Talks to collaborate over 2027 Island Games travel

Jersey, Guernsey and a number of other islands could come together to travel to the 2027 Island Games in the Faroe Islands.

It is hoped the plan, which would use Southampton as a hub for a charter flight, will cut down on the costs associated with the event.

All competitors have to fund their travel and accommodation for an Island Games, with the cost of attending the last year's event in Orkney estimated at about £2,000 per person.

"We are waiting for the airline company that services the islands to see whether they can come down to Southampton and pick up us, Guernsey, Isle of Wight, Ynys Mon and even the Falkland Islands," Jersey Island Games Association chairman Steve Jacobs told BBC Radio Jersey.

"So we're looking at making Southampton a hub for the aircraft, which would save a lot of money than chartering out of Jersey.

"It's early days in that we can't charter aircraft until about January of the year of the Games, but as long as we've got all the options that we can put to our team it helps them do the financial planning."

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Jacobs has just returned from the Faroes, where administrators from the 24 competing islands got together for the annual meeting 12 months out from the event.

As well as inspecting accommodation options, delegates also visited the proposed venues and approved Gotland's bid to the host the 2031 Island Games.

It will be the first time the Faroes have hosted the event since 1989, when about 800 athletes from 15 islands competed in the third Island Games.

More than 2,000 competitors from 24 islands are expected to take part next year in the 21st edition of the event.

"There's first-class stadiums," added Jacobs.

"We looked at all the venues. There's a swimming pool there now which is a 10-lane, 50-metre pool, which is absolutely beautiful.

"That will be used, obviously, for the swimming, but because the water up there is so cold the triathletes will be swimming laps of the pool before they jump out on to the bikes.

"Venues aren't a problem, fitting everybody in, like most islands, is the big issue, making sure that everyone's getting a good night's sleep and decent food and being in top notch for the competition.

"Doing that economically in these in these times is a big issue, but they know exactly what we want."