Cup Match is one of the biggest events on the island and promises a heated game between St. George’s and Somerset this year. The two teams have been preparing all year to play for the cup, pride and bragging rights. Last year, the St. George’s Cricket Club celebrated its 125^th year and, in that spirit, have every intention of winning.

Neil Paynter, 51, is taking on another Cup Match feeling seasoned. With 16 years in the role of club president and 23 within its administration in total, he speaks with casual enthusiasm about the game.

“Even though I never play Cup Match – football has always been my sport – I love cricket, I breathe it, I could watch it all day”. He feels a unique appreciation for the game, and says, “This is what the British call a ‘gentlemen’s game’ – unlike football, the men walk onto the field, no complaining, no whining. This is what you can expect.” Pure team sport.

On Saturday, 22 players vied for a spot on the St. George’s team in the trial match. Only 14 of them have been picked to move forward to play under the captaincy of Macai Simmons, who is taking on his second year in the role. When commenting on grounds for selection, he says, “the committee is obviously looking for physically fit players – we need them to be able to last two days – but they are also looking for batsmen that can accumulate runs, in whatever way possible”.

The game of cricket involves strategy, “Those selected have to be intelligent athletes who can stay on the wicket long enough to bring us up to a formidable total”. When it comes to selecting bowlers, Mr Paynter is passionate about his team having one shared goal: “In order for us to win, we have to bowl Somerset out twice, and we have to have enough runs.”

When searching for inspiration, Mr Paynter looks to the great players of the past. “We look to all the players who have played before us: Dennis Wainwright (former St. George’s wicketkeeper-batsman), Wendall Smith (former captain), Graham Fox and Charlie Marshall (early-order bat).

Mr Paynter is adamant about continuing to cultivate this type of player, and early on in their lives as they come through the industry.

“We feel positive about our young people that come through the club. They show a lot of promise. My hope is that we can give our youth recognition for their talent and continue to challenge them – meaning that we have to be able to allow them to play in an international arena”.

His desire to win in the match parallels his determination for a community win, too. When it comes to his island, he has a more long-term view. “Sports – cricket especially – but sports in general, build character for our young people to become the type of citizens that this island needs”. He proudly states that they are always looking for like-minded support is in that area.

When it comes to support, he drives home the need for generating community connections and social cohesion through sport – football or cricket. “HSBC is the Cup Match sponsor, with Aspen as St. George’s Cup Match team sponsor, which we’re incredibly thankful for. What we want is to make connections that will also support the league throughout the year”.

At the moment the club does not have a sponsor. The resources that come from these relationships help with providing education for qualified coaching, adequate training facilities and, most importantly, getting young players overseas to experience international competition. We want them to come back and raise the standard for the sport in Bermuda.

Mr Paynter doesn’t like to play favourites, he’s proud of all of his players, but he mentions that some of the talent at the club is already up to that international standard. “Isaiah Greaves (2017 junior reserve) and N’zari Paynter (2017 colt), playing in our senior division,” says Mr Paynter, “are two players to look out for”. In 2016, N’zari was selected to compete in the West Indies Cricket Board U19 50 overs tournament in St. Vincent and continues to show great promise.

Mr Paynter brings the need for sponsorship full circle and back to the upcoming match. Sponsorship drives the youth programs and thus the St George’s team. The under 8s, under 11s and under 15s are the future of the club. Giving the players a good platform to train and the challenge of international exposure is what will drive a brilliant Cup Match game for spectators in the end.

As the game approaches, he’s aware that there are young people who have been training hard. They will be watching in the camps, dreaming of their chance to play in the big game. To them he says, “Just continue to work on your craft, good sportsmanship is important, and don’t give up”.

When asked to comment on his new Somerset counterpart, Vashun Blanchette, Mr Paynter warns Bermuda not to underestimate the man stepping into a major role for the west side, “This is his first year as president, yes, but he’s been the vice president for four years, and within administration for even more, so he knows what he’s doing. I wish him all the best and am looking forward to [Somerset] putting on a good event for the island”.

Want to know more about Somerset? Click here for our Cup Match feature cover story.

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Firstly, I’d like to send a big thank you to Arron from K.S. Watersports for being such an awesome guide. Arron showed me the best swimming locations only accessible by boat or jet ski, the Billionaire Row, Castle Harbour Fort, Nonsuch island and a cool ship wreck.

It wasn’t my first time riding a jet ski, but I was still a little nervous about what I was getting myself into. Arron started me off with safety instructions and tips on how to ride and I thought, “Great, I’m even more nervous now as I have to remember important information.”

We departed from Whitehorse Tavern in St. George’s square and before I knew it I was riding the ski like I stole it!

I was having the time of my life hitting the suggested speed limit of 45mps, leaning into every turn. I yelped screams of excitement and giggles because of how much fun I was having!

First stop was the Billionaire Row which is visible from the Causeway. However, when you’re up close and personal on a calm morning it’s a gorgeous view of the Rosewood Hotel and few billion-dollar homes — not to mention one called the Golden Eye.

Arron asked me which home did I think Oprah Winfrey attempted to purchase and right away I knew it was the Golden Eye. The estate is a stunning shade of yellow, perfectly positioned on the peak of a cliff overlooking Castle Harbour. Literally a dream come true for anyone looking to own a home in Bermuda.

The water was getting a bit choppy as we made our way over to Nonsuch Island, the location where Cahow’s are known to reside. Almost once reaching extinction, conservationist, David Wingate dedicated his time and efforts in reversing that fact and becoming quite successful in doing so.

