Going for Gold in Guernsey!

With the Island Games’ opening ceremony last night, the Isle of Man’s top athletes are in Guernsey hoping to bring home more than some duty free in their hand luggage.

 While the Isle of Man team can hope for success across a number of sports, cycling is one where the Manx team will carry significant expectations. 

Despite our small size, the Isle of Man has produced the greatest sprinter in cycling history, an Olympic Gold Medalist and, within the last few weeks, another British Nationals champion. 

We met with team manager Gianni Epifani to talk about the team and their chances before heading to Guernsey, unsurprisingly, he was in an upbeat mood.

He said: ‘Some of the riders have been preparing on island in local events and a number have rode strongly in events in the UK and Ireland.’

Returning to Guernsey for the first time in 20 years has given this year’s Games a sense of historical context as, 20 years ago, a certain Mark Cavendish announced himself on the big stage by winning IG gold.

Also racing that year was Elliot Baxter, he picked up five golds in Guernsey and has since collected well over 20 medals at the Island Games. 

Gianni said that Elliot ‘remains an important part of our team and he’ll be hopeful of trying to come away with even more medals this year’.

Having competed at several world championships, two Commonwealth Games and eight Island Games, airport firefighter Elliot is one of the island’s most decorated athletes in Manx colours, but despite all his experience and success, he said he is most looking forward to ‘helping the MTB team enjoy a successful Games’.

He is joined in the mountain bike team by Owen Collins, who in 2022 was the first u21 rider in the 24 hour Longest Day Longest Ride race, coming third overall. Owen said: ‘My aspirations for Guernsey would be to come away with a team gold and a good personal result I can be proud of. Really looking forward to it.’

Alex Rockwell, who has come back from some really nasty injuries last year, was part of the 2017 gold medal winning MTB team and is hoping for more of the same, aiming for a personal top-five finish and team gold.

Former Peel and St John’s footballer Eric Kelly, who is relatively new to cycling, only taking it up three years ago, said being chosen to represent the Isle of Man at the Island Games is his career highlight to date and is ‘something that I am very proud and excited to do.’ 

He added: ‘Being a member of a strong MTB team, it would be great to hopefully take my good early season form to Guernsey and help the Isle of Man push for a team medal whilst also pushing for a strong individual finish.’

The 2017 female End to End winner Kirree Quayle is also in the MTB team. Last year saw more success as she was crowned Manx National XC MTB champion. She said: ‘I am very much looking forward to representing the IOM once again at the 2023 Island Games in Guernsey this Summer and would love to bring home a medal or two!’

Making her debut at Guernsey 2023 is Sacha Horsthuis, who has put in a strong winter of training to build up her fitness and confidence after becoming a mum in 2021. 

A year of firsts for Sacha, she made her debut at the first round of the British Cycling National Points Series in March, securing an impressive fifth place in the Expert category. 

Since March, she’s been racing more and more competitively with teammate Kirree in local cross-country races, improving each round and race. When looking at the results overall, combining the Sport category with males in the mix too, Sacha has been securing a top five finish each round in the Cycle 360 MTB Series.

Completing the MTB team is Ross Thorley, who won the masters national title in 2022 and is aiming for a podium finish after shoulder surgery this year. 

On the road, the team is made up of Mark Horsthuis, Jamie Fletcher, Michael Faid and Niall Quiggin.

Mark, who has competed in two Ras Tailteann, twice finished inside the top five in the Isle of Man’s road racing champs and has won the Bikestyle crit, is hoping for a successful time in Guersney having been involved in a bad crash in recent weeks while competing for Cycling Club Isle of Man.

Michael, who has also competed the Ras, says he is aiming for a top 10 in the time trial and to help the team to achieve as high a finish as possible on the road and in the crit.

Will Draper, who is also entered in the triathlon, says he wants to win that before focussing on the cycling, where he thinks a medal in the time trial and road race is realistic. The former British youth champion is also keen to help his team over the line.

Niall, who has only taken to racing in the last couple of years, including for Cycling Club, said that a second place in the Nick Corkill road race this year has been a highlight, alongside two sprint wins in UK crits.

He said: ‘For Guernsey, I want to focus on my strengths and do well in the time trial. I will be spending a lot of time on the TT bike between now and the games to work on this. I will also look to use these TT skills to help the team control the road race and crit, or maybe even sneak in a breakaway myself!’

As an island the Isle of Man produces an insane amount of quality cyclists and with this team lining up, there is no doubt in this mongoose’s mind that they will do us proud in Guernsey!

We’ll leave the final word with Gianni: ‘The focus is very much on team medals, across all events both in mountain biking on the road events, time trial, roadracing crit fit we’ve got a chance of coming away with medals in all those. I think as well selected events we’ve got we’ve got good opportunities to come away with individual medals as well, what colours those medals are going to be which which is the question really.’