The Island?s top athletes head out to Greece this week with only a slim chance of a medal.

But this time next year, a much larger contingent will have just returned from an international multi-sport Games with a bucketful of golds, silvers and bronzes.

The Island Games take place in the Shetland Islands, just off the north-east of Scotland, and the chairman of Bermuda?s Association Jon Beard, who has just returned from a fact-finding mission there, likes what he has seen.

The competition between the 24 islands will take place in men?s and women?s football, men?s and women?s volleyball, cycling, archery, badminton, gymnastics, shooting, sailing, table tennis, track and field, bowls (crown green), squash, golf, and swimming, while basketball and tennis will be held in Gibraltar, and the triathlon in Yns Mon (formerly known as Anglesey).

?The Shetlands have a wealth of facilities,? said Beard, who visited the venue with association secretary Jon Gazzard.

?The leisure centres were not all on a grand scale. Although, of relatively new design, most were about the size of three badminton courts, and the pools were designed more for the teaching of swimming than competition.

?The main leisure centre in Lerwick, however, is a terrific centre and has all of the competition demands necessary.?

Beard warned that the Island?s athletes, who will be housed on a small cruise ship moored near Lerwick, will have to adjust to the cooler conditions ? which are expected to hover around 50 or 60 degrees ? as well as 18 hours of daylight.

?The ethos of the games is that it exposes island people to other islands, and one of the most enjoyable times for us was the opportunity to network with the representatives from the other islands,? Beard added.

?It was interesting to find the facilities other islands enjoy, how they fund them and how they prepare for these Games.

?We are hoping that over 120 athletes will represent Bermuda in the Games, perhaps improving on last year?s 100-plus which was the largest group of athletes to ever represent Bermuda in an international competition.

?Fund-raising is a stressful and nail-biting time ? but the look on our athletes faces when they know they have brought some real distinction to Bermuda will be priceless.?

Last year ? in their first outing in the Games ? Bermuda finished third and the Island are considering bidding for the 2011 instalment of the event.