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The Vault in St Peter Port has become the mainstay of live music in town largely due to the tireless support and organization by Mark Guillou.

Mark's involvement in the local scene goes back so far it would be rude to start quoting figures. But I'm going to guess you would need all the digits on one hand to count the decades he has been playing in bands!

Recent years has seen him settle in The Vault organizing Open Mic nights and busy weekends of live music.

I'm aware that I don't give the coverage this live venue deserves. After all, as I've already said, this is where you can be sure to get your gig fix and photographing bands is what I do!

Sadly the popularity of the Vault is what makes it a difficult place to take pics. The area around the stage is very tight to work in. Also the lighting is a real challenge. Of course both those aspects make little impact on the audience as the packed nights prove. It's just us precious photographers who complain!!!

I do however make occasional visits and I've uploaded pics from a few weeks ago when Coastal Fire Dept. and Clameur De Haro made an appearance.

Click on these links to view my pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF COASTAL FIRE DEPT
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF CLAMEUR DE HARO

Yesterday I spent the early part of the evening chasing around trying to find the Netball game that I'd been booked to photograph.

In the end the effort failed as it seems the game had been cancelled! So rather than return home without a result I sniffed out a game that was still on.

This was one of the Guernsey Netball Association's Winter Indoor League Division One games at St Sampsons High.

The teams, Liberte NGT A v Paving the Way, put on a really close contest with Paving the Way just pulling off the win, 36-32.

I'd forgotten how challenging Netball is to photograph. It's quite different to Basketball even though you could imagine they would be similar.

So I've made a note to not leave it so long again before returning. Maybe I will 'get my eye and timing' tuned if I have more practice!

My pics can be viewed here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE NETBALL PICS

The 2021 Siam Trophy weekend offered a full days entertainment for Guernsey and Jersey Rugby supporters at Footes Lane.

Three games had been organized. First was the Veterans game playing for the Nash Cup. The Guernsey Vets set the standard by beating Jersey Vets 55 - 19. No doubt about the best team after a score like that.

So it was the Ladies turn next and Guernsey Raiders Ladies set off at a pace and they didn't take the foot off the gas until the final whistle. The result was a score of 46 - 7. A decisive Guernsey victory over the Jersey Reds Women.

I managed to cover the later part of the second half of the ladies game and I've added a Gallery featuring those pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2021 LADIES SIAM TROPHY

Another Gallery update showcasing more of Guernsey's weekend sporting action has been added.

My first assignment on Sunday was to cover the latest round of the Guernsey Velo Club MTB Cross Country at La Pomare.

The track at La Pomare is a surprising find. It's situated in the rural south west amongst the fields. However the GVC have been able to use a small wooded valley to lay out a variety of twisting tracks. They are narrow and demand a level of skill from competitors.

The track is also a challenge for a photographer as movement is very restricted once a race starts. But it's worth the effort as some dynamic pics can be captured.

I've added a new Gallery featuring the pics here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST MTB XC PICS

GFC seem to find halting the run of drawn results a difficult habit to break.

The Isthmian South-Central league doesn't give away any easy games. Most of the opponents are pro's or semi-pros so the extra time they have to train combined with greater experience means our local side of enthusiastic and talented players start each game faced with that fact.

But the GFC know how to punch above their weight and local games enjoy a 'twelfth man' in the form of the home crowd.

Our GFC squad are really well motivated and competitive and I'm sure it wont be long before they take another win!

Pics of the 2-2 draw against Thatcham Town are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF GFC v THATCHAM TOWN

Just a quick update to let you know that the latest Autocross pics are now online.

Race 4 of the Guernsey Autocross Club's Winter Championship took place in quite nice and bright conditions... meaning we didn't get wet!

Of course there are plenty more rounds of the championship to go yet. Not that I want to tempt fate!!

The pics are here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS PICS

Saturday down at Footes Lane couldn't have packed more sport onto the pitches.

Once again supporters, players and officials proved how important sport is to the community in Guernsey. The value goes beyond the simple act of following your team. It is sports 'total package' of benefits that make an immeasurable impact on so many of us.

