Tinian hopes to host more sports events

CNMI National Beach Volleyball Team members Kathy Winkfield, right, and Charnessa Lizama.(ANGEL LI)

Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan hopes the municipality hosting the beach volleyball consolation games of the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 will be the start of bigger things when it comes to sports tourism on the island. 

“Tinian would love to host more of the Games or any other tournament from the region…The municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan is very happy to be a part of such an historic event and we will always be ready to showcase our island tourist/historical sites and our Tinian-style hospitality again when called for,” he told Saipan Tribune.

This year’s Mini Games was truly a CNMI-wide sports spectacle with Rota also hosting triathlon along with Saipan taking care of the majority of the nine sports featured in the calendar of the 11th staging of the Mini Games.

For the Tinian mayor, he would’ve wanted the beach volleyball players to have stayed a little longer.

“It would’ve been nice to have them stay overnight and we could have hosted them Tinian island-style. They had to leave the same day, as some of the players were leaving on Saturday morning back to their home countries.”

Aldan said the consolation matches for beach volleyball were also completed without a hitch even as Tinian had to contend with a grass fire that eventually spread to a site where typhoon debris containing toxic chemicals and other e-waste materials were stored.

The Kathy Winkfield, left, and Charnessa Lizama in action during the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 beach volleyball competition at the Crowne Plaza sand courts. (ANGEL LI)

“The fire was pretty far away from the volleyball venue and it was pretty windy that day. They came and left the same day. No one got hurt and the fire and smoke was contained.”

CNMI National Beach Volleyball Team member Kathy Winkfield said the brief sojourn to Tinian for the consolation matches was a treat.

“As for the consolation matches, we felt more relaxed since we had played against the teams during the pool play and were working on how to adjust to how we played them previously,” she said.

All and all, the Northern Marianas College mathematics professor said the Mini Games experience has made her a better player.

“It was quite an unforgettable experience. I loved it and it has given me the drive to continue improving and playing the sport I love. I learned so much about myself as well as my partner and I hope it inspires others to try out and train for the next set of Games,” she said.