Continuing the ride, I managed to catch a few good douses of cold waves to the face trying to keep up.

We reached Coopers Island and Arron informed me that the large white globed stationed there doing absolutely nothing, was once owned by NASA. If NASA’s space shuttle ran into any complications while on a mission, it had rights to land at the L. F. Wade International airport without providing any notice.

A small part of me wished the U.S Navy base was still situated in Bermuda just to see it in operation. My memory is not serving me very well since I was quite young at the time and only recall McDonald’s.

Being it wasn’t very calm at Cooper’s Island I declined the opportunity to swim in exchange for a final picture of the L.F. Wade International Airport. No turtles today but I was content either way with the tour and wasn’t quite ready for it to end. I have never laughed so hard and felt so free all while being informed on a tour.

Sign up now or sign up later with K.S. Watersports and live your best life in Bermuda!

Deanna Williams – DWPerception is a landscape, architecture, portrait and fashion photographer, who thrives on fresh ideas and collaborative opportunities. Here’s the world from her perspective: www.dwperception.com

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Developed by Hotelco, an experienced international real estate and hotel development group, the new five-star hotel will feature 122 beach and golf front rooms and 90 condominiums. Inspired in the Bermudian vernacular, the buildings are richly articulated and woven into the gently sloping site. The hotel will become a unique opportunity to experience Bermudian elegant living, while providing a robust economic anchor for the local economy.

Designed by OBMI, we talked to the architects and owners about what drew them to Bermuda and their excitement about building the island’s newest hotel.

Was trying to capture the essence of Bermuda the driving force behind the finished design?

Absolutely! Staying loyal to the character and culture of the places where we design lies at the core of who we are as a master planning, architecture and design firm. Particularly true in Bermuda, where OBMI have such a long and rich history designing cultural appropriate architectural designs.

For the St. Regis we sought to ensure the property reflected Bermuda’s unique architectural style while adding contemporary elements that further deepen the luxury experience and add value to the overall guest experience. This will be evident in the signature Bermudian white roofs and shutters pain

ted with seafoam green to pay homage to Bermudian style. The property with its curving, multi-leveled rooflines will proudly boast colours spotted all around the island.

We also designed in a manner that was sensitive and responsive to the guest experience within its cultural context. Specifically, the property was designed to frame and enhance the spectacular views of Achilles Bay, the beautiful ocean and St. Catherine’s Fort. The Fort’s presence is itself reinforced in the design through the use of punctuated geometric lines repeated throughout the pool and beach areas with a softened through curvy symmetry of green spaces flowing from the golf course.

What elements of the island did you want to incorporate?

From an architectural standpoint, the building, its geometry, its function, its traditional styling punctuated with modern accents is meant to honour Bermuda, a harmonious blend of history with modern luxury.

Materials, interiors, and finishing touches are intended to complement the site’s natural lustre and history. Partially buried stone paths mimic that of the region’s history while creating an organic base for the landscape adding to the depth of the guest experience. Guest rooms are luxuriously appointed with the verdant colours of the natural environment and style of the Bermudian culture.

What were some of the challenging aspects of the property?

OBM International was founded in Bermuda more than 80 years ago, and we have a long history of design in the country. Hotelco offered us the opportunity to work on the project because they know we are committed to designing with care, concern and great respect. Although our headquarters are now in Miami, we have an office of experts here that have first-hand knowledge and understanding of the historical importance of the area. That, coupled with our deep roots in luxury hospitality, made it an ideal project for OBM International.

What drew you to the project in the first place?

When the first site visit was conducted, it was obvious that the site could be home to a fantastic property with the right concept. Not readily knowing all the previous concepts that were designed for the site OBMI took on the project with fresh eyes capable of seeing all that it had to offer without hindrance to what others thought.  This freeing ourselves from the site’s previous attempts allowed us to design a concept that came from the soul of the site and its environment. While walking the site, Doug Kulig immediately started sketching his initial concepts which translated into the preliminary master plan. How the property would develop, the components, the views, the arrival experience, were all considered during this first site visit and laid the found for what is now, the approved concept being implemented. It’s a testament to the experience of Doug and the OBMI team that the concept hasn’t fundamentally changed much from those early sketches.

Owners Hotelco also answered some questions. This is what they had to say about the development.

What drew you to the site?

The natural beauty of the site is unsurpassed, paired with the rich history of St. George’s and we knew the site was perfect. The fact that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site further enhances it and makes it incredibly unique, full of history with stunning monuments. The view of Fort St. Catherine’s is splendid and will connect the visitor to Bermuda in a way that immerses them into the history and culture. Now that the property has been sited and designed we know that it is the perfect location to provide visitors opportunities to create memorable experiences.

What excited you about the development?

The site, as magnificent as it is, was not enough. We knew it needed a classic brand partner to reinforce the luxury the environment already provided. We looked for a brand that would attract multinational luxury travellers who would appreciate the beauty and history of the site and relate to the Bermuda brand. St. Regis, renowned for its luxurious traditions, a culture of innovation and impeccable service were the perfect match. Pairing with St. Regis has been an honour and exciting as we know it is the perfect combination for this site.

What do you ultimately want to achieve with the property

We want to honour the St. Regis brand, the site and Bermuda with this property. This far into development we think the program including a 122-key hotel and casino, seven buildings of branded residences – 14 apartments each, restoration of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course, and a space nestled inside Fort Albert will be a great addition to the area and the island.

With the project’s momentum shifting to construction we are looking forward to the completion of the 2-phase built-out, the first one will be ready in 2020.

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