If your swimming talent has taken a dive and your synchronised swimming skills are less than rhythmic or if you’ve missed out on the London 2012 ticket draw Junior Achievement Isle of Man has the solution: the Alternative Olympics.

The event will take place at Onchan Raceway on Friday July 13th. Teams from local businesses will go head to head to win a coveted gold medal in games such as welly wanging, tandem space hopper race, tidal wave challenge and an egg and spoon race.

Each team has paid a £50 entrance fee and agreed to raise a minimum of £100 on behalf of Junior Achievement.  The money raised from the event will help support the work of Junior Achievement in helping to prepare young people for life after education. 

The Alternative Olympics has been supported by Energy FM and if dressing in shorts and Lycra in public doesn’t appeal, spectator tickets can be bought on the door, priced £3 each (under 10s go free). Doors open at 6.30pm on Friday 13th July with the opening ceremony starting at 6.45pm. 

Chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘In true Junior Achievement style we’re ahead of the game - and ahead of “The Games” - with our Alternative Olympics. Preparing young people for the increasingly competitive jobs market is something Junior Achievement takes very seriously, but when it comes to raising funds to advance our work, then we always aim to be innovative, entertaining and offer value for money in recognition of people’s efforts to support us.

Friday 13th may be unlucky for some but we’re confident that on this particular occasion luck will be on the competitors’ and the spectators’ sides and that everyone will have a great time.’

For more information call Tina on 666266 or visit www.jaiom.im.

Photo caption - Junior Achievement’s Tina Edge and Joy Spence in training for the Alternative Olympics. Picture Andrew Barton