The Junior competition held it's first day of finals today.
Mens Four,Richard HURST,Dorian WALKER,Stephen RAINE, Jesse HESKETT from Deerness Valley are now European Balance Champions, taking the gold medal in the competition ahead of Russia and Ukraine in 3rd place.
The Womens Pair,Jasmine DANBY and Chelsea FISHER, also from Deerness Valley took the Bronze medal in the Balance finals, behind Russia in silver (the two pairs were tied and seperated on execution scores) and the new European Balance Champions, Belarus.
The extremly close womens group Dynamic competition, with all 8 scoring above 28.000 with the winners scoring 28.450. There were three ties in the final, and the close competition saw the junior womens group Leighanne COWLER, Lauren KEMP and Hollianne WOOD from Spelthorne finish in 5th place, with a score of 28.150.
Good luck to everyone in tomorrows qualification and finals.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Watch the European Championships
The Europeans are being streamed live on the Official Blog of the competition....
Watch them here http://www.euroacro2009.blogspot.com/
Good luck GB.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
European Championships 2009
The 11-16 Age Group competition has been completed and Great Britain have even more international success to shout about winning two gold and three silver medals in the European Age Games competition.
The mixed pair Christopher Longley and Alice Upcott of Spelthorne, and the Women’s Trio Maddy Gamblin, Kath Spence and Kirstie Harrington of South Tyneside took the Gold’s.
The Men’s four from Deerness Valley- Jack Pendlington, Conrad Dempsey, Liam Sneath, and Angus Martin, the Women's pair from South Tyneside - Ashton Butler and Contance Moscrop and the Men’s pair from Deerness- Alex Houston and Timothy Pritchard, all took Silver
Videos of the routines, along with the performances from Russia, and other countries can be veiwed on YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/arnodiender
Lets hope the Juniors and Seniors can repeat the success as their competition gets underway tomorrow (Thursday)
The mixed pair Christopher Longley and Alice Upcott of Spelthorne, and the Women’s Trio Maddy Gamblin, Kath Spence and Kirstie Harrington of South Tyneside took the Gold’s.
The Men’s four from Deerness Valley- Jack Pendlington, Conrad Dempsey, Liam Sneath, and Angus Martin, the Women's pair from South Tyneside - Ashton Butler and Contance Moscrop and the Men’s pair from Deerness- Alex Houston and Timothy Pritchard, all took Silver
Videos of the routines, along with the performances from Russia, and other countries can be veiwed on YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/arnodiender
Lets hope the Juniors and Seniors can repeat the success as their competition gets underway tomorrow (Thursday)
Friday, April 24, 2009
British Championships 2009
This year’s British Championships were always going to be a fascinating one, following the retirement of some of the country’s top acrobats after the World Championships and the debuts of new partnerships from all corners of the country. Over 270 gymnasts representing 26 clubs took part over the course of the weekend, which also doubled up as a control event for selection to the Great Britain teams that will represent the country at the European Championships later in the year.
Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics won seven out of the 15 British titles in the Senior, Junior and Age group levels in Acrobatic Gymnastics at this year’s competition. Five of the Acrobatic titles went to Deerness Valley, two to South Tyneside and one to King Edmund. Harefield Gymnastics Academy, Saltney, Oxford, Wakefield, Horsham, Heathrow, Wigan and Norwich also celebrated medallists in the various categories, providing very tough challenges to the champions.
The event was the more polished and smoothly-run than ever before, with electronic scoring the same as at international events and the big screen updating scores instantly for the audience, with a live leader board. BGtv also had an increased presence at the competition and plasma screens in the warm-up area allowed competitors and coaches keep up-to-date on the competition from the backroom.
The city of Stoke-on-Trent also used the event to launch their ‘green paper’ for Sport and Physical Activities and the competition welcomed a whole host of VIP guests and speakers to promote it. Rumours were also whispered around the warm up room, hotels and audience about the current ‘Number 10’ petition circulating to promote Acrobatic Gymnasts and Tumbling as an Olympic Sport.
11-16 Age Group
The popularity and standard of this year’s Age Group competition demonstrated the ever-growing popularity of the discipline and the continuing high standard of acrobatic gymnastics in Great Britain. This year there was no final for the event, and both the Balance and Dynamic routine counted towards a combined score which would decide the medal positions. It was going to be tough.
