The top sports stories of 2002

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

BVI sportsmen and women enjoyed another successful year in 2002. The BVI hosted regional events including the Busta Cup; Leeward Islands Jr. Track and Field Championships and the inaugural OECS Relays. Basketball was the only team sport playing in regional competition when they participated in the Caricom tournament. Track and Field athletes competed in the CAC Jr. Championships; Jr. World Championships; Commonwealth Games and CAC Games. Eric Mathias and Dion Crabbe won gold medals at the CAC Jr. Championships and CAC Games respectively. Following is a sport by sport synopsis of the year.

Volleyball

Volleyball season ends with controversy

The 2002 BVI Volleyball Association championships came to a grinding halt after Terminators and Te-Sito were thrown out of the league. Association president Karl 'Dub' Scatliffe said when the controversy boiled over, he was at the Belle Vue Gym before deciding to referee in the Summer Xplosion Tournament. "I made it clear that whatever was to happen had already happened and I didn't see the need to be there arguing for no reason. One team didn't show up, the other won by forfeiture. The next move was to play the other teams. Everything was settled at that time, so we had to do what we had to do."

Softball and Baseball

Pirates and Lady Braves crowned softball champions

The BVI Amateur Softball Association season was delayed for the fourth successive year, this time because of plans to renovate and realign the Old Recreation Grounds. The idea was eventually scrapped and by season's end, the Lady Braves and Pirates had won the 2002 men and women's championship.

Glenford 'Chappy' Maduro becomes ISF certified umpire

The BVI Amateur Softball Association hosted an International Softball Federation clinic during the summer and Glenford 'Chappy' Maduro became an ISF certified umpire at a certification course in the Bahamas. In addition to Maduro, three other BVI umpires-James 'Hambrook' Mercer, Nolan 'Dickie' Davies and Cynthia 'Cinty' Martin-received other levels of ISF certification. "I'm really proud of the four umpires who went to the Bahamas," BVI Amateur Softball Association president Walwyn 'GM" Brewley said. "Maduro can umpire in any softball tournament-from the Olympic Games and World Championships right down." Brewley explained that Mercer received continental certification, which allows him to umpire in all tournaments except the Olympics and World Championships. "He's one step below certification. Whenever he attends another clinic, once he keeps up with the rules, he should become our second certified umpire." Davies and Martin obtained national certification. "When they attend another clinic, they can become certified also. They just need a bit more application and practice on the mechanics. In my estimation, we did extremely well and I'm proud of our umpires."

St. Croix baseball and softball teams dominate BVI opponents

St. Croix Reds hurler Alvin 'Beano' Rosario fired a three hitter and fanned 13, but needed his teammates to bail him out for a 4-3 victory, thanks to the generous errors of the BVI All Stars. The Reds overpowered the BVI All Stars for a 16-2 win in the opener. St. Croix's Cruzans and the Croixettes softball teams, went unbeaten and walked off as champions of the Lady Braves Invitational Softball Tournament.

Cricket

BVI hosts successful Busta Cup competition

The BVI made its foray into regional first class cricket, when it hosted the Busta Cup match between the Leeward and Windward Islands February 21-25. The territory drew the largest crowd in the region at the matches, which the Leewards won.

Combined Virgin Islands wins first match in 5 years.

The Combined Virgin Islands won their first LICA match-with an outright victory over Montserrat-ending a 5-year losing streak. Meanwhile, in one of the most contentious Annual General Meetings of the BVI Cricket Association which attracted 60 persons, incumbent Paul Hewlett was re-elected president by an 8-6 margin over former president Theodore Skeete. Skeete unseated Denise Hewlett for the secretary/treasurer's post.

Tennis

Howse and Phillips preserve BVI Open Tennis titles

Defending champions and top seeds Fitzroy Howse of Ft. Lauderdale Fla., and Grenada's Sylma Phillips, preserved their BVI Open Tennis titles with victories over St. Kitts' Dexter Christian and Wendy Yahpe respectively. Both Howse and Phillips however, failed to defend their men's doubles and mixed doubles titles.

