The International Island Games Association (IGA) would be thrilled for Bermuda to have a mini-dress rehearsal for hosting the Island Games.

Against the backdrop of Bermuda?s intention to bid for the 2011 Island Games, IGA officials yesterday gave their blessing for a proposal for this year?s Island Games triathlon to be held here in September ? two months after the Island Games proper are held in the Shetland Islands and Gibraltar.

IGA chairman Bo Frykenstam applauded Bermuda?s initiative in seeking to fill the breech as neither of this year?s Games locations were able to host the triathlon and other options had fallen through.

?Oh yes, we would encourage these exchanges between the member islands. It should not clash with our Games but if a special sport is not on the programme we welcome it being organised somewhere else,? said Frykenstam, on a brief visit to Bermuda.

Bermuda Island Games Association (BIGA) chairman Jon Beard said this possibility was greeted enthusiastically by the Bermuda Triathlon Association (BTA). The plan is for the Island Games races to be part of the annual Bank of Bermuda Triathlon Series.

?They (BTA) said they would love to put on a triathlon involving the Island Games competitors so (BIGA secretary) Jon (Gazzard) has put a request out to see if there would be an interest in others coming here in September to have an Island Games triathlon,? explained Beard, adding this would be ?a good start to see what we can and cannot do?.

Noting that in its Island Games debut in Guernsey in 2003 triathlon attracted about 100 entries, Frykenstam said he expected enough competitors would be interested in coming here to make this idea a reality.