In Womens Pairs, defending British Champions, Abigail Ralph and Amy McKenzie from Spelthorne had to fight of tough competition if they were to retain their title. After two routines they were pushed right out of the medal positions after South Tyneside pair Butler and Moscrop scored a combined 56.750 for their clean and impressive routines. Ralph and McKenzie’s team mates, Geogria Sturt and Megan Garraghan took the silver medal and Wakefield’s 11-16 pair, Sykes and Whitfield took the bronze with a score of 55.450. After such a close competition and with so many high-quality partnerships, the control competitions for international events are sure to be exciting.
The quality of the 11-16 Mixed pairs was extremely high, and with no defending champions it made for another tough competition. Spelthorne, continued their domination of mixed pairs through all age groups, with Christopher Longley and Alice Upcott taking the gold medal with a score of 56.250, way ahead of everyone else. Deerness Valley Gym Club partnership - Maxwell and Thomson took silver with 53.800 and the youngest competitors in the acrobatic competition, Connor Bartlett and Millie Spalding, aged just 11 and 10 years old, from Harefield Gymnastics Academy in the London region took the bronze medal.
It was Deerness Valley versus King Edmund in the Mens Pair competition, after two routines, defending British Champions GB squad members, Houston and Pritchard from Deerness took gold, with a score of 56.800 with May and Underdown from King Edmund taking Silver for their routines.
The record number of entries to this year’s 11-16 Womens Group categories, and the departure of the 2008 British Champions to Junior, made the competition all the more exciting. The competition ended with joint first and joint third places, and only 0.8 separating them, making it even closer than the Womens Pairs. The unusual podium places were shared between Deerness Valley and South Tyneside in gold and Oxford and Wakefield taking bronze. Spelthorne trio - Bigmore, Lancaster, Regan, were unable to match the success of their predecessors in the group, but are sure to challenge the top four in the future. Trios from local club, South Staffs Acrobatics and from King Edmund also looked like they could push for medals in the future.
Three 11-16 Mens groups battled it out and the final results saw Deerness Valley ahead of King Edmund in another men’s event, with Dempsey, Martin, Pendlington, Sneath taking gold. The bronze medal went to Saltney’s boys, Booth, Hanley, Scott, Yue. The increasing amount of boys involved in Acrobatic Gymnastics is great for the development of the sport in the country.
Junior 12-19
With over 30 partnerships taking part in the 12-19 Age Group, and amongst them World Champions, World medallists and defending British Champions, as well as champions from 11-16 moving up to junior, it was always going to be a strong competition in all categories.
Both new and returning partnerships made up the Womens pairs competition at this year’s British, with last year’s Champions Thorne and Grehan now at senior level, the title was anyone’s. Johnstone and Lee, from South Tyneside, who missed out on a World Championship finals place last October were back looking stronger and more polished, but had to settle for silver behind Deerness Valley’s Danby and Fisher who took gold with a score of 28.400. The bronze medal went to new partnership, Ely and Walduck from Heathrow in the London region.
With current World and British Champions, Joshua Simpson and Kim Hunter competing in the mixed pair category, they were certainly the ones to beat. However, with immaculate routines and a score of 28.530, for combined, they were able to retain their British title and show why they are World Champions with gorgeous choreography and an impressive variety of skills. Horsham Gymnastics Club’s partnership – Cranfield and Stewart-Croker were close behind in the silver medal position with a score of 28.010 and Oxford’s Hale and Davies took the bronze.
The ever-expanding force of Spelthorne was also felt in the junior trio’s with 11-16 trio World Silver medallists, Burgon, Matthews, Seabourne now joining team mates Cowler, Kemp, Wood in the junior age group. The two Spelthorne partnerships took the Gold and Silver medals after two very clean and excellently performed combined routines, with the older partnership eventually taking Gold. Deerness Valley scored 27.710 to win bronze in the popular trio competition. All three medallists can expect tough competition later in the year, when trios from Harefield, Wakefield and King Edmund are back on form after a few mistakes were made this weekend.
Robert Chambers and Gareth Wood, World 11-16 Age Group silver medallists from Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics made their impact on the junior mens pair competition by taking the gold medal with a score of 27.750 ahead of partnerships from Horsham in the South East and Wakefield.
Like in the 11-16 Age Group, the mens group competition was a battle between Deerness Valley and King Edmund. Defending British Champions, Bates, Llewellyn, Wilmott, Wright from King Edmund eventually had to settle for silver after a slightly refined version of the junior mens group who represented Great Britain at last year’s world championships, Heskett, Hurst, Raine, Walker, from Deerness Valley took the gold medal. Deerness Valley, now hold two of the three mens group British titles.
