Gymnastics: Strong team heading to nationals

The Northland Gymsports Team to compete at the National Championships features competitors from Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Whangarei Academy of Gymnastics and Active Aerobics. Photo / John Stone

Twenty-three budding gymnasts, ranging in age from 9 to 19, have qualified for the Northland team to travel to the Gymsports National Championships in Auckland next week.

With the championships hosting five different codes under the gymsports umbrella - including artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampolinists, tumbling and aerobics - the Northland side has competitors entered in four out of the five gymsport disciplines.

Gymnasts from the Whangarei Academy of Gymnastics [WAGs], Kaitaia and Kerikeri make up a strong team of seasoned gymnasts, with nine girls and two boys qualifying.

Philippa Croft from WAGs is the newest member of the team in Step 5, and joins Chloe Campbell in Step 6 and the Step 7 team of Sophia Cosson, Michelle Crawford, Zoe Espie and Kyla McKenzie.

Pippa Benton will compete in Step 8 and Ryan Townsend in Level 5.

Last year the team came back with five medals.

The women will have to compete in four different apparatus, vault, bar, beam and floor, while the men have to compete in six, vault, floor, high bar, parallel bars, rings and pommel.

For the first time in many years the Northland team will include athletes competing in trampolining. Tiana Tawha is an ex-gymnast who has been doing trampoline for the past four years at WAGs, coached by Graeme Smith. Tawha has placed second overall at competitions in Auckland this year and has a good chance to go one better. Elleanor Bradley from Kaitaia Gymnastics Club will compete in power tumbling, and is hoping to add to the medal she won at the 2014 National Championships.

In 2014 the Northland team included one aerobics athlete - this year there are 10. All of the aerobics athletes are members of Active Attitude, coached by Ashleigh McCaw, from clubs in Mangakahia, Whangarei, Dargaville and Ruakaka, and all are in their first year of competitive aerobics.

The aerobics girls have achieved some amazing results this year, with Jaimee Mason stringing together strong performances leading up to nationals. Mason has competed in seven aerobics competitions so far this year, achieving third place in her first competition and first place in every competition since.

This includes winning the NZ National Secondary School Gymsports Aerobics Step 4 competition for ages 11-14.

From the Kaitaia Gymnastic Club, Jacinta Van der Linden will compete in Step 5 and Andrew Van der Linden in Level 5. From Kerikeri Gymnastic Club, Jesse Tunnicliffe will take part in Step 7.

The nationals take place at Auckland's Trusts Arena, from September 30 to October 4.