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Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Highs and lows in Shetland Games; Silence for London; Alvarez for Foreign Ministry?

Highs and lows in Shetland Games

THE Falkland Islands team achieved what has been described as "the biggest shock in Island Games football history" with its 2-1 victory over Saaremaa on Tuesday. This victory, the highlight so far of the Falklands' efforts in the Island Games in Shetland, reflected a strict fitness regime embarked on by the team over the past seven months. The win came only two days after they lost their first match 4-0 to the host island. Before the Games, the Falklands were considered the poorest team in the ten-island football competition and they were expected to lose to the team from Saaremaa, an Estonian island in the Baltic Sea, which boasts a population of around 40,000 people. However, their ranking improved on Tuesday, thanks to the goals scored by Martyn Clarke and Wayne Clement and some magnificent saves from goalie Chris Gilbert. Team manager Chris Clarke chose to play some of his second string players in the next match, against the gold-medal favourites Isle of Man. This left the team with a somewhat shaky defence and resulted in a loss of 9-0. Thursday's fixture, however, was much more even. Sadly, luck was not on the Falklands team's side and they lost to Aland 2-1. This morning they play-off for 9th and 10th place against Orkney. The swimming team - Donna Triggs, Thomas Burston, Hannah Arthur-Almond and Edward Freer - has performed well with all four swimmers achieving personal bests in the pool. Hannah and Edward both won heats; Edward also broke Ben Pointing's 2001 record in the 100m breaststroke while Donna knocked a massive 22 seconds off the previous Falklands 200m freestyle record. Swimming team manager, Pam Freer, said she was "highly delighted" by the times, which were a result of the "dedication and training put in by all four swimmers prior to leaving the Falklands." Chairman of the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association (FIOGA), Patrick Watts commented, "...the Falklands are slowly closing the gap on the faster swimmers in the Island Games." Shooting is traditionally the Falklands' strongest sport, particularly pistol and full-bore rifle events. However, owing to the stringent UK gun laws, Shetland was unable to host these two events, leaving only clay pigeon shooting open to the Falklands competitors. In the team event, Graham Didlick, Saul Pitaluga and Steve Dent finished ninth of fifteen islands and Saul missed a medal shoot-off by just two clays in the Individual ABT shoot, held over two days. His final score of 90 from a possible of 125 saw him finish in eighth place. Patrick commented, "Once again, Saul has proved to be up there with the best in the clay pigeon events." Falklands golfers had a torrid time on the Whalsey and Dale golf courses, although their second round scores showed considerable improvement over the first day's returns. At Dale, Kevin Clapp, who has played in six Island Games competitions, produced a credible 85, having parred the last three holes. Rod Tuckwood recovered from his treble figure score the previous day with a 91, having birdied the 16th. Peter Bagley, with the best of the first day's scores, returned to the club house with 93, but, according to Patrick, Steve Vincent had a day he will wish to forget. A run of 13 - 8 -14 over three holes added up to a final score of 119. Only the best three scores of the day count towards the team medals. Going into the third round, the Falklands were off the bottom rung, with St Helena holding that position. In table tennis, teenager Lucas Biggs nervously took to the table on Tuesday in his first-ever international event. Patrick reported, "His nervousness was apparent in his first game as he went down 4-11, 3-11, 2-11 to Bengt Klindqvist of Aland. In his next pool game, Lucas picked up his game and began playing to the best of his ability before losing 5-11, 8-11, 7-11 to Roger Hookey of the Isle of Wight." In his final group game Lucas was edged out in three sets by Dylan De Silva of Orkney 6-11, 3-11, 7-11. Having just seriously taken up the sport six months ago, Patrick said, "Lucas can feel proud of his performance, and is now looking ahead to the Island Games of 2007 in Rhodes." Ben Watson surprised even his closest friends by winning six points in the first round of badminton singles. He went down 15-2, 15-4 to a player from the Faroe Islands. Patrick reported, "Ben, who only entered the tournament for a bit of fun, was so taken by the atmosphere and support, that he now plans to train seriously for the 2007 Games." Penguin News hopes to publish final results and more photographs from the Games next week. Photo: (left) Footballer Daniel Biggs keeps the ball in while (right) clay pigeon shooter Steve Dent lines up a shot.

Silence for London

FALKLAND ISLANDERS observed two minutes' silence yesterday, a week to the day after the attacks on Londoners by suicide bombers. The guns on Victory Green were fired by members of the Falkland Islands Defence Force to mark the beginning and end of the silence. Millions of people across Europe and the rest of the world joined Britons in the silence. Reuters reported that thousands of workers in London left their offices to stand in the street. Taxis and buses pulled off the road and financial markets paused to remember the dead. The staff of the Falkland Islands Government's London Office took part in the silence, joining hundreds of people who gathered outside New Scotland Yard and the London Underground Headquarters for the silence. A book of condolence has been opened in the Falkland Islands for the people of London. Anyone wishing to sign the book can do so in the lobby of the Government House offices between 8am and 12.15pm and 1.30pm and 4.30pm.

Alvarez for Foreign Ministry?

CARLOS ALVAREZ, former Argentine vice-president of the ousted De la Rua administration has been hinted as the candidate to replace Rafael Bielsa in Foreign Affairs if he manages to be elected Deputy for Buenos Aires Joaquin Morales Sola, one of Argentina's most prestigious political analysts put forward Mr. Alvarez's name in his weekly La Nacioncolumn, although President Kirchner's cabinet chief Alberto Fernández said "ministerial changes" would not be taking place until the results of the coming October mid-term elections were clear. Mr Morales Solá wrote that Mr Alvarez has received no formal offering but has been invited to prepare for the Foreign Affairs job. Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa said yesterday he would be happy to be succeeded by former vice-president Alvarez, even though he has no confirmation that this might happen. Alvarez, Mr Bielsa said, "is a great guy, with a very interesting way of thinking." MP

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