Howse overpowered Christian 5-7, 6-3 and 6-2 to win the Men's A Singles title. Phillips retained her women's singles title and won for the third time-after winning in 1998-with a 6-0 and 6-3 victory over St. Kitts' Wendy Yaphe. Tortola's Dion Anslem retained his B Singles crown with a 6-2 and 6-1 triumph over Virgin Gorda's Lennox Mack. St. John's George Lewis and Aisha Christan defeated defending champions Sylma Phillips and Leonnard Dopswell of Grenada 6-4 and 6-1 for the Mixed Doubles title. St. Kitts' Christian and Anthony Caines upset defending champs Howse and Percy Rhoden, to win the Men's Doubles 6-3 and 6-4. In the first youth championship match ever held, Kayleigh Driver beat Deane Fonsecca 6-2.

Basketball

Basketball Association cancels 2002 season

For the first time in its history, the BVI Amateur Basketball Association cancelled its season after a Feb 28 meeting. "All preliminary indications show that as long as we don't get a roof on top of the basketball court and have it in some sort of playing condition, there will not be a regular basketball season," BVIABA president Elvis 'Jughead' Harrigan said. "We are also letting the Minister of Sports know, that once construction has begun, we will certainly pause or delay the start of the season as long as needed for the competition of the facility." Players organized a Hoops Xplosion Tournament over the summer.

LIBA Tournament moves form BVI to Antigua

The BVI should have played host to the 2002 Leeward Islands Basketball Association (LIBA) tournament. However, LIBA officials moved to tournament to Antigua instead because the BVI did not have a facility.

BVI finishes 8th in Caricom Basketball Tournament

The BVI participated in the Caricom Basketball Tournament for the first time in 18 years and placed eight overall. The BVI whipped Aruba 105-60 to finish the tournament with a 2-4 record after a 74-71 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but had losses to Jamaica, Antigua, the USVI and Barbados.

Virgin Gorda Basketball league president quits post

Four days after Set It Off and Big Tymers won Summer Jam League senior and junior division titles, the president of the Virgin Gorda Basketball Club Doriel Reviera who organized the league called it quits after three years at the helm.

Football

BVI Football Association calls off 2002 league

BVIFA president Andy Bickerton announced during the opening of the Virgin Gorda Football League at the Valley Recreation Grounds, there'll be no 2002 season. "For the first time in my 21-year history of involvement, there'll be no football league on Tortola this year, because of lack of facilities. I think it's a big disappointment for the young people coming on the cancellation of the basketball league as well."

Virgin Gorda wins VI Football tourney

After playing to a 1-1 regulation tie, Virgin Gorda used penalty kicks to beat Tortola 5-3 to win the 2002 Virgin Islands Football Association Tournament title, in the tournament held in St. Croix.

Track and Field

Flemming goes wire to wire for BVIHS Inter-house championship

Flemming house won the BVI High School Inter-house Athletic Championships with a wire to wire triumph for a 650-610 triumph over Carlisle. Lettsome was third with 485 points, while defending champions Lincoln-seeking its 14th title-failed to defend and ended with 423 points.

Dion Crabbe wins CAC Games Gold

Sprinter Dion Crabbe won the territory's first gold medal at one of the major games when he claimed the 100 meters at the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador. He attempted a historic sprint double-seeking to become the first to pull it off in 20 years-then finished fourth in the 200 meters. He won double All America honors at the 2002 NCAA Track and Field Championships and set national records of 10.25 and 20.30 seconds for 100 and 200 meters respectively. His 200 time ranks him 18th worldwide this year. Only 159 people have run faster in the history of the sport.

Tahesia Harrigan sets national records

Tahesia Harrigan won All America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships over 60 meters where she was second. She set national records of 11.37 and 23.46 for 100 and 200 meters respectively. She became the first BVI athlete to advance to the semifinals of the Commonwealth Games.