Senior Championships
The senior competition is always a highly anticipated one, with the high level of balance and dynamic skills impressing both the audience and the younger gymnasts. This year’s competition was awash with new faces, following the retirement of many and new partnerships being formed after the World Championships last autumn. Although Spelthorne continue to dominate the majority of the senior categories, including Mens Groups, Mixed and Men pairs, all their partnerships are new.
Last year’s Junior Women’s pair World Silver medallists and British Champions, from King Edmund in the South West, Maiken Thorne and Mollie Grehan, have moved to senior this year and showed an abundance of potential ahead of the coming internationals, with strong dynamic and balance skills in all their routines, taking the Gold medal with 26.920 awarded for their combined offering.
There has been a change of clubs and partnerships for the Mixed and Women’s pairs. After the World Championships, Sarah Cameron (former mixed pair top) and Elizabeth Oliver (former women’s pair base) retired leaving their partners, Katie Axten and Nicholas Illingworth free agents. Nicolas has now moved from Wakefield to Spelthorne and they have combined to form the only mixed pair in the senior competition. The two very experienced gymnasts are definitely one to watch out for at this year’s Europeans, already performing a difficult full-twist re-catch and double arabian to wrap, double tucked overhead sequence to open their combined routine.
World Mens Pair bronze medallist and British Champion, Edward Upcott also made his British debut with new base Doug Fordyce, a former Age Group mixed pair World Champion, after Mark Fyson retired earlier this year. Despite only being together ten weeks the men are beginning to look great together, gel as a partnership and are improving at a fast rate. They are sure to be strong competitors in Portugal later this year.
Following the retirement of the Emily Grove, Casey Morrison and Vicky Lamkin, the senior Womens Group from Spelthorne, and no senior trio from Spelthorne, the battle was really on between the six now in the group. Amongst them, experienced bases from Harefield Gymnastics Academy in the London Region, Grace Blacklock and Claire-Louise Thompson, who represented the country at the World Championships in 2006 and 2008, made their first outing with new top, Robyn Birch, and despite a few minor wobbles, show great potential ahead of the coming trials and international competitions. This year’s British title and gold medal however went to the well-polished trio from South Tyneside. Richardson, Slater, Young scored 27.250 to take the title and performed a clean routine with strong skills displayed throughout, including a three high column with top planche. Third place went to the women from Wigan Seaguls.
The ever-popular Mens Group from Spelthorne in the South East region, also debuted their new top, Jonathan Stranks, former junior mens pair British Champion. Despite only being together a couple of months, World bronze medallists and defending British Champions, (plus new top!) are already clocking up an impressive amount of difficulty, with Stranks showing why he was chosen as Sturt’s replacement, with his one-arm flag combination on stack and impressive range of dynamic skills. A notable score of 28.706 was awarded by the judges for Buckingham, McAssey, Stranks, Uttley’s near-perfect combined routine.
The event as a whole continued to demonstrate the strength and depth of talent in acrobatic gymnastics in the country and a full audience throughout the weekend highlighted the popularity on both Acrobatic and tumbling gymnastics. Another successful British Championships wrapped up, and the start of what could be the most exciting year ever in acrobatics.
Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics won seven out of the 15 British titles in the Senior, Junior and Age group levels in Acrobatic Gymnastics at this year’s competition. Five of the Acrobatic titles went to Deerness Valley, two to South Tyneside and one to King Edmund. Harefield Gymnastics Academy, Saltney, Oxford, Wakefield, Horsham, Heathrow, Wigan and Norwich also celebrated medallists in the various categories, providing very tough challenges to the champions.
The event was the more polished and smoothly-run than ever before, with electronic scoring the same as at international events and the big screen updating scores instantly for the audience, with a live leader board. BGtv also had an increased presence at the competition and plasma screens in the warm-up area allowed competitors and coaches keep up-to-date on the competition from the backroom.
The city of Stoke-on-Trent also used the event to launch their ‘green paper’ for Sport and Physical Activities and the competition welcomed a whole host of VIP guests and speakers to promote it. Rumours were also whispered around the warm up room, hotels and audience about the current ‘Number 10’ petition circulating to promote Acrobatic Gymnasts and Tumbling as an Olympic Sport.
11-16 Age Group
The popularity and standard of this year’s Age Group competition demonstrated the ever-growing popularity of the discipline and the continuing high standard of acrobatic gymnastics in Great Britain. This year there was no final for the event, and both the Balance and Dynamic routine counted towards a combined score which would decide the medal positions. It was going to be tough.
