The North Shining Stars go through their cheerleading routine. Photo / Brett Phibbs
It was glitter, pigtails, tank tops and amping music in Auckland yesterday as teams from New Zealand and Australia revved themselves up for the country's biggest cheerleading completion.
More than 1000 cheerleaders in more than 70 teams were competing at the All Star Cheer Internationals in Takapuna's Bruce
Mason Centre.
The athletes, aged between 5 and 35, performed stunts, tumbles, jumps, cheers and dances.
The televised event - organised by the New Zealand Cheerleading Association and the country's largest American-style cheerleading school, the All Star Cheerleaders - has been running since 2003, when 13 teams participated.
All Star executive director Kimberley Ramsay gave up a career in tax law to pursue her love of cheerleading.
She has led several New Zealand teams at overseas competitions, and will take a team to Florida for the world championships in April.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