Eric Mathias wins CAC Jr. Championships Discus gold

Eric Mathias won the CAC Jr. Championships Discus Throw gold medal during the summer then extended the national record to 172'1". Mathias' throw was the fifth BVI National Record to fall during 2002

BVI Hosts regional meets

Host BVI pulled out a dramatic one-point victory over Antigua, by placing second in the final event-the under-20 boys 4x400 meter relay-to win the 2002 Leeward Islands Jr. Track and Field Championships, with defending champions St. Kitts finishing third. Scores: BVI 125. Antigua, 124. St. Kitts, 101. Nevis, 46. St. Maarten, 18. USVI, 10.

St. Lucia wins OECS Relays

It was sugarcane against bananas. With St. Kitts' manager referring to his team as 'the Caribbean's new sprint factory,' and they would claim the title, it would seem that the males didn't show up for work at the OECS Relays. St. Kitts' women secured a one-point 13-12 victory over St. Lucia's, but St. Lucia's men out scored the Sugar City gang 20-12 to win the first OECS Relays by seven points margin over St. Kitts. Hosts BVI and St. Vincent and the Grenadines tied for third. St. Lucia amassed 32 points and St. Kitts' 25. The BVI and St. Vincent and the Grenadines tied with 14. Dominica finished with 5.

BVI Spring Regatta celebrates 30th anniversary

The BVI Spring Regatta celebrated its 30th anniversary and continued introducing innovative ideas, including separate courses for each class of racing, in order to cut the time sailors spent waiting on starts. Lack of winds however, cancelled the last day of sailing.

Cycling

Jaron Maduro becomes first local Cycling champion

Nineteen year old Jaron Maduro became the first BVI born cyclist and the youngest to lay claim to the BVI Cycling Federation National Championship. "We knew from early in the season, that because he had won four of the first five races, unless he had not finished the season, there was no way that he could not have won," BVICF presedent David Thomas said. "It's just great. It feels really good to have a local BVIslander, born and bred as champion, especially one that's so young, because it means that he can do nothing else from here on than get better."

Miller wins third Tour de Tortola

Defending champion John Miller equaled Antigua's Robert Marsh's three Clarence Thomas Ltd. Tour de Tortola titles, with a 20 minute victory over Andrew Young and St. Thomas' David Jones. Miller won the 40-mile circumnavigation of Tortola in 2 hours 08 minutes and 34 seconds, to Young's 2:28.13 and Jones' 2:28.34. St. John's Louise DePuy-the only woman in the field-was 10th overall in 2:41.58.

British Cycling Federation accredits BVI cyclists for international competition

The BVI Cycling Federation was accredited to the International Cycling Union by the British Cycling Federation during the Commonwealth Games. "Today was a great day because the BVI Cycling Federation has been accredited by the British Cycling Federation and they are now issuing licenses to all of our riders so that they can now compete anytime, anyplace, anywhere in the world," BVICF president David Thomas said after signing the document.

Guyana's Godfrey Pollydore retains Jason Bally 100K title

Guyana's Godfrey Pollydore sprinted past the four man pack with 150 meters left to successfully defend his Jason Bally Memorial 100K title. "The race was a little harder for me this year because I was doing most of the pacing and all the guys were watching me and expecting me to ride real hard," Pollydore said after winning the 62.5 mile race that attracted 54 riders in three divisions in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 36 seconds. "I put my best foot this year and it was real tough. I tried to put the pressure on the guys so that they won't think they could trick me. I attacked to make them scared."

$7 Million Multipurpose Sports Complex under construction

Sports Minister Andrew Fahie said it was a great day for the further development of sports in the territory, when the BVI Government broke ground for a $7 million Multipurpose Sports Complex at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds. "After many years of dreaming-and when I say many years-we are talking about 27 years of dreaming, wishing and planning, this bold step had been taken to establish a facility, which will house a number of sporting activities for all our people, especially the youth of this community. This project is definitely forward ever, backwards never."