Gymnastics: Arena hosts biggest contest

WAGs competitors (left) Keaton Chitty-Stewart, Emily Heaton, Zara Davison, Karli Babe-Vercoe, Anabella Hugo, Abby McInerney, Jaimee Francis and coach Tayla Morgan. Photo / Supplied

Whangarei Academy of Gymnastics (Wags) held their annual club competition recently with 150 gymnasts from Northland competing.

This was the biggest gymnastic competition event so far to be held at the ASB Sports Arena.

Girls competed in Step 1 to Step 8 and boys from Level 1-5.

The competitive clubs were Kaitaia Gymnastic Club, Kerikeri Gymnastic Club, Bay of Islands Gymnastic Club, Fantastic Gymnastics Club, Whangarei Academy of Gymnastics (Wags) and Mahurangi Gymnastics Club.

Wags junior and senior gymnasts also competed away at the Hamilton City Gymnastics Club competition recently and did extremely well.

This was a junior and senior competition held over two days with the senior girls competing twice.

The first day was an individual all-round competition and team competition, while the second day was the apparatus finals.

Competing from Wags, in Step 6, was Chloe Campbell, Step 7 Sophia Cosson, Kyla MacKenzie, Zoe Espie and Michelle Crawford and in Step 8 Pippa Benton.

The Step 7, Division 2 Team of Kyla MacKenzie, Sophia Cosson, Zoe Espie and Michelle Crawford won silver in the team competition.

In the individual all-round competition, MacKenzie placed second and Espie placed third overall.

In the apparatus finals, MacKenzie came first in vault and floor, Cosson placed second in vault, first on bar and third on floor, while in Step 8, Benton placed third on floor. Espie qualified to compete at the nationals in October along with MacKenzie and Benton who had qualified previously.