It's almost time

NZ Gymsports Nationals 2011 is almost here - next week in fact. 

Well, for trampoline, aerobics and rhythmic anyway.  Artistic didn't want to play with us this year, so they're having theirs in November in Timaru.

Jess made the Auckland team, for RG Level 5 and Grade IV Group.  Most of the holidays are being taken up with training.

So, if you've nothing to do on July 28-30 and you're in Auckland, come join us at the North Shore Events Centre. 

Details are available at NZGymsports.

Just one more

Tink goes to a small Montessori primary school of about 40 kids.  This year they decided to test the schools gymsports waters and attend TriStar's gymsports festival - which is designed to encourage schools to participate in gymsports.  It was a fun event, well run by TriStar.
The school arranged for 6 kids, including Tink, to do some training at the local YMCA to participate.  It was all done in rush in the three weeks prior to the event.  Due to some confusion, Tink ended up being entered in Artistic as well as the Rhythmic sections.
She had plenty of RG leos to choose from for the day, but no artistic ones.  Since I have the lycra stash, the sewing machines were still set up and I am mad, I made her a new leo the night before:



It really popped out there on the gym floor.  Helena, Tink's teacher for the day, reported with much amusement that when Tink took off her school jacket, the other girls all said admiringly "cool leotard!"  Tink responded with a nonchalant "thanks, mum made it last night" which garnered a drawn out "wow" from the girls and a "clever mum" from their teacher!
She may have been out of her depth in comparison to the other girls gymnastics wise, but she definitely had the brightest, coolest leotard on the floor.
Even if I do say so myself!

Highs and lows

Two highs to report...
Firstly, Jess has finally made it to 5 feet tall!!  She was getting a little desperate there for awhile, LOL.
Secondly, it was Xtreme Rhythmix's AKL Champs this weekend at ASB Stadium.  Groups went ok for both girls - big relief since several gymnasts were away requiring swaps and newbies.
Jess went out for Level 5, steady as usual freehand and hoop routines scoring mid 16s, incrementally better clubs and increased her score for the 5th time in a row to 15.3 - yay!  And best of all was prizegiving:

4th clubs, 2nd hoop, 1st freehand, 1st overall!

Go Jess, woohoo.

Now the low: Tink went out for Level 3, did three ok routines (all remembered, no big booboos, only the one drop) but came last.  She's a bit upset cos she was trying hard to improve her skills.  I saw improvements: her stag leap was better, her cossack balances were held longer, her rope was caught better (except for the last big throw) and her ball generally was better.  But I guess the skills weren't better enough.  I vidoe'd her this time and she wants to look at them to see what she needs to fix - she really does try hard.  It really breaks your heart when it doesn't always pay off.

Nevermind, she has Midlands next weekend, then Shore Junior comp first weekend in August.  Jess has Midlands and then Nationals last weekend of July.  And THEN we'll be done for 2011 - gymastically that is.  Still the fun that is jazz exams (3rd week of term 3) and jazz recital to go...

I am definitely, certifiably, nuts!

Brag Warning!!

It was the Gymsports NZ National Secondary Schools Championships this weekend, when school teams from around New Zealand converge on TriStar to contest hip hop, artistic gymnastics, aerobics, rhythmic gymnastics and cheerleading.  It's noisy and busy and lots of fun.
Jess goes for the social event that it is (she and I get to catch up with lots of old friends as she used to train artistic at TriStar) and it's the only time she can represent her school (Marist College).
Last year she was frustrated and upset as she came 2nd to last in her division - Club B, which encompasses Levels 4, 5 and 6.  However, she still improved her scores and as we know, went on to do well at Nth Is Champs and Nationals.
This year, she improved her club score, did a steady hoop and had lots of fun catching up with everyone. And then at prizegiving to her delighted astonishment she got 3rd!!

Go Jess!

oh look - another one!

Jess didn't get any new leotards this season made by me, even though I had bought some lovely fabrics to make a clubs leo. Instead, the 2nd hand leo we picked up in February became the clubs leo and her clubs were decorated in blue and lime accordingly. For freehand and hoop she has insisted on wearing the leos I made last year, saying that she "loves them" and that they're "good luck leos" (as she wore them with success at Nationals among other comps).


So the fabric bought specially for this season stays in the stash cupboard for next year.


I, on the other hand, now dislike them intensely and wanted to make new ones.


Jess has grudgingly agreed to wear a new one at this weekend's National Secondary Schools comp as it isn't part of the qualifying comps for Nationals, meaning good luck leos are not so crucial.

So I rummaged in the lycra and bling stash, and this is what resulted:

Jess has admitted that she likes this one now, and will happily wear it on Sunday.

We're wondering if it needs some crystals on the purple... what do you think?

Golden

This is my mum's best friend, Barbara - with her husband David.

Mum and Barbara have known each other forever.  Seriously - since they were born, even.  Barbara is my godmother. 

It's Barbara and David's 50th wedding anniversary (June 10).  Way to go!

Posted with much love from the Antipodes. 

Outside Winchester Cathedral, Sep 2009

Caught on camera

Shore Champs is held at the North Shore Events Centre, home of the champion Breakers basketball team and is a good venue for video.
So for you loyal followers, here's footage of the girls from the weekend:

Shore Champs 2011

No individual routines of Tink sorry - the L3s competed in the small gym next door and the audience area there is not conducive to filming, a bit like Counties.  I'll rectify that at  her next comp in early July - Auckland Champs held at ASB Stadium Kohimarama which is a similar venue to the Events Centre.