The History of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey Booklet (1957 - 2007)

Alan Cross, the Association’s Secretary General, has been researching for this booklet for the past year and has compiled a colourful and interesting chronicle of the past 14 Commonwealth Games bringing us right up to date with information on the Team Jersey’s participation in the 2010 Delhi Games. The booklet is prefaced by the Association’s patrons, His Excellency, the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, General Andrew Ridgway and the Bailiff of Jersey, Mr. Michael Birt and it includes a collection of photographs from all Games and lists the names of all Jersey competitors.

It provides us with a wealth of information much of which could well have been lost in the course of time. For example, to date, 214 Jersey athletes have earned the right to compete for their Island at the past 14 Games through meeting Jersey’s stringent qualifying standards and, of these elite athletes, 60 have come from the each of the sports of lawn bowls and shooting. Stephen Le Couilliard, smallbore shooter holds the current record of having represented Jersey at the Games on six occasions and Karina Bisson and Allan Quemard, lawn bowlers have competed in four Games each.

The final pages of the booklet cover other aspects of the Games including the journey of the Queens Baton Relay around the 71 Commonwealth territories prior to the Opening Ceremony and the recent introduction of the Commonwealth Youth Games. The Jersey Association’s celebration of its 50th anniversary since its formation on 23rd October 1957 is also documented.

The cost of printing the booklet has been covered by both the Jersey Association and a number of local companies including the Association’s lead sponsor, the Sanne Group. Simon Young, Sanne’s Managing Director, attended the official launch of the booklet at Fort Regent on 23rd March and announced their decision to remain the lead sponsors for the Association for the four year build-up to the 2014 Glasgow Games.

Copies of the history booklet will be distributed to all Jersey schools, libraries, and sports associations and be placed later on the Association’s website www.cgaj.org . Former Games athletes and officials requiring a copy of the booklet are asked to send a stamped, self-addressed A4 envelope to Alan Cross at 8 Clos De Verger, St. Brelade JE3 8AJ or simply download and view a pdf version here.

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