It was a busy weekend as the Queen’s Baton Relay toured the Isle of Man, being held by a number of current and past Island sportsmen and women as well as a large number of Island residents and visitors, on its way to next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

The Baton, accompanied by a team from the Commonwealth Federation, was officially welcomed at Ronaldsway Airport by Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association President Basil Bielich, Chief Minister Howard Quayle, CGA officials and local media. From the airport the Baton travelled to Isle of Man Post Office headquarters in one of the new electric postal vans.

During the first day of the visit the Baton was taken to the offices of four of the generous Team Champions, Skanco, SMP Partners, Auxesia and Paysafe, before arriving at Government House, where afternoon tea was hosted by His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney for the Queen’s Baton and Isle of Man Commonwealth Youth Games Team, who participated so successfully in the Bahamas.

Day two of the event, on Saturday 2nd September, started at the NSC where teams from Isle of Man Badminton Association, Isle of Man Swimming Association, Manx Athletics, Isle of Man Cycling, Ellan Vannin Gymnastics, Isle of Man Archery and the ‘Walk and Talk’ group interacted with the Baton. 

The Baton then headed Onchan Park for a photograph with the competitors of the Lawn Bowls National Singles Championships, before moving on to Laxey, where it was taken to the Children’s Centre and was paraded through the village up to the Great Laxey Mines Railway before leaving for Douglas on the Electric Tram.

The Baton was welcomed into Douglas on the double-decker Douglas Bay Horse Tram festooned with Manx flags before visiting Richmond Travel which, as part of its Escape the Rock business, is a Team Champion, and Manx Telecom, which is another generous Team Champion.  Strand Street offered a great opportunity for many people to get up close to the Baton.

The final stops of day two were Cregneash, where in true Manx style there was traditional dancing and a real festival atmosphere was enjoyed before the Baton was part of a jogging relay to The Sound for refreshments supplied by the Sound Cafe with children from The Buchan school and King William’s College.

On the last day of the tour the Baton was photographed at the start the National 50km Race Walking Championship before heading to the Mooragh Park in Ramsey for the Microgaming Triathlon. The Baton travelled over the Mountain Road courtesy of Isle of Man Trike Tours to the Grandstand for a photo opportunity with Michael Evans, Martin Bullock Motorsport Suzuki GSX-R750 rider, who stormed to Senior GP Victory on Friday adding to his Junior GP win earlier in the week.

Other stops on the final day included Isle of Man Hospice, Moore’s Kipper Factory for lunch followed by Davisons Ice Cream and a photo opportunity with Peel Lifeboat after their morning exercise.  Our finale was a Sports Fun Day held at Centre 21 for the centre’s users and their families.

Mr Bielich said: ‘What an absolutely fantastic weekend we had with the Queen’s Baton and the team who accompanied the Baton. It was brilliant to see so many people in the community come out to see the Baton and being able to hold it. What a thrill it will be during the opening ceremony for all those to be able to say “I held that”.

‘As well as being a great local event, it was a brilliant opportunity for us to be able to showcase our beautiful Island to the rest of the Commonwealth. We have great sporting prowess and that was evident throughout the weekend.

‘With fewer than 90 days for our athletes to qualify for Team Isle of Man the visit of the Baton has reminded us how close the Games is and how exciting it is for us to be able to take a team to represent our Island.

‘A huge thank you to all the local businesses which support our CGA including our Team Champions, IOM Trike Tours, IOM Post Office, our photographer, David Sylvester and Mylchreests, who provided official transport over the weekend, together with Department of Infrastructure, Public Transport Division and to Isle of Man Constabulary and St. John’s Ambulance. Without these local businesses we wouldn’t have been able to host the event this weekend.’

The Queen’s Baton Relay is the traditional curtain raiser to the Commonwealth Games and has been an integral part of the Games’ programme since the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games.  The Isle of Man was the 43rd of 71 Commonwealth destinations being visited. Inside the Baton is a message from Her Majesty The Queen which will be read out at the opening ceremony in April next year.

The relay began at Buckingham Palace on 13th March, when The Queen handed the Baton to Australian cycling legend and Commonwealth and Olympic Games medallist Anna Meares, OAM.

For more information about the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association, including ways to support Team Isle of Man, visit www.cga.im.

Photo - Young gymnasts from Ellan Vannin Gymnastics.