Friendships form around the mutual enjoyment of being part of a 'clan'. Peoples busy and stressful lives can be put aside for a few hours and troubles are forgotten in the moments of elation.

There were thousands of spectators spread around Footes Lane to watch three Rugby games including the Centenary of the Siam Cup. Whilst these were taking place there were hockey games played on their pitches. And Guernsey Football Club entertained Tooting & Mitcham in the Isthmian South-Central league!

We didn't manage to win every game but did that really matter when so much good comes out of these events?

If you ever ask that question to a sportsman/competitor you will probably get a funny look and the answer. Well of course it does....

I've added a new Gallery featuring pics of the Centenary Siam Cup here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE CENTENARY SIAM CUP

The GFC win just wasn't meant to be it seems.

After holding on to a lead until well into the second half Guernsey Football Club somehow folded to two quick goals from Tooting & Micham meaning the visitors returned home with a full bag of points and broad smiles on their faces.

The Isthmian South-Central league is a tough one where a consistent winning streak needs strong commitment and concentration all the way to the end. GFC certainly have it in them to feature towards the top of this league... they just have to craft that elusive winning form.

I've added a new Gallery featuring my pics of the game here:
CLICK TO VIEW GFC v TOOTING & MITCHAM

Guernsey Athletics had a large entry for Race-2 of the FNB Cross Country Series.

The course involved laps around Delancey Park which has quite a surprising amount of ups and downs. This makes it difficult for runners to get into a rhythm.

I followed the action and there is a new Gallery online here:
CLICK TO VIEW RACE-" OF THE FNB XC SERIES

Last night I photographed Belgrave Wanderers v Rangers under flood lights at The Track. This Priaulx League game saw Bels have a dominant 3-0 win over the visiting side.

The dry and mild evening meant it was a nice place to be.... only one dark corner of the pitch (due to blown flood light bulbs) limited some of the photographers angles!

I still managed to captured some of the action. View the pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW BELS v RANGERS UNDER FLOOD LIGHTS

It's great to see that Table Tennis still has an enthusiastic following in Guernsey.

I popped along to the Hougue Du Pommier last night to photograph the Whistlers Open Singles. I'm always surprised by the speed of the top players.

The Guernsey Table Tennis Association hall at Hougue Du Pommier is a great facility and of course it offers year round protection from the weather!

If your chosen sport is played outside maybe you should pop along too. If you aren't looking forward to the coming winters damp and cold you would be sure to receive a warm welcome at the Club.

I've uploaded a Gallery of my pics. Follow this link to view them:
CLICK TO VIEW THE WHISTLERS OPEN SINGLES TABLE TENNIS

Quite a chunk of my weekends work revolved around two wheels.

There was the motorized kind and the leg powered variety! I've already added a Gallery of my GVC MTB XC pics and the latest addition features Round 4 of the GK&MC Motocross Championship.

I had a full morning of Press work before I headed off to the clifftop at Pleinmont for the MAD bikers racing... well I always think they are the MAD bunch in Motorsport!

Take a look at my pics to see how much 'air' some of them take. Yes, MAD is the right term!!

Follow this link to view the pics:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 4 OF THE MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

I admit that if I had to choose the class of Mountain Bike racing to photograph top of the list would probably be Downhill.

It's just that a photographer is always looking for the 'dynamic peak' moment of action... we aren't able to tell our story with moving pictures like a videographer. A single image has to tell a story.

So that pic needs some 'dynamic action'. At least that is the photographers dream! In the end we have to work with what we have... and sometimes we get great pics when we weren't expecting them.

So I offer my thanks to the GVC Mountain Bikers for entertaining me this morning whilst you raced the twisting circuit laid out in fields at Norgiot. This was a XC race (not a Downhill) but it still produced the 'goods' for me!

It's always a help for us 'togs when a race takes place on a circular course as we have multiple opportunities to capture our pics. The negative is that there is a temptation to take MORE (too many) pics!