In Womens Pairs, defending British Champions, Abigail Ralph and Amy McKenzie from Spelthorne had to fight of tough competition if they were to retain their title. After two routines they were pushed right out of the medal positions after South Tyneside pair Butler and Moscrop scored a combined 56.750 for their clean and impressive routines. Ralph and McKenzie’s team mates, Geogria Sturt and Megan Garraghan took the silver medal and Wakefield’s 11-16 pair, Sykes and Whitfield took the bronze with a score of 55.450. After such a close competition and with so many high-quality partnerships, the control competitions for international events are sure to be exciting.
The quality of the 11-16 Mixed pairs was extremely high, and with no defending champions it made for another tough competition. Spelthorne, continued their domination of mixed pairs through all age groups, with Christopher Longley and Alice Upcott taking the gold medal with a score of 56.250, way ahead of everyone else. Deerness Valley Gym Club partnership - Maxwell and Thomson took silver with 53.800 and the youngest competitors in the acrobatic competition, Connor Bartlett and Millie Spalding, aged just 11 and 10 years old, from Harefield Gymnastics Academy in the London region took the bronze medal.
It was Deerness Valley versus King Edmund in the Mens Pair competition, after two routines, defending British Champions GB squad members, Houston and Pritchard from Deerness took gold, with a score of 56.800 with May and Underdown from King Edmund taking Silver for their routines.
The record number of entries to this year’s 11-16 Womens Group categories, and the departure of the 2008 British Champions to Junior, made the competition all the more exciting. The competition ended with joint first and joint third places, and only 0.8 separating them, making it even closer than the Womens Pairs. The unusual podium places were shared between Deerness Valley and South Tyneside in gold and Oxford and Wakefield taking bronze. Spelthorne trio - Bigmore, Lancaster, Regan, were unable to match the success of their predecessors in the group, but are sure to challenge the top four in the future. Trios from local club, South Staffs Acrobatics and from King Edmund also looked like they could push for medals in the future.
Three 11-16 Mens groups battled it out and the final results saw Deerness Valley ahead of King Edmund in another men’s event, with Dempsey, Martin, Pendlington, Sneath taking gold. The bronze medal went to Saltney’s boys, Booth, Hanley, Scott, Yue. The increasing amount of boys involved in Acrobatic Gymnastics is great for the development of the sport in the country.
Junior 12-19
With over 30 partnerships taking part in the 12-19 Age Group, and amongst them World Champions, World medallists and defending British Champions, as well as champions from 11-16 moving up to junior, it was always going to be a strong competition in all categories.
Both new and returning partnerships made up the Womens pairs competition at this year’s British, with last year’s Champions Thorne and Grehan now at senior level, the title was anyone’s. Johnstone and Lee, from South Tyneside, who missed out on a World Championship finals place last October were back looking stronger and more polished, but had to settle for silver behind Deerness Valley’s Danby and Fisher who took gold with a score of 28.400. The bronze medal went to new partnership, Ely and Walduck from Heathrow in the London region.
With current World and British Champions, Joshua Simpson and Kim Hunter competing in the mixed pair category, they were certainly the ones to beat. However, with immaculate routines and a score of 28.530, for combined, they were able to retain their British title and show why they are World Champions with gorgeous choreography and an impressive variety of skills. Horsham Gymnastics Club’s partnership – Cranfield and Stewart-Croker were close behind in the silver medal position with a score of 28.010 and Oxford’s Hale and Davies took the bronze.
The ever-expanding force of Spelthorne was also felt in the junior trio’s with 11-16 trio World Silver medallists, Burgon, Matthews, Seabourne now joining team mates Cowler, Kemp, Wood in the junior age group. The two Spelthorne partnerships took the Gold and Silver medals after two very clean and excellently performed combined routines, with the older partnership eventually taking Gold. Deerness Valley scored 27.710 to win bronze in the popular trio competition. All three medallists can expect tough competition later in the year, when trios from Harefield, Wakefield and King Edmund are back on form after a few mistakes were made this weekend.
Robert Chambers and Gareth Wood, World 11-16 Age Group silver medallists from Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics made their impact on the junior mens pair competition by taking the gold medal with a score of 27.750 ahead of partnerships from Horsham in the South East and Wakefield.
Like in the 11-16 Age Group, the mens group competition was a battle between Deerness Valley and King Edmund. Defending British Champions, Bates, Llewellyn, Wilmott, Wright from King Edmund eventually had to settle for silver after a slightly refined version of the junior mens group who represented Great Britain at last year’s world championships, Heskett, Hurst, Raine, Walker, from Deerness Valley took the gold medal. Deerness Valley, now hold two of the three mens group British titles.
