Submitted
Nelson Star
Glacier Gymnastics did more than just host last weekend.
During the Kootenay Zone gymnastic and trampoline championships, the Nelson club won six first-place team awards at the competition, which included 250 gymnasts and teams from Trail, Castlegar, Creston, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Canmore, Invermere and Golden vying for individual all-around, event and team titles.
Nelson won team firsts in the Junior Olympic Competitive Level 6, Level 7 and Level 8 categories, as well as the Zone 1 Pre-Level 6, high school and trampoline categories.
Glacier Gymnastics’ recent B.C. Provincial Championships girls’ team of 11 gymnasts continued their winning streak in the Junior Olympic Level 6, 7 and 8 categories, winning 32 medals at the Kootenay Zone Championships.
The Glacier coaching team is delighted with the performances of the team’s junior competitors. “Their dedicated training has paid off for them,” said head coach Sandra Long. “If our new competitors continue their progress we will see a bigger and more successful team attending B.C. Championships next season.”
Medal highlights in the Level 6, 10-to-11 years category included Shelbi van Hellemond claiming the all-around gold medal, just ahead of teammates Eden Bellman who won the silver medal and Abby Majeski with the bronze. Provincial medallist Aurora Dool also won the gold medal in the bars events.
In the Level 6, 11-to-14 category, Gwen McCroy captured the all-around gold medal with Elisa Clark winning the bronze, and Mercedes Majeski taking the silver medal on vault.
In the Junior Olympic Level 7 all-ages category, the Glacier team had two gymnasts on the all-around podium with Lily Taylor claiming the silver medal and Dafni van Hellemond right behind her winning the bronze.
Brianne Stefani, competing in the Junior Olympic Level 8 category, won the all-around gold and gold on all four events.
In the trampoline discipline’s Level 3 category, Matthew Bullen competed a double back tuck to secure the gold medal in the trampoline event while also taking gold in the double mini-trampoline event.
His up-and-coming teammates claimed all the medals in the Level 1 trampoline and double mini events. Joshua Imeda won gold medals on both events followed by teammate Larkspur Phoenix with two silver medals and Quentin Kerekes who took two bronze medals.
“We are very proud of our veteran Junior Olympic and trampoline competitors,” said Long.
“They continue to lay down well executed routines in all their events, even with the addition of new skills.”
The 17 Glacier gymnasts competing in the Zone 1 Pre-Level 6 category earned a total of 35 medals.
In the eight-to-nine age group, Glacier swept the all-around podium with Rayne Jean taking the gold medal, Livia Richardson the silver and Annouk Prud’homme winning the bronze.
Paityn Lake, meanwhile, won the silver medal in both the bars and beam events.
In the 10-year-old age-group, Amelia Finley won the all-around gold with Lumay Plautz taking the all-around bronze. Atlyn Proctor claimed silver in the vault event and Ava Anast won bronze for her graceful floor routine.
In the 11-to-13 year group, Glacier cleaned up on the all-around podium with Elsa Sollid winning gold followed by teammates Ella Taylor with silver and Uvia Smith-Wood with the bronze. Tia Berens secured a gold medal on the floor event with her dynamic tumbling.
The Glacier high school girls 11 member team claimed 28 medals.
In the High School Level 1 category, Tess Nuttall won all-around silver followed by teammate Emma Lake who won bronze all-around. Gabriella Hurst secured the gold medal on both the beam and floor events, and Emily Jordan took the bronze medal for her elegant beam routine.
Ryley Thompson won gold all-around in the High School Level 2 category, while in the High School Level 3 category Sara Tolles won the gold all-around followed by Ella Keelan who took the silver medal.
Kylee Dyck took home silver medals for beam and floor, and Ashlynn D’Alessandris won bronze on both beam and floor.
Other personal accomplishments of the Glacier Team over the weekend occurred in the Perfomance Plus achievement category.
Glacier gymnasts and trampolinists earning gold in this category included Josie Cowan, Annika Belluz, Grace Steer, Kallie Badry, Molly Anderson and Macy Loutit. Silvers were won by Cyprus Britten, Teija Hartman, Alison McEwan, Kate Woodward, Jazmine Mangapot and Maggie Silverson.
Scroll down for detailed medal results:
Junior Olympic Level 6
10-11 years:
Shelbi van Hellemond: gold all around, vault and floor, silver on bars
Eden Bellman: gold on floor, silver all around and vault, bronze on beam
Abby Majeski: gold on floor, bronze all around
Aurora Panko-Dool: gold on bars, silver on beam
11-14 years:
Gwen McCrory: gold all around and on beam and floor
Elisa Clark: gold on vault, silver on beam, bronze all around
Mercedes Majeski: silver on vault, bronze on floor
Junior Olympic Level 7
All Ages:
Lily Taylor: silver all around and on vault and bars
Dafni van Hellemond: gold on vault, silver on floor, bronze all around and on beam
Junior Olympic Level 8
All ages:
Brianne Stefani: gold all around and on vault, bars, beam and floor
Zone 1 Pre-Level 6
8-9 years:
Rayne Jean: gold all around and on bars, silver on beam and floor, bronze on vault
Livia Richardson: gold on vault and beam, silver all around
Anouk Prud’homme: gold on floor, silver on vault, bronze all around
Paityn Lake: silver on bars and beam
10 years:
Amelia Finley: gold all around and on vault and floor, silver on beam
Lumay Plautz: gold on beam, bronze all around
Ava Anast: bronze on floor
Atlyn Proctor: silver on vault
11-13 years:
Elsa Sollid: gold all around and on bars and beam, bronze on vault
Ella Taylor: silver all around and on bars, bronze on beam and floor
Uvia Smith-Wood: gold on vault, silver on floor, bronze all around
Tia Berens: gold on floor, silver on vault and beam
High School Level 1
All ages:
Tess Nuttall: silver all around and on bars and floor
Emma Lake: gold on bars, bronze all around and on vault and floor
Emily Jordan: bronze on beam
Gabriella Hurst: gold on beam and floor, silver on vault
High School Level 2
11-13 years:
Ryley Thompson: gold all around and on bars, beam and floor
High School Level 3
All ages:
Sara Tolles: gold all around and on beam, silver on vault and bars, bronze on floor
Ella Keelan: gold on vault, bars and floor, silver all around
Kylee Dyck: silver on beam and floor
Ashlynn D’Alessandris: bronze on beam and floor