So the result of this mornings MTB XC is a new gallery that features around 180 pics! You're spoilt for choice!
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST GVC MTB XC PICS

I photographed the launch event of the Goal50 charity aimed at raising money to support young children in South Africa.

The Sylvans Juniors were the first team to be invited to raise money by asking for donations of £1 coins which are then stuck to a collectors card. When a card is full it is swapped for a new one.

I think this is a great idea. As a boy I enjoyed collecting a variety of cards and I know my grandson also collects Football cards.

There are several different Goal50 cards to be collected. Lets hope the idea really takes off!

I've added a few pics to this Gallery:
CLICK TO VIEW THE GOAL50 PICS

It's too much to expect every race of a Winter Cross Country series to be run in glorious sunny weather so I made the best of those pleasant conditions at race one of the 2021 FNB XC Series.

This race at L'Ancresse was over the Stonecrusher Course which offers true Cross Country running with tricky uneven ground in some places and several energy sapping climbs. OK, maybe one thing was missing... read on.

The size of entry was impressive. Every runner now has a chance of competing in each event through into the New Year. It will be interesting to see how many turn out in the mid-winter rain and gales and the missing XC ingredient MUD!!

A new Gallery of pics can be viewed here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE FNB STONECRUSHER XC PICS

The surf's up at Vazon.... a few pics from the archive.

I continue to sort through some untouched folders which are a legacy from the time I was sorting out the modernization and renovation of our new home.

There are more folders lurking in the dark corners of my hard drives... so that's the dark evenings sorted out then!
CLICK TO VIEW THE VAZON SURFING PICS

There was a true 'Guernsey Together' buzz around Footes Lane when GFC returned to Isthmian South-Central league football after the extended break caused by the Covid situation.

The GFC Manager had been careful to manage the expectations of club supporters making it clear that after being laid up since February 2020 the players would be missing match fitness.

But once the crowd had welcomed the team back on to the Footes Lane turf GFC got off to an impressive and spirited start. They were fired up and eager to hit the ground running... literaly!

So just ten minutes in they were two up and continued on for a deserved 3-1 win. We all wait eagerly for their next local outing.

I've added a gallery of pics featuring the action here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE GFC v SUTTON COMMON ROVERS PICS

I've enjoyed a busy weekend that included everything from an Apples exchange for Cider drop-off at the Rocquettes Cider Farm to the 2021 Christmas lights installation featuring a giant bauble!

Between those assignments there was time for a few pics of the Dogbreaker run... whoever came up with that name? There was Autocross racing at Chouet and a fantastic football game at Footes Lane, GFC v Sutton Common Rovers... well done to our boys for the 3-1 win.

I've just added a Gallery featuring the Autocross Round 2 of the Winter Championships here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS RACING

Who’d have thought that so many people would be into looking at pictures of hardcore action?

Those pictures are some the most recent ones that I’ve taken and they feature guys and gals in hardcore slippery action.

And before you get too worked up let me be clear. I’m talking about the weekends Petit Bot hill climb... the one raced in torrential rain!!

I’m commenting about this as my website has been taking a lot of hits in the last 24 hours... over 35,000 picture views!!

Not all visitors have been looking at the hardcore racers as there are thousands of other pics in the Galleries but thanks for the interest.

If you want to see what you have been missing follow this link:
CLICK TO VIEW THE PETIT BOT HARDCORE RACING

I was asked to cover the annual HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne remembrance service again this year.

Four hundred and sixty-nine lives were lost when the Germans torpedoed the British ships during WWII. Some bodies were washed up on the Guernsey shoreline and Islanders paid their respects when they were buried by the occupying forces with full military honours.

It's a couple of years since I last photographed this service which is held in Le Foulon cemetery alongside the graves of the sailors. This year the service was attended by around five hundred people.

The format was familiar and formal - following established etiquette. Something that you would expect from an event organised by the military!

I've added a small gallery of pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE HMS CHARYBDIS & HMS LIMBOURNE GALLERY