Gymnastics: Gymnasts take leap of faith

HARD WORKERS: The Northland gymnastics team are ready to be in full stride when the National GymSports Championships in Auckland kicks off tomorrow. From left, Pippa Benton, Jesse Tunnicliffe, Jacinta Van de Linden, Chloe Campbell (sitting), Maia Prochazka, Michelle Crawford (jumping), Andrew Van de Linden, Morgan Dolfing, Zoe Espie (sitting), Sophia Cosson.PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Northland team aiming for a jump up the ranking ladder at champs

Ten Northland teenagers are hoping to leap their way up the rankings at the National GymSports Championships at Trusts Arena in Auckland.

Jacinta Van der Linden, Andrew Van der Linden, Morgan Dolfing, Jesse Tunnicliffe, Sophia Cosson, Michelle Crawford, Chloe Campbell, Pippa Benton, Zoe Espie, and Maia Prochazka make up the Northland team who begin competing tomorrow - with several searching for either top 10 or podium finishes.

With most of the Northland team being in their early teens getting this far hasn't been easy with the qualifying process.

Each of the 10 athletes has had to qualify for the nationals twice, once inside the region and again outside of it in the past 12 months.

Whangarei Academy of Gymnastics coach Vicki Macdonald said the group had done well to get this far, adding some will be hoping to go a step further.

"Hopefully they'll do ok," she said of her Whangarei-based athletes - Cosson, Crawford, Campbell, Benton, and Espie.

"But it's hard to say because the gymnasts they've competed against this year are just from the North Island. Christchurch usually does alright, but gymnastics is strong in Wellington as well."

Of Macdonald's five athletes, she expected them all to go well, but, Benton was one who she thought might come close to a medal. She said Benton qualified in several events but the vault was her strength.

However, Macdonald added her other athletes had the potential to make top 10 finishes.

"They've improved immensely since about February, they're just hard working athletes and they're determined.

"They've got the right attitude and do conditioning at home when not in the gym."

Creating history for Northland will be Whangarei's Prochazka, who becomes the region's first aerobic gymnast.

Kaitaia's Gymnastic Club is Northland's only club this year to have boys competing.

Maureen Perry, who co-coaches at the Kaitaia club with Jesse Pope and will be their coach on the floor at the championships, said the gymnasts have been practising hard.

"It's difficult to say what their chances are. The boys have been performing some good rings, parallel bar and high bar routines and Jacinta has been doing some good bar routines at some of their competitions.

"Let's just say, we here at the club are all behind them and wish them well."

The competition runs until Saturday and will also feature some competitors who were at the Commonwealth Games.

Northland
Jacinta Van der Linden, Andrew Van der Linden, Morgan Dolfing (Kaitaia), Jesse Tunnicliffe (Kerikeri), Sophia Cosson, Michelle Crawford, Chloe Campbell, Pippa Benton, Zoe Espie, Maia Prochazka (Whangarei).