Georgia Olzsewki, Shaina Blackburn, Mia Holman-Harris and Chelsea Williams.
Georgia Olzsewki, Shaina Blackburn, Mia Holman-Harris and Chelsea Williams.
They came, they saw, they cheered and they conquered - at least in one division.
A visiting troupe of Australian cheerleaders has left Whangarei with one of the four division titles in the annual Fantasy Island Cheer/Dance Luau competition held in the city on Sunday.
But local teams won twoother categories while an Auckland troupe won the other section.
Lucy Bland and Claudia Jamieson with Jessica Kalkhoven.
Organiser Toni Saunders, coach of Whangarei's Fantasy Cheerleaders, said about 300 participants from Northland, Auckland, Tauranga and Adelaide, Australia, took part in the contest.
Ms Saunders said the Strictly Talented team from Adelaide dominated the level two section, with some outstanding work.
The level three category was won by Auckland's Cheer Dynamics group and level four was dominated by the Fantasy Cheerleaders and level one by the Fantasy Megamix team. The winning teams have the right to compete in the national cheerleading contest in October.
Dana Gamby-Hull gets the hair right for Sujin Lee while Michka Kangsathien is ready to go.
She said the event had seen some outstanding performances. It was the first time for years that Whangarei gymnast and cheerleader Grace Hegh did not take part but her mum, Andrea Hegh, said Grace was so keen to see the action that the performances were streamed live to her in the US, where she is cheering with the Californian All Stars troupe.
"She couldn't stand to miss the competition. Gracie just wanted to be there but couldn't so I set up a live feed so she could watch from California," Mrs Hegh said.
