JERSEY will not be represented in the clay target shooting discipline in the Island Games in Aland next summer.

The high cost of attending the biennial event, and the current uncertainly of what level of accommodation the shooters will be housed in, has resulted in the Jersey Clay Target Shooting Association withdrawing their team from the 2009 event.

JCTSA team manager Bill Staite, who has attended the past four Games as team manager, said: ‘The Island Games Association of Jersey were chasing us up to find out how many shooters would be travelling but because we don’t know what the final cost is going to be and what accommodation we will be in we’ve decided not to compete this time.

‘It’s unfortunate, but the shooters are all in agreement with us. We have come to this decision s purely because of the cost and the uncertainty about what accommodation we will have. We are being told it will be in the region of £1,000, but I think it could be closer to a couple of grand with all the add-ons by way of lunches and dinners and evening entertainment.’

• Picture: Clay target team manager Bill Staite with the 2007 Island Games team