Sports

(CRFU): With a light sprinkling of rain and overcast conditions in South Sound local rugby fans and players alike could not have asked for better rugby playing weather for the opening round of the Alex Alexander Memorial Trophy competition, proudly sponsored by DART. The opening game, played at 2pm, normally sees both teams slog it out under stifling sunshine whilst the later 4pm game, still being played in the Caribbean heat often benefits from a quickly setting sun. The Century 21 Cayman Storm, looking to defend their 2012 league trophy victory took on the Queensgate Pigs Trotters in the early fixture. (Photo by Caroline Deegan)

(CISC): The big sail boats will be in action for the first time this year in race 1 of the 8 race HHM Cruiser series. Last year saw the inaugural “Round the Sound” series and proved very popular, with 17 different boats coming out for what was billed as “fun racing with the emphasis on fun”. Clive Bodden’s Yahoo Yahoo took the trophy last year, sailing consistently in all six races. The series has now been expanded to eight races and everyone will be gunning for the big catamaran. Bruce Johnson’s Blue Runner, which came in second overall, has had his boat out of the water prepping it to do even better this year.

(CNS): With sports tourism on the rise in the Cayman Islands visitors and athletes are making trips specifically to watch and participate in sporting events. The Mercuryman Triathlon which took place at the Reef Resort in East End on Sunday sponsored by CITA is  Cayman’s only official half iron distance triathlon and aquabike event. The endurance event involved a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. The event was completed as an individual or with relay teams of 2-3 members and three up and coming triathletes on the international circuit also participated in the triathlon alongside many local residents.

(CBAC): Camana Bay Aquatic Club (CBAC) swimmers, friends, family and supporters came together last Saturday to raise funds for the competitive swim club’s 2013 endeavours through the 2nd Annual Swim-a-Thon Fundraiser. The annual event raises money for the Club’s operational expenses; including pool time, swim programmes, meets and events like the Open Water Swim Series. On Saturday 19 January, 83 swimmers took part in the From Cayman to CARIFTA Swim-a-Thon at the Camana Bay Pool and set their sights on swimming the distance from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, Jamaica – a total of 225 miles.

(CUC-PFL): Among the top stories emerging from the third day of playoff games in the 2012/2013 CUC Primary Football League (PFL) this past Saturday were Red Bay’s Under 9 team recording their first win and South Sound Schools continuing their unbeaten streak. In the Under 11 competition, Cayman Prep came out on top once again and “giant-killers” from last week NorthEast Schools, taste defeat at the hands of St. Ignatius Prep. In the Under 9 Consolation Cup, Truth For Youth triumphed over Triple C 2-0 and Prospect Primary squeezed past George Town Primary 2-1.

(CIASA): Splash, Dash and Dine 2013 has been heralded a success by its organizers, the Cayman Islands Amateurs Swimming Association (CIASA). Olympic swimmers Liam Tancock (Great Britain), Caitlin McClatchey (Great Britain) and Conor Dwyer (USA) were in Grand Cayman, January 10-13 putting on clinics, leading sea swims and taking part in a fund raising brunch. CIASA is a volunteer, not for profit association dedicated to furthering the interests of all aquatic sports in the Cayman Islands. Funds raised are used for further educational and technical training of officials, coaches and senior/elite swimmers; for the Junior Cayman Islands CARIFTA Swimming Team; for the popular Sea Swim Series and for the development of the sport of swimming throughout the Cayman Islands.

(CRFU): With the Cayman Islands Men’s Rugby Union XV’s Heineken Charity Shield being settled in December, the real “meat and gravy” of Cayman Rugby, the Alex Alexander Memorial Trophy rolls out on 26 January 2013. The Advance Fire & Plumbing Buccaneers secured the Heineken Shield for the first time with a 14-12 win over the Century 21 Cayman Storm and have lined themselves up as early favourites to win the most coveted trophy in Cayman Islands Rugby.The Alex Alexander trophy (sponsored by DART) is a league trophy fought for by four domestic rugby teams. The John Doak Architecture Iguanas, the Advance Fire & Plumbing Buccaneers, the Queensgate Pigs Trotters and the Century 21 Cayman Storm. Photo Caroline Deegan

(CIASA): Olympic Swimmers Liam Tancock, Caitlin McClatchey and Conor Dwyer took to the sea off of Cayman’s world famous Seven Mile Beach last weekend as part of the Cayman Island Amateur Swimming Association’s (CIASA) fund raising weekend. Over 100 local swimmers swam alongside them earning bragging rights to say they swam with Olympians. Alex McCallum also earned the right to say he beat a second Olympian when he crossed the finish line 0.06 of a second ahead of McClatchey. McCallum previously beat 2012 Olympic 10K Gold Medal Winner Oussama Mellouli in the 2012 Pirates Week 5K Open Water event.