Senior Championships
The senior competition is always a highly anticipated one, with the high level of balance and dynamic skills impressing both the audience and the younger gymnasts. This year’s competition was awash with new faces, following the retirement of many and new partnerships being formed after the World Championships last autumn. Although Spelthorne continue to dominate the majority of the senior categories, including Mens Groups, Mixed and Men pairs, all their partnerships are new.
Last year’s Junior Women’s pair World Silver medallists and British Champions, from King Edmund in the South West, Maiken Thorne and Mollie Grehan, have moved to senior this year and showed an abundance of potential ahead of the coming internationals, with strong dynamic and balance skills in all their routines, taking the Gold medal with 26.920 awarded for their combined offering.
There has been a change of clubs and partnerships for the Mixed and Women’s pairs. After the World Championships, Sarah Cameron (former mixed pair top) and Elizabeth Oliver (former women’s pair base) retired leaving their partners, Katie Axten and Nicholas Illingworth free agents. Nicolas has now moved from Wakefield to Spelthorne and they have combined to form the only mixed pair in the senior competition. The two very experienced gymnasts are definitely one to watch out for at this year’s Europeans, already performing a difficult full-twist re-catch and double arabian to wrap, double tucked overhead sequence to open their combined routine.
World Mens Pair bronze medallist and British Champion, Edward Upcott also made his British debut with new base Doug Fordyce, a former Age Group mixed pair World Champion, after Mark Fyson retired earlier this year. Despite only being together ten weeks the men are beginning to look great together, gel as a partnership and are improving at a fast rate. They are sure to be strong competitors in Portugal later this year.
Following the retirement of the Emily Grove, Casey Morrison and Vicky Lamkin, the senior Womens Group from Spelthorne, and no senior trio from Spelthorne, the battle was really on between the six now in the group. Amongst them, experienced bases from Harefield Gymnastics Academy in the London Region, Grace Blacklock and Claire-Louise Thompson, who represented the country at the World Championships in 2006 and 2008, made their first outing with new top, Robyn Birch, and despite a few minor wobbles, show great potential ahead of the coming trials and international competitions. This year’s British title and gold medal however went to the well-polished trio from South Tyneside. Richardson, Slater, Young scored 27.250 to take the title and performed a clean routine with strong skills displayed throughout, including a three high column with top planche. Third place went to the women from Wigan Seaguls.
The ever-popular Mens Group from Spelthorne in the South East region, also debuted their new top, Jonathan Stranks, former junior mens pair British Champion. Despite only being together a couple of months, World bronze medallists and defending British Champions, (plus new top!) are already clocking up an impressive amount of difficulty, with Stranks showing why he was chosen as Sturt’s replacement, with his one-arm flag combination on stack and impressive range of dynamic skills. A notable score of 28.706 was awarded by the judges for Buckingham, McAssey, Stranks, Uttley’s near-perfect combined routine.
The event as a whole continued to demonstrate the strength and depth of talent in acrobatic gymnastics in the country and a full audience throughout the weekend highlighted the popularity on both Acrobatic and tumbling gymnastics. Another successful British Championships wrapped up, and the start of what could be the most exciting year ever in acrobatics.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
GET ACRO IN THE OLYMPICS
Please take the time to add your name to the petition heading to Number 10 to get Acrobatic and Tumbling Gymnastics in the Olympic Games.
Http://petitions.number10.gov.UK/tumbling-2012/
All your signitures count.
Lets make our elite althetes Olympians - they deserve it.
The country need to see how many medals this disapline could win Team GB....
Http://petitions.number10.gov.UK/tumbling-2012/
All your signitures count.
Lets make our elite althetes Olympians - they deserve it.
The country need to see how many medals this disapline could win Team GB....
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Bristol International 2009
The Bristol International competition has become a popular international club competition and this year’s event, held between 20th and 22nd of February at Yate Leisure Centre, was no exception.
Twelve clubs took part in the two-day event with international representatives from Russia, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. Many clubs from across Britain also took part, including; Spelthorne, Wakefield, Harefield, Oxford, Southampton and hosts, King Edmunds. There were several gymnasts who represented Great Britain at the 2008 World Championships in Glasgow competing with their new partnerships for the first time, and the Russian mixed pair, Maslakova and Kiselev, returned to our shores, now as juniors. With the new code being implemented for the first time and only four weeks until the British Championships, it was a perfect opportunity for many to debut new skills and perfect their routines before the domestic competition in March.
11-16 AGE GROUP
The 11-16 Age Group competition was very popular, with over 60 gymnasts competing over the weekend. The finals on Sunday proved to be a tough competition across many of the categories.
