Guernsey Island Games Association has bid farewell and good luck to its team members before they start travelling to Orkney next week.

The vehicles carrying kit and equipment will leave the island by ferry mid week before the bulk of the team members fly up in chartered planes on Friday.

The opening ceremony is on Saturday 12 July.

Before then, as many members of Team Guernsey as were available – including the Managers, Coaches, and Medics, gathered at Beau Sejour.

Ross Yeates of Skywave photography captured the entire team on the lawn in front of Beau Sejour (top and linked above).

They were wished well in their competitions by the Bailiff, Martin Talbot from Team Guernsey sponsor Healthspan, and GIGA Chairman John Marley.

When Team Guernsey arrive in Orkney they will be together for the Opening Ceremony along with Team Alderney, Team Sark, and Team Jersey, along with all other island teams.

After that the whole team won’t be together again as the individual sport competitions get underway on Sunday 13 July.

The closing ceremony sees competitors gathered by sports rather than by islands.

Pictured (l-r): Jon Marley; GIGA Chairman, Sophia Catton; Head of Brand Marketing at sponsor Healthspan, Water Carrier Medha Vallapureddy, Flag Bearer Amy Critchlow, and Karen Archenoul; GIGA Games Director for Orkney 2025.

When Team Guernsey enters the Orkney Island Games Opening Ceremony they’ll be led out by flag bearer Amy Critchlow.

The veteran triathlete already has five Island Games under her belt, and insists this will be her last as a competitor.

Critchlow has won team medals at every Games she has contested, and in Guernsey 2023 she achieved the significant personal milestone of claiming her first individual medal – a bronze – alongside Guernsey’s team gold.

Guernsey’s water carrier is young Badminton star Medha Vallapureddy, at her first Island Games.

At just 14-years-old Vallapureddy has been playing her sport since she was seven, and first represented Guernsey in an Under 19 inter-insular match when she was just nine.

Vallapureddy has since represented the island at county level for the last two seasons.

So far in 2025, Vallapureddy has already won eight gold medals in singles, doubles, and mixed badminton tournaments at under 17 age group in Guernsey and on the Badminton England tournament circuit, most notably winning Gold at the prestigious Warwickshire event in April.