Date: Sunday 15th January 2017 at Cambridge University Sports Centre
Entries close: 2016-12-21
Entry ages: 7 years +
22 gymnasts from Cambridge Cangaroos took part in the second NDP trampoline and DMT competition on 15th January at Cambridge University. This was the biggest NDP event in the Regions since the National Development Programme was started 4 years ago, with over 400 gymnasts competing from all over the East Region in Trampoline and Double Mini-Tramp.
The Gymnasts taking part were competing to win medals, and to achieve qualification to the Regional Semi-Finals. To achieve qualification to the Regional semi-finals, gymnasts had to achieve a minimum aggregate Execution score of 42 points across both rounds of the event.
This competition also held the Range and Conditioning assessments. This is a routine consisting of 10 gymnastic and conditioning skills linked together to demonstrate the strength, flexibility and agility of the gymnasts. To achieve a qualifying score, gymnasts had to achieve a score over 7.0. Cangaroos were delighted that all of our gymnasts who undertook the R&C assessments achieved the qualifying score.
As usual in Regional competitions, in order to provide larger competitive groups, the competition organisers merged a number of the age groups. This meant that our gymnasts were competing against a wider age range and would have potentially won more medals in their own age groups. However, for qualification to the Regional semi-finals, all the gymnasts are entered under their own age groups.
Our first competitors of the day were Niamh Finlayson and Sydney Kelly, both competing in the NDP 5 Women’s 13+ age group. Niamh was competing for the 1st time for a few months and was feeling somewhat unsure. But after successfully completing both routines was delighted to take 5th place with a total score of 45.4. An excellent start to the day. Sydney had already won this at the earlier competition of the season, so was looking to repeat that success. Unfortunately an error in her 1st routine resulted in a zero score for the 1st round. However, she did go on to post the highest scores in the 2nd round and can be pleased with that result. Sydney’s error unfortunately put her in 10th place after the two rounds were complete.
Next up was Isla Cowling, competing in the Club 2, women’s 9-10 age group. Isla too suffered an error in her 1st routine and had to be content with 4th place and a total score of just 21.5. Molly McGregor was next to compete in the Level 2 women’s 9-10 age group. Two great routines saw Molly qualify to the Regional Semi-finals in 6th place with a total round score of 44.80.
Next up was Gemma White, competing in the largest competition of the day, the Level 3 women’s 13+ group. Two competition routines also saw Gemma qualify easily for the Regional semi-final with a total score of 45.1 and take 23rd place. In the same group Sophie Ralph had an unfortunate error in her 2nd routine after scoring well in her 1st routine and with a total round score of 22.2 was only able to manage 28th place.
In the Level 5 Men’s 13-14 group, Liam Whistler had performed a solid 1st round but again errors crept in and was unable to complete the 2nd round routine, with a score of 22.4 Liam managed to take 3rd place and a Bronze medal. Liam had already qualified for the Level 4 competition in 1st place at the previous competition, so although the step up wasn’t successful in terms of qualification this time, he did come away with a medal.
Poppy Budd was next to compete in the Level 2 women’s 11-12 and with two great routines, Poppy qualified for the Regional Semi-Final with a total score of 45.2 in 9th place Henry Ashton competed next in the Level 4 men’s 13+ group and although suffering an error at the very end of his second routine he did achieve the qualifying score of 42.7 and managed to place 10th in the group.
Lilly Goodbrand and Rhiannon Monie were next up in the Level 1 women’s 9-10 group. This was Lilly’s 1st competition at this level and the nerves came into force for the 1st round with Lilly unable to complete the routine. But a strong comeback in the 2nd round saw Lilly score a total of 21.9 and take 21st place. Meanwhile, two good routines from Rhiannon saw her take 16th place with a total score of 43.1 and qualify for the Regional Semi-Finals.
Macy Dexter was the next to compete and having already qualified in 1st place in the Level 3 women’s 11-12 group, this time she took a step up to the Level 4 group. Two high scoring routines saw Macy take 2nd place and the silver medal with a total score of 47.3. The decision now is what to compete at the Regional Semi-Finals as she potentially looks for medals at the National Team Finals (if she qualifies from the semi-final).
In the Level 4 women’s 13+ group our team of Anya Snook, Yasmin Snook and Maya Humphries performed brilliantly to take 2nd place in the team event and Yasmin took 7th place with a total score of 48.3, Anya wasn’t far behind in 12th with a total score of 47.8 and Maya also performed well to score 45.5 and take 18th place. This was an incredibly high standard of competition with some very high scoring routines, so our girls all did brilliantly and all qualified for the Semi-Finals.
Oliver Burrell was next up competing in the Level 1 Men’s 13+ group. Another error in the 1st routine saw Oliver take 7th place with a total score of 22.0 In the Level 2 women’s 13+ Scarlett East was competing in the second biggest group of the day and after two good routines scored a total of 43.3 to come 22nd and qualify for the Semi-Final.
Our last competitor of the day was Ali Macrae, having driven 3 hours south from deepest darkest Yorkshire, could Ali pull out the stops to medal in the Level 7 Mens 17+ group. An excellent first round routine had him poised, but the second round would be a challenge. A successful 20 seconds of competition saw him take 3rd place and the bronze medal with a total score of 45.4 and qualify for the Regional Semi Final.
So all in all a pretty successful competition, almost all the gymnasts qualified for the next round and we came away with 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. As always, our thanks go out to our coaches, Francoise Lucas, Scott Kinnley, Laura Able and Tony Fagelman and to our judges and officials, specifically Luis Pires and Helen Snook who judged all day. We look forward now to the Semi- Finals in March.