The 20th Orkney International Island Games took place from 12-18 July 2025 marking the events 40th year.
The week-long competition saw athletes from 24 island groups from across the world compete in 12 sports: archery, athletics, badminton, bowls, cycling, football, golf, gymnastics, sailing, squash, swimming and triathlon.
In the lead up to the Island Games, a £1 million package of investment made up of Scottish Government and National Lottery funding aided preparations for what was one of the largest multi-sport events that took place in Europe in 2025.
Ahead of the games, the package allowed for a significant improvement in a range of sports facilities, equipment and helped provide competition venues that became homes for local sport, benefiting schools, Active Schools Orkney, clubs, and the local community - as well as offering a range of other support to boost Orkney’s sporting future.
The investment also contributed to the development of coaches and officials, ensuring a more skilled and robust workforce for future sporting events. Meanwhile, funding for Orkney athletes through sportscotland’s Athlete Travel Award Scheme provided individuals with the best possible preparation for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete at a home Island Games.
Inga Linklater at Club Manager, Orkney Athletic and Running Club, said:
“The investment that we’ve had from sportscotland has been incredible in all aspects of the club. We’re looking to sustain the club into the future and being able to improve skills within coaching, officiating and the number of people who are volunteering in that area is going to help us to do that. It's put us in a position that we couldn't have dreamt of a couple of years ago.”
A hub of activity: The Pickaquoy Centre
A £241,335 investment at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall secured the long-term future of the only track in Orkney and the home of Orkney Athletics Club. The funding gave the venue certified track mark status providing a competition venue for Orkney 2025 and the potential to host further licenced events.
The centre was a pivotal venue during the games, hosting archery, athletics, badminton, squash and swimming.
Inga said: “The investment in equipment and storage has allowed us to compete and get ratified results. We were at the stage with our high jump equipment that we could no longer have competitions. It wasn't ratified under TrackMark. So that's made a massive difference.”
Investing in leadership
A new rural coaching subsidy provided over three years has supported current and potential coaches and officials from local areas with travel and accommodation costs to access education, training and development opportunities.
sportscotland worked collaboratively with the councils of Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles to support the education and development of coaches and officials in the lead up to the Island Games. Following the games, the programme will help create an increased sport workforce as clubs develop their capacity for increased participation.
Orkney Council’s Sports Development Officer, Elaine Harcus, said:
“We’ve been working closely with local clubs and Scottish Governing Bodies to plan coach and official development activity, which has mostly been delivered in Orkney. We are delighted with the uptake from local clubs making fantastic use of this funding to increase the number of coaches and, in turn, the opportunity to help make sport and physical activity more accessible for all on the Mainland and within our outer isles.”
She added, “The project is supporting volunteers in developing their personal skills, through coach education, official courses and Continuing Professional Development. It is also supporting young people beginning their coaching pathway. Getting potential coaches involved from a young age is key to the development of local clubs and is promising for the future of Orkney sport.”
Organising and running a competition or event requires up to 50 officials, making it essential to replenish, retrain and upgrade this workforce. In the last year, Orkney Athletic and Running Club doubled the number of officials in preparation for the Island Games.
Aly MacPhail, Official at Orkney Athletic and Running Club said:
“We now have the facilities, the equipment and the photo finish equipment in particular to give us timings for the athletes that will be accepted onto the power of 10, so we can hold our own competitions at home, but in order to do that, you have to have the right balance and level of officials to run a top level event, and that's what we can do now on home soil, and the athletes love it.”
Strengthening clubs and communities
An increased investment in staffing for the Orkney Community Sports Hub programme has provided an improved sporting provision on the islands. There has also been funding awarded for Scottish Governing Bodies of sports who had athletes taking part in the games.
The investment is in addition to sportscotland’s annual funding of just under £170,000 to sport in Orkney, which includes a commitment to Active Schools, Orkney Community Sports Hub, young people and cycling.
Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy and Sport, said:
“I’m very pleased to see this significant investment into sport in Orkney, which will contribute to the success of Orkney 2025 and, crucially, provide a lasting legacy of the games.”
“This additional funding will benefit local clubs and communities, improve sporting infrastructure and will make a real difference to people across Orkney, but particularly children and young people.”
Local clubs have also been supported through key projects and the Sport Facilities Fund that will create or improve the places where people take part in sport and physical activity in their local community.
Empowering athletes for success
Orkney athletes will share £40,000 over four years from the Athlete Travel Award Scheme, a programme which helps young athletes in regional and rural Scotland access competitive and training opportunities.
The programme, now in its eighth year, is a partnership between sportscotland and the participating local authorities in Scotland - Orkney Islands, Western Isles, Shetland Islands and Highlands Councils. Between April 2024 to March 2025, 13 athletes received up to £750 each towards costs of travel and accommodation when attending training and competitions.
Eleven athletes were also supported through the Orkney Performance Development Programme, which will receive £36,000 over three years. As part of the programme, athletes received access to performance support from sportscotland institute of sport experts including physical preparation sessions, physiotherapy, advice from a performance lifestyle advisor and a programme of education opportunities.
Emily McArthur represented Orkney in the 4x400m winning gold, and 800m relay (silver) at the Island Games. She said:
“I've had fantastic support from so many people. Everyone in Orkney knows what a major expense it is travelling out of the county, so receiving this travel award is a massive boost. It's going to hopefully allow me to take part in more major competitions, outdoors through the summer, then into the indoor season early 2026.”
Developing foundations for growth
Legacy is at the heart of Orkney 2025. From young people to coaches, officials, volunteers and athletes, the Island Games has laid the foundations and delivered a sustainable infrastructure for generations of young sportspeople in Orkney to train, compete, and even qualify for international events without having to leave the islands.
Gordon Deans, Chair of Orkney 2025, said:
“It is a great privilege for Orkney to host the International Island Games. The local community is set to benefit enormously from this additional funding from sportscotland which will ensure that the Games leaves a long lasting and positive legacy for local sport. It will also further support Scotland’s reputation as a country that delivers world-class sporting events.”
“Sport can have such a positive impact on small and remote communities so by further investing in Orkney’s sporting facilities we are in turn providing a focus for young people, promoting a healthy lifestyle and strengthening the community’s cultural identity.”
