletic meet for the past seven years and this year has contributed US$5,500 in sponsorship money.

The Anguilla Golf Association will be sponsoring another nine-hole scramble tournament on April 15 at its Pitch and Putt Course on Well Road at Sandy Ground. All golfers are invited to attend and participate on one of the three-member teams which will be competing in this event.

Stoney Ground Primary School has won the annual sports day activities for the second consecutive year with a total of 364 points. The other competitors were Valley Primary with 323 points; Road Primary, 309; Central Christian School, 184; Morris Vanterpool Primary 173; Alwyn Allison Primary, 150; and Island Harbour Primary, 96 points.

Approximately 460 students completed the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School Road Race on March 31.

Anguilla PONY League Baseball has received several donations of equipment from many visitors to the island in the past two months. Donations were made by individual visitors: Richard Parles of New York who arrived with baseball gloves and baseballs and some protective equipment; and Nancy Michaels who donated uniforms for the second time.

The Anguilla Netball Team is still savouring its victory in Tortola earlier this month when it captured the Championship Trophy for the first time.

The 11th Annual Ashley & Sons Road Relay races attracted a large crowd of spectators cheering on the many school children who participated in the events.

NAGICO and Fair Play Group of Companies in Anguilla will be sponsoring the upcoming road race, an integral part of the two-day Sporting Event of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School.

Under a gruelling sun softball teams from Anguilla, St. Martin and Santo Domingo engaged in a friendly match at Coronation Park on Sunday, March 5, witnessed by a large and cheering crowd representing the three territories.

In 2003, an idea was formed to have an International Yacht Regatta in Anguilla. A group of individual volunteers undertook all the planning and, in three short months, the Anguilla Regatta was created and introduced the “Go …Mix Up!” theme.