WHILE Bermuda's sports stars jet off to the Island Games in the sunny Mediterranean this summer spare a thought for Bermuda's badminton players who will instead kick their heels at home before flying long-haul out to chilly Greenland in October.Bumped out of the main games in Rhodes to make way for judo, badminton players are the only sport heading to the huge ice-capped island, three-quarters of which lies within the Arctic Circle.

A rueful Rick Dorush, vice president of Bermuda Badminton Association, is irritated but undeterred as he prepares to enter a squad.

"Not a lot of fun," was his verdict on the venue. "It's being held in October, which doesn't make sense because it is going to be really cold up there. Why didn't they have it in summer?"

Dorush, a Canadian, has never been tempted to visit the large landmass to his nation's north and isn't even sure what language they speak.

His searches on the internet have not much enlightened him about Nuuk, Greenland's capital which is hosting the finals.

Greenland edged out the more temperate Guernsey to host badminton and has some claim having won both the men's singles and doubles last time while the Channel Islands dominated the women's games and the Shetlands picked up the mixed doubles.

Last time around Bermuda came towards the bottom of the pile. Dorush went with Ian Wilkie, Mark Haugen, Lee Harrison, Paul Lee, Julie Matthews, Amanda Smith, Clare Kent and Dianne Blais.

But with Matthews now working in Dubai and Kent unavailable the women's squad, the team might be somewhat depleted although Emma Harney is looking to go.

Dorush himself is still undecided about making the trip.

"It's a long way to go. It involves flying to Denmark and then to Greenland. It's a full day's worth of travel just to get there."

And he says the extra expense could be another factor in cutting down the squad size.

Other sports relegated from the main event got better venues said Dorush.

"Originally when Rhodes first put the bid in they said badminton was going to be one of the sports.

"Then they changed that and put in judo instead. It's disappointing. It's nice to be part of the whole Bermuda team concept.

"You get to see all the other different sports and cheer Bermuda on but this time we won't have that opportunity."

Nevertheless the Bermuda squad is working hard. Before Christmas it began Sunday drills to add to the regular club nights at BAA gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

And last year the squad went to Ottawa to get some international exposure.

"It was good experience. We played in world class facilities. We got to play against the former female Canadian number one — Doris Peche."

The men took on some top club players which gave the squad some insight into various different styles.