In the womens Groups, Oxford took the gold medal with an impressive score of 28.333. Wakefield trio of Lee, Laycock and Mallas looked well prepared and solid in their skills, and scored 27.733 for their effort. Hosts, King Edmund took the bronze medal, scoring 27.633, making the top three a very tight competition. The popularity of the 11-16 age group will make for a good selection of clubs competing at the British Championships next month.
There were only two mixed pairs competing, and only one eligible for medal (Harefield pair, Bartlett and Spalding were competing as guests), but it didn’t affect the standard of performance. Christopher Longley and Alice Upcott – younger sister of GB squad member Eddy Upcott- impressed the judges with their range of elements and elegant choreography, scoring 27.993. Looking strong like strong contenders ahead of the British, Connor Bartlett and Millie Spalding gave the judges a taste of the level of competition standard to expect in the age group mixed pair competition, scoring a respectable 27.700 for their balance routine.
The womens pairs was an extremely popular competition, and produced some exception performances in Yate. Wakefield are really beginning to make their presence felt in the category, with a beautiful performance from Beth Sykes and Zoe Whitfield which earned them a technical score of 9.30, artistry score of 9.17 and the gold medal, with an overall score of 28.467. The rest of the pack weren’t far behind the Wakefield girls. Oxford took the silver medal, with Evans and Patrick less than 0.3 behind the gold medal winners with a score of 28.167 Abigail Ralph and Amy McKenzie from Spelthorne were even closer, with just 0.034 separating second and third place.
In men’s pairs, the hosts’ boys battled it out for gold and silver, with the cheeky performance of James May and Jake Underdown taking the top place, with Child and Smith coming second with a score of 25.10, after a few wobbles. The 11-16 Mens Group, also from King Edmunds gave a great performance, for both the audience and judges.
JUNIORS 12-19 AGE GROUP
In the 12-19 (junior) competition it was a chance for some who have recently made the transition from 11-16 to demonstrate their new skills. In mixed pairs the Russian’s, who competed but didn’t medal in the 11-16 Age Group in Glasgow, had the chance to make up for it by trying their luck against current junior World Champions, Josh Simpson and Kim Hunter from Spelthorne. This time luck seemed to be on their side. Simpson and Hunter made an uncharacteristic mistake on cut through to handstand in their combined routine, capping their score at 27.300, whilst the Russian pair impressed the judges with their original choreography and skills, including a impressive rodochlar to one arm, one and a half tucked dismount, scoring them 28.367, just ahead of the world champions. The other mixed pair from Spelthorne, Webster and Tate took the bronze medal.
In the women’s groups two very strong trios from Spelthorne took gold and silver after they both performed high-quality routines. The 11-16 World Age games silver medallists, Burgon, Matthews and Seabourne have made the transition to junior very well indeed, challenging their team mates, Cowler, Kemp and Wood with a routine of similar standards, and equally entertaining to watch. World Champion mixed pair top, Shanie-Redd Thorne was competing for King Edmunds as a base of a trio with former World champion mixed pair top, Shelley Evans and Michaela Jones, and with a score of 26.533 the experienced group took the bronze.
There was only one men’s group competing in the 12-19 age group. Wright, Wilmott, Llwellyn and Bates scored 25.817 with the judges and impressed the audience. They four also further highlight the strength of the men’s partnerships coming from King Edmunds this year, and the ever-growing popularity of men’s groups in Britain.
SENIORS
The senior competition was relatively small in comparison with the Age Groups, with many new partnerships on the horizon, but still taking time to finalise their new skills and polish their routines ahead of the British and trials later in the year. There was also the absence of the bronze-medal winning Mens Group (with new top, Jonathan Stranks), much to the disappointment of the audience. There were two new partnerships from Harefield Gymnastics Academy in the London region competing as guests. Grace Blacklock and Claire-Louise Thompson, who finished 9th in Glasgow in October attended, performing their combined routine with new top Robyn Birch. With the Harefield trio not able to medal as guests Southampton trio, sisters Kirsty and Kelly Warren and their top, Sophie Allison were up against Dutch TV stars. Van Duuren, Diender and Luka appeared on Hollands Got Talent last year and in Yate this weekend took the gold medal with a score of 26.501.