(CUC-PFL) The second day of playoff games in the 2012/2013 CUC Primary Football League (PFL) took place this past Saturday, January 12, at the T.E. McField Sports Field (Annex Field). In the Under 9 Consolation Cup, George Town Primary blanked Bodden Town Primary 4-0 and Truth For Youth defeated Prospect Primary by a similar scoreline. In the Under 9 Champions Cup, Cayman Prep defeated St. Ignatius Prep 3-0 thanks to three second-half goals, two from Igor Magalhaes and a solitary strike from Joshua Small. Savannah Primary topped Red Bay Primary 2-0 with Jawan Wray and Jeremy Scott contributing a goal each.

(CNS): Runners participating in the 2013 Off The Beaten Track marathon will be following a new route through the beaches, bush and back roads of Grand Cayman and crossing a new finishing line, officials have said.  The gruelling 50 kilometre run won’t be revealed until a week before the race but the organisers stated that the runners will be crossing the finish line at Tiki Beach on Sunday, 24 February.  The physical demands of the race are significantly more challenging than a typical road race. Relay team members can compete and only run a fraction more than 5 miles each.

(CaymanHockey): Hockey fans around the world are rejoicing with the recent news that the 113 day NHL lockout is now over. Whilst the season won’t start for another ten days, fans of the sport can get their hockey fix this weekend as the CI Youth Roller Hockey Club hosts the 3rd Annual Cayman Hockey Fights Cancer Youth Street Hockey Tournament. Taking place beside the ARC at Cayman International School on Saturday, January 12^th, this tournament is designed to help grow the sport of hockey but more importantly raise funds for the Cayman Cancer Society.

(CRFU): The Cayman Rugby Union membership joined together to celebrate the festive season with their annual Boxing Day “President’s vs. Captains” match on Saturday 26 December at the Rugby Club. The Boxing Day game, played in Cayman since the Cayman Rugby Union’s inception, has been an opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to get a social run around and enjoy the lighter side of the sport of rugby… namely the camaraderie (whilst still keeping some semblance of competitiveness at the back of their minds).

(CUC-PFL): In the Under 9 Champions Cup, undefeated South Sound Schools continued their winning streak with a 2-0 victory over Sir John A. Cumber Primary thanks to strikes either side of half time from Diondre Wright and Aiden Hew when the 2012/2013 CUC Primary Football League (PFL) playoffs in the Under 9 and Under 11 Champions Cups kicked off Saturday at the Annex Field with six very entertaining games. In the Under 9 Champions Cup, undefeated South Sound Schools continued their winning streak with a 2-0 victory over Sir John A. Cumber Primary thanks to strikes either side of half time from Diondre Wright and Aiden Hew.

(WBSF): The West Bay Sports Foundation, in collaboration with the Academy Sports Club, is pleased to announce that they will be hosting Bill Irwin, Director of Soccer from the University of Portland from January 16 to 20. Coach Irwin is in his tenth year as the Director of Soccer at the university. Irwin, a certified “A” licenced coach, was promoted to his current position in 2003 after serving 16 years as an assistant. He and the rest of the coaching staff are responsible for the men’s and women’s soccer teams at the University of Portland as a combined staff.

(CUC-PFL): The always entertaining 2012/13 CUC Primary Football League (PFL) Playoffs begin Saturday, January 5 at 9:00am at the Annex Field with games scheduled in the Under 9 and Under 11 Champions Cups only. Due to the relatively small number of schools qualifying for this year’s Under 9 and Under 11 Consolation Cups, play will commence in these Cups on Saturday, January 12. Schools qualifying for this year’s Under 9 Champions Cup include 2011/12 runners-up Sir John A Cumber Primary, S. Ignatius Prep, Savannah Primary and Cayman International School from Group A, and defending 2011/12 champions Cayman Prep, Red Bay Primary, South Sound Schools and NorthEast Schools from Group B.