CI SPOTY judges "get it right"

Sunday 12 January 2020

The Channel Islands Sports Personality of the Year Awards are taking place at the end of this month, to once again celebrate some of the islands' highest achievers.

And this year marks something important for the awards, according to its organiser, because someone who once won the rising star award - Guernsey Footballer Maya Le Tissier - is shortlisted for the main 'personality of the year' award.

This continuity across the awards since they started in 2002 shows how CISPOTY has become a core part of the islands' sporting community. 

"It shows that the judges really get it right," Suzanne Pontin said, "they take a lot of time over it and put a lot of thought in, and that is clear in examples like Maya. She won the rising star award, and has now risen up a few years down the line to being in the short list for the top award."

The awards are taking place on 30 January, and the winner of each category gets a £1,000 prize. Mrs Pontin said this was about trying to pump some energy and support into the sporting scene across the islands, whether it goes towards new equipment or trips to the UK.

Pictured: Scott Quinnell is this year's special celebrity guest, chosen because of Guernsey's growing rugby scene. 

Channel TV first started the awards to replicate the SPOTY awards in the UK. The idea stemmed from how many 'stars' Guernsey and Jersey manage to produce from such a disproportionately small population. 

"Of course there is huge sporting success in the UK, but the fact - as cheesy as it may sound - that the islands punch well above their weight consistently really shows how good the sporting scenes are, and how much support there is to foster talent."

Finally, Mrs Pontin wanted to thank all of the sponsors. She said each have a category which really links to their business' ethos and values, and because of how the ethos behind sport is so similar to the ethos behind business, they were always keen to be involved.

There are still seats available for the event. To book tickets, contact Mrs Pontin on pontin@cwgsy.net.

Pictured: CI SPOTY in 2018.