World junior women’s group silver medal winning top, Katy Smith also debuted her new partnership, as the top of a senior mixed pair with Luke Frizoni, performing a near-perfect double straight in their combined routine. They weren’t the only mixed pair competing for the first time in new partnerships. The truly world-class combination of Nicholas Illingworth (formerly senior mixed pair with Sarah Cameron) and Katie Axten (previously senior women’s pair with Elizabeth Oliver) showed their newly formed partnership off in style with strong routines all round, again highlighting the strength of the new Spelthorne partnerships. Illingworth and Axten scored 28.100 for their combined routine, taking the gold medal ahead of partnerships from Southampton Gymnastics and Holland. Whilst Frizoni and Smith weren’t eligible for medals they too impressed the judges with their already high-level skills after just a month together. In womens pairs, World junior silver medallists, Maiken Thorne and Mollie Grehan also moved to the senior category and are showing great potential in their field. The pair took the 28.400 for their balance routine despite Mollie being injured. Another new Spelthorne partnership taking to the floor, post-world championships was in the Mens Pairs competition. Senior world bronze medallist, Edward Upcott and his new base, Doug Fordyce also showed great promise together, already scoring a respectable 26.627 for their new combined routine.
All in all, it should make for a very interesting weekend in Fenton next month.
Twelve clubs took part in the two-day event with international representatives from Russia, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. Many clubs from across Britain also took part, including; Spelthorne, Wakefield, Harefield, Oxford, Southampton and hosts, King Edmunds. There were several gymnasts who represented Great Britain at the 2008 World Championships in Glasgow competing with their new partnerships for the first time, and the Russian mixed pair, Maslakova and Kiselev, returned to our shores, now as juniors. With the new code being implemented for the first time and only four weeks until the British Championships, it was a perfect opportunity for many to debut new skills and perfect their routines before the domestic competition in March.
11-16 AGE GROUP
The 11-16 Age Group competition was very popular, with over 60 gymnasts competing over the weekend. The finals on Sunday proved to be a tough competition across many of the categories.
In the womens Groups, Oxford took the gold medal with an impressive score of 28.333. Wakefield trio of Lee, Laycock and Mallas looked well prepared and solid in their skills, and scored 27.733 for their effort. Hosts, King Edmund took the bronze medal, scoring 27.633, making the top three a very tight competition. The popularity of the 11-16 age group will make for a good selection of clubs competing at the British Championships next month.
There were only two mixed pairs competing, and only one eligible for medal (Harefield pair, Bartlett and Spalding were competing as guests), but it didn’t affect the standard of performance. Christopher Longley and Alice Upcott – younger sister of GB squad member Eddy Upcott- impressed the judges with their range of elements and elegant choreography, scoring 27.993. Looking strong like strong contenders ahead of the British, Connor Bartlett and Millie Spalding gave the judges a taste of the level of competition standard to expect in the age group mixed pair competition, scoring a respectable 27.700 for their balance routine.
The womens pairs was an extremely popular competition, and produced some exception performances in Yate. Wakefield are really beginning to make their presence felt in the category, with a beautiful performance from Beth Sykes and Zoe Whitfield which earned them a technical score of 9.30, artistry score of 9.17 and the gold medal, with an overall score of 28.467. The rest of the pack weren’t far behind the Wakefield girls. Oxford took the silver medal, with Evans and Patrick less than 0.3 behind the gold medal winners with a score of 28.167 Abigail Ralph and Amy McKenzie from Spelthorne were even closer, with just 0.034 separating second and third place.
In men’s pairs, the hosts’ boys battled it out for gold and silver, with the cheeky performance of James May and Jake Underdown taking the top place, with Child and Smith coming second with a score of 25.10, after a few wobbles. The 11-16 Mens Group, also from King Edmunds gave a great performance, for both the audience and judges.
JUNIORS 12-19 AGE GROUP
In the 12-19 (junior) competition it was a chance for some who have recently made the transition from 11-16 to demonstrate their new skills. In mixed pairs the Russian’s, who competed but didn’t medal in the 11-16 Age Group in Glasgow, had the chance to make up for it by trying their luck against current junior World Champions, Josh Simpson and Kim Hunter from Spelthorne. This time luck seemed to be on their side. Simpson and Hunter made an uncharacteristic mistake on cut through to handstand in their combined routine, capping their score at 27.300, whilst the Russian pair impressed the judges with their original choreography and skills, including a impressive rodochlar to one arm, one and a half tucked dismount, scoring them 28.367, just ahead of the world champions. The other mixed pair from Spelthorne, Webster and Tate took the bronze medal.
In the women’s groups two very strong trios from Spelthorne took gold and silver after they both performed high-quality routines. The 11-16 World Age games silver medallists, Burgon, Matthews and Seabourne have made the transition to junior very well indeed, challenging their team mates, Cowler, Kemp and Wood with a routine of similar standards, and equally entertaining to watch. World Champion mixed pair top, Shanie-Redd Thorne was competing for King Edmunds as a base of a trio with former World champion mixed pair top, Shelley Evans and Michaela Jones, and with a score of 26.533 the experienced group took the bronze.
