Gold at Trampoline World Age Group Games

Trampoline New Zealand

www.trampolinenz.org
www.online-jump.de/wm2003/ (Results)
www.fig-gymnastics.com

For Immediate Release
Gold for New Zealand at Trampoline World Age Group Games in Germany

Auckland, 23rd October 2003
Kimberley Shea, a 13 year old school girl from Christchurch, has won New Zealand’s first gold medal at the 2003 Trampoline and Tumbling World Age Group games in Hannover, Germany. She achieved this in the 13-14 Women’s Double Mini Trampoline discipline early this morning New Zealand time.

Kimberley entered the final in 4th position, from a field of 48 competitors from 16 countries, alongside fellow New Zealander Emily Laing, who ended up 5th overall.

“I’m really pleased for them both”, Matthew Cummings, coach of both competitors, said.

Kimberley also executed the single highest difficulty pass of all competitors, comprising of a forward twisting double somersault with a half twist, followed by a double back somersault.

This capped a successful first day for New Zealand, and followed the Open Men’s Team 4th placing on Saturday at the World Championships.

Both Kimberley and Emily train at Aerials Trampoline Sports in Christchurch, and now need to refocus for their second event, Individual Women’s 13-14 Trampoline, starting at 9pm NZT tonight.

-ENDS-
Supporting Info

A Quick History
Trampoline became a competitive event in 1936. From 1947 through 1964, trampolining was included as an event in gymnastics competitions. first trampoline World Championships were held in 1964, and trampoline was first recognized as a sport in its own right in the United States in 1967. Trampoline made its debut as an Olympic sport at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

TRAMPOLINE
Trampoline routines are performed on 7'x 14' web or string beds that can propel the gymnast up to 30 feet in the air. A competitor takes as many preliminary bounces as necessary for height and control, before beginning the first of 10 skills in a routine. Two routines are performed, a compulsory and a voluntary. The compulsory routine must include four required elements, plus six other skills chosen by the athlete. The second routine is a 10-skill voluntary, made up of single, double or triple somersaults with multiple twists. No skill may be repeated within either routine. A successful routine will show consistency of height, proper technique and a minimum deviation from the center of the bed. The routine must end under control in an upright position.

SYNCHRONIZED TRAMPOLINE
Synchronized trampoline demands the same athletic skill as individual trampoline, while adding the element of precision timing. Athletes perform two routines, a compulsory and a voluntary. Using two trampolines, two athletes perform identical 10-skill routines at the same time. In this most artistic event, each performs a mirror image of the other, doubling the visual beauty of the competition. The goal is to have both trampolinists in total synchronization of skills, height and form.

TUMBLING
Power Tumbling is performed on a 6'x 88' platform made of fiberglass rods and covered with approximately 3" of carpeted foam. Tumblers can propel themselves higher than a basketball goal, demonstrating speed, strength and skill, while executing a series of acrobatic maneuvers. Explosive somersaults with multiple flips and twists will be performed by the top-level contenders. Athletes perform two eight-skill routines. The first routine focuses on somersaulting with no more than ½ twist allowed. The second routine requires athletes to show their twisting skills. One eight-skill voluntary routine is performed in finals. A high-scoring routine is characterized by continuous, speedy, rhythmic hands-to-feet, and feet-to-feet rotational jumping skills, without hesitation or intermediate steps. The routine should show good control, form, execution and maintenance of tempo.

DOUBLE MINI-TRAMPOLINE
Double Mini-Trampoline is a relatively new sport which combines the horizontal run of tumbling with the vertical rebound of trampoline. After a short run, the athlete jumps onto a small, two-level trampoline to perform a rebounding skill, immediately followed by a dismount element onto a landing mat. Competitors perform two two-skill voluntary routines in preliminaries and two two-skill voluntary routines in finals.

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