Danes making great addition

Danish coaches Jeppe Andersen (left) and Simon Sabro check out the view from Downunder as they have joined the Wanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The Denmark-Wanganui gymnastics connection is still running strong with two recent graduates of the prestigious Ollerup Gymnastics Academy making this town their home for the next nine months.

And while some of their instructions could possibly end up lost in translation, Simon Sabro and Jeppe Andersen are really enjoying coaching at the Wanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club.

The two Danes came straight from the Ollerup academy, where they spent nine months studying gymnastics focusing on tumbling, vaulting and performance gymnastics.

Both have been competing themselves since a young age and have been instructors as well for many years.

Spokeswoman Karen Hughes said they were given the opportunity to coach in New Zealand through the academy and the close ties it has with the Wanganui club.

In July, the Wanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club's own Sarah Davey travelled to Denmark on the club's Ollerup scholarship to attend the academy.

Sabro and Andersen "jumped at the chance" to come here and have been enjoying their time in Wanganui so far, Hughes said.

"I have found it a challenge to coach in English, as you need to translate everything in your head before you say it, but it is definitely getting easier," Sabro said.

Andersen has his own wrestling matches with the language.

"I have only met a few people who can pronounce my name correctly the first time they say it, which is not something I anticipated as being a problem before I arrived."

Phonetically, Jeppe is pronounced Yebba.

Whatever the enunciation, the club's head coach Kelly Taylor-Ward said she is delighted to have the Danes as part of the club family.

"They have come straight from one of the best gymnastics facilities in Europe, bringing with them fresh ideas and new techniques that benefit our gymnasts and their learning."

The two coaches hope to stay until June 2014 and say they are looking forward to helping with the upcoming events the club is involved with.

Most notably will be the team gym display competition in October, the Christmas parade, and the annual club break up display in December.