There was only one men’s group competing in the 12-19 age group. Wright, Wilmott, Llwellyn and Bates scored 25.817 with the judges and impressed the audience. They four also further highlight the strength of the men’s partnerships coming from King Edmunds this year, and the ever-growing popularity of men’s groups in Britain.
SENIORS
The senior competition was relatively small in comparison with the Age Groups, with many new partnerships on the horizon, but still taking time to finalise their new skills and polish their routines ahead of the British and trials later in the year. There was also the absence of the bronze-medal winning Mens Group (with new top, Jonathan Stranks), much to the disappointment of the audience. There were two new partnerships from Harefield Gymnastics Academy in the London region competing as guests. Grace Blacklock and Claire-Louise Thompson, who finished 9th in Glasgow in October attended, performing their combined routine with new top Robyn Birch. With the Harefield trio not able to medal as guests Southampton trio, sisters Kirsty and Kelly Warren and their top, Sophie Allison were up against Dutch TV stars. Van Duuren, Diender and Luka appeared on Hollands Got Talent last year and in Yate this weekend took the gold medal with a score of 26.501.
World junior women’s group silver medal winning top, Katy Smith also debuted her new partnership, as the top of a senior mixed pair with Luke Frizoni, performing a near-perfect double straight in their combined routine. They weren’t the only mixed pair competing for the first time in new partnerships. The truly world-class combination of Nicholas Illingworth (formerly senior mixed pair with Sarah Cameron) and Katie Axten (previously senior women’s pair with Elizabeth Oliver) showed their newly formed partnership off in style with strong routines all round, again highlighting the strength of the new Spelthorne partnerships. Illingworth and Axten scored 28.100 for their combined routine, taking the gold medal ahead of partnerships from Southampton Gymnastics and Holland. Whilst Frizoni and Smith weren’t eligible for medals they too impressed the judges with their already high-level skills after just a month together. In womens pairs, World junior silver medallists, Maiken Thorne and Mollie Grehan also moved to the senior category and are showing great potential in their field. The pair took the 28.400 for their balance routine despite Mollie being injured. Another new Spelthorne partnership taking to the floor, post-world championships was in the Mens Pairs competition. Senior world bronze medallist, Edward Upcott and his new base, Doug Fordyce also showed great promise together, already scoring a respectable 26.627 for their new combined routine.
All in all, it should make for a very interesting weekend in Fenton next month.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics
For over two decades Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics, based in Ashford, Middlesex, have dominated acrobatic gymnastics in Great Britain and internationally.
The Club, initially formed by Bob Cooper in 1986 as part of Spelthorne Gymnastics Club and since then have continued to go from strength to strength. They now train in a facility near to Brooklands College in Ashford.
Head coach, and former mixed pair World Champion, Neil Griffiths and his coaching team continue to produce world class acrobats and the club boasts over 200 gold medals at National & International events, 8 of which are World Titles.At the 2008 World Championships, Spelthorne took home 2 senior Bronze medals, and the team silver medal and in the Junior and 11-16 age groups, they won 2 silver medals and now have the junior mixed pair world champions, Joshua Simpson and Kimberley Hunter.
Click HERE to visit their website and find out more.
or HERE to watch videos of some of Spelthorne's gymnasts in action at last year's World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships.
(RIGHT: Joshua and Kimbery - Junior World Champions
ABOVE: Adam, Alex, Adam and Sam - Senior Bronze medalists 2008)
Monday, January 19, 2009
GBR Age Groups Training Days
A short video from the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Age Games competition training days, highlighting some of the best junior talent in the world.
GBR Senior Womens Group @ Worlds
Grace Blacklock, Claire-Louise Thompson and Hannah Feeney performing their dynamic routine at the Acrobatic World Championships in Glasgow 2008.
The girls, from Harefield Gymnastics Academy, representing GBR finished 9th overall.
The girls, from Harefield Gymnastics Academy, representing GBR finished 9th overall.
Harefield Gymnastics Academy
A video of Harefield Gymnasts performing at the Harlequins Center in north west London to raise money to send their two womens groups to the World Championships in October 2008.
The junior womens group of Ciara, Sophie and Katie came home with a silver medal and the senior womens group of Grace, Claire and Hannah are now 9th in the World.
Find out more about Harefield Gymnastics Academy www.harefieldgymnastics.com
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