Warwick Tramps impress in Manchester

Every year, the University of Warwick Trampoline Club attends competitions up and down the country, using sessions to prepare routines and make sure they are as clean and precise as possible. Term one of this year was no exception. At the end of week nine, the club headed to Manchester, in search of fun, but also hoping for a few medals in both the Individual and Synchro competitions.

After Sports Fair and the first few socials, the club gained an influx of new members boasting some considerable talent, and eager to improve and build on their moves. This has given the club confidence of the potential for competitive success this year. At the end of week seven, the Competition Secretaries (Stephanie Hunter and Kay Heenan), organised a trip to the Trampolining World Championships in Birmingham, which allowed members an exciting and inspiring viewing of the sport at an international level, as well as a chance to see other gymnastics-based disciplines such as DMT and tumbling.

The results of the Manchester competition surpassed even the club’s high expectations of themselves. The president, Adam Thompson, placed third in Inter-Advanced men, despite only just recovering from a serious knee injury sustained in term three last year. Stephanie Hunter was awarded second place in the Ladies Intermediate category, while Sade Ottley received first place in Advanced Ladies. Anthony Ottley, Sade’s younger brother and one of the club’s most advanced members, who frequently competes on a national level, placed second in the über-elite category, the highest level in the sport.

There were also excellent results to be had in the Synchro competitions, in which couples perform routines simultaneously and try and maintain perfect timing. Anthony Ottley and Sophie Housden placed third in the higher Synchro category. The club was also able to achieve results in a new discipline, and Evie Sharma placed third in DMT novice ladies. DMT involves running onto a smaller trampoline, and using the momentum to do a move in mid-air, before landing (hopefully gracefully) on a mat.

The President Adam Thompson, commented, “I’m hugely pleased and proud of everyone who competed at Manchester last term, particularly first time competitors as it’s always nerve-wracking! We’re all now extremely excited for the Warwick Comp, bring it on!”

The University of Warwick Trampoline Club is looking forward to an even busier term after the Christmas holidays, as hosting a competition on home soil takes a huge amount of organisation. The effort is surely worth it, however, for the sense of team spirit and mutual support among friends that such competitions afford.