Young Wānaka gymnasts have excelled at two recent regional events.

In early April four Aspiring Gymsports Club students competed in their first trampoline competition of the year in Rangiora. 

In their bid to qualify for the Otago team going to the New Zealand Championships in July, Caoimhe Heath, Zoe Nicholson, Piper Carson-Wolfe and Skyla Coll bounced their way to the podium. 

“It was a great comp for a first comp in a long time for those girls, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” coach Emily Feit said.

In the women's 15/16 section, Caoimhe qualified for selection in trampoline, and in the women's 13/14 section, Skyla earned qualification in double mini trampoline. Skyla and Piper teamed up in the synchro section to place second overall and Caoimhe and Zoe teamed up in the 15/16 section to claim first place overall. 

Emily said the girls will now get to represent Otago rather than just the club.

And a “small but mighty” club competition team attended the Dunedin Gymnastics Academy (DGA) earlier this month (April 9-10), club head coach Rae Paterson said.

Young gymnasts did well at Dunedin’s Gymnastic Academy event.

The Step 4 team of Lucy Wellington, Mea Allison, and Sami Read earned a “very impressive” second team placing with Lucy winning Step 4 overs- first in beam, first equal in bar, and second in vault and floor.  

Sami came third overall in Step 4 Unders, first in floor and second in bar. Mea placed ninth overall in the Under 7th beam and 10th on bars and floor. 

The Step 3 team of Elsie Parsons, Keira Lam, Lara Beams and Stella Kearns earned second team overall, with Stella fourth place overall. She also placed first in vault, third in bar and third in floor. Lara placed third equal in vault; Keira 10th in bars; Elsie third in vault and second in bars. 

Vienna Harley had her first Step 5 competition and came fifth overall and on bar, floor and vault, as well as fourth on beam. 

Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) were also well represented at the event.

The club’s newest and highest Level 7 gymnast, Lachlan Hay, who recently transferred from Auckland, had his first Southern outing, scooping the pool and placing first overall. 

James Watson had his first Level 4 competition, placing fourth overall: he was also second on floor.

At Level 3, Marshall Watson was fifth overall and second on floor. Charlie Nisbet placed second overall, and was first in floor, first in H bar, second in pommel, third in rungs and third in P bars.

Dean Coll and Jake Parsons competed in Level 2, placing 12th and 14th in a very strong field of 17 with Jake placing 8th in vault and 10th in H bar. 

PHOTOS: Supplied