PREPARATIONS for next weekend’s Channel Islands Stock Exchange Touch Club Championship are in full swing.

The tournament, which is now in its second year, has been organised by Guernsey Touch to provide club teams with the opportunity to play against teams from outside the island and at a more intense level.

This year’s event, which is sponsored by the Channel Islands Stock Exchange, will be an all-Channel Islands affair.

‘We had hoped to be able to attract some teams across from the UK and Europe but it seems that some teams are struggling to finance away trips and we know other teams already have commitments closer to home. We already have two teams confirmed from Jersey so we’re looking forward to welcoming them to Guernsey,’ said Guernsey Touch chair Katrina Bray.

‘We have a number of teams from Guernsey who have already entered, some of which are currently playing in our Summer League and others which combine players from different Summer League teams. The CISX Touch Club Championship involves much larger fields than what is used in the Summer League and the games are also longer and so the intensity will be much higher. It should be an excellent weekend of touch and with the support of the Channel Islands Stock Exchange we hope to be able to grow the event next year and attract teams from across the UK and Europe.’

The tournament will be played over Saturday and Sunday next weekend at Cambridge Park.

‘We’re extremely grateful to the St Peter Port Constables who came to our rescue after the grounds we planned to use needed reseeding. It’s fantastic to have their support and we hope that being somewhere so public will help raise the profile of the sport and encourage more people to become involved,’ said Katrina.

The CISX Touch Club Championship is open to mixed, mens and womens teams of all levels. Registration is £10 per player which includes water and lunch. Guernsey Touch will also be holding a fund-raising School Disco on Saturday 6th June starting at 7.30pm in St Martin’s Parish Hall. More information and team registration can be found at www.guernseytouch.org.gg or by contacting Katrina Bray on 07781 191977