2010 World Athlete Interview – Danielle Bentick. Senior Women Freestlye.

When did you first start twirling?
I started twirling in 1992 with the Dubbo RSL Youth Club. Mrs Gray was the manager and she did such a great job - she taught me so many life lessons. I have now been with the Dubbo PCYC club since late 2005.

What is one of your favourite routines you’ve ever done?
The Jungle team in 2005, it was the best! Since then I’ve always thought of it as the bench mark and I’ve received so many positive comments about it from others. It was also so fun just training and performing it.

When was your first World Championships?
1999 in Daytona Beach Florida, America. I competed in Junior Pairs with Neralee Lane. We were so nervous but the Sutherland and Bexley girls were great, they helped us out as our coach Nicole Stevens couldn’t come with us. We gained SIXTH PLACE we were soooooooo excited! Actually at one stage, when we were training on the beach, we got a crowd of people watching because they thought we were busking – they asked our parents where to put the money!

Have you had any injuries from twirling?
Yes!!! So many bruises, black eyes, a cracked nose, torn ligament, blood blisters, eggs on elbow and head, fat lips and the list goes on… I’m a bit of a Gumby.

What are you looking forward to most about Norway?
I am looking forward to exploring yet another country as an Aussie – funny things ALWAYS happen at Worlds! I’m also very excited to be able to watch the team event this year; I haven’t been able to do that for many years.

Who is your baton twirling idol?
Catherine Moua from France. She is such a strong twirler and she really drags the audience in, I literally hold my breath when she’s twirling.

What is your goal for twirling this year?
My goal is to perform a personal best in freestyle in Norway!

What is your talent?

Gracie: What is your talent?
Cheryl: It's-- It's kind of like....
        It's, you know, it's like a surprise.
        But don't worry, it's nothing embarrassing.
Gracie: Not anything like baton twirling or anything.
        So, what's your talent?

Ah… That famous dialect from Miss Congeniality when Sandra Bullock made us cringe and enjoy a few moments of embarrassment in front of our non-baton-twirling friends.

Heather Burns, who played Cheryl, was a wonderful actress however required a stunt double to pull off her "talent."

Ever wondered who that stunt double may have been? They employed the lovely Dr. Coral Noonan-Terry who is a Texan baton twirler.

See her fifteen seconds of fame here.

2010 World Athlete Interview – Francine Stevens. Senior Pairs, Team.

What is your earliest memory of baton twirling?
I was the cute little one at the front in a Specialised (themed team event) when I was 5 years old! I didn’t officially begin twirling until I was 6 and then started competing and went to nationals in 2001 when I was 7.

What is one of your favourite routines you’ve ever done?
When I was a Juvenile, I did Dance Twirl (themed individual event) to a song from The Wizard of Oz about the scarecrow; ‘If I only had a brain!’ It was so funny, I took the character really seriously but I still laughed about it when I was on the floor. I ended up winning at nationals - shocking but awesome!
These days my favourite routine is this years Pairs with Jessica Colless, its epic! You’ll just have to wait and see!

When was your first World Championships?
Ontario, Canada in 2007. I turned 13 the day before performing; I competed in Junior Pairs with Vanessa. The experience and atmosphere of the world championships was amazing! Unfortunately I ended up getting really sick - I don’t think I’ve ever been that sick in my life! It was probably the best and worst time for me all combined into one… twirling made everything feel so much better though.

Have you had any injuries from twirling?
Yes! Countless bruises, lumps, blood blisters, and the list goes on! Only a few days ago Jessica and I were training as usual when there was a really loud bang - I had hit myself in the mouth… and chipped my tooth. I instantly thought "no worries, I’ll be right, no pain" until I spat out about a quarter of my front tooth! I freaked out; thinking the rest of my tooth had fallen out as well. We had a competition the next morning and I looked like a total ‘redneck’! Luckily the rest of my tooth was fine - everything was fixed and put back to normal the next day thanks to health insurance. It’s definitely something I don’t want happening ever again...

Are you looking forward to Norway?
Of course! I can’t wait… although it’s going to be hard work like always, I suppose. I’m looking forward to the whole experience because it’s so much fun. From the athlete’s party to the music test, it’s all worth the intense training sessions just to be on that floor doing what you love! Let’s just hope that volcano doesn’t get in our way...

2010 World Athlete Interview – Adam Gates. Senior Men Freestyle

When did you start baton twirling?
I started when I was three years old. Three of my sisters were twirling at the time so I tagged along.

Where was your first National Championships?
My first Nationals were in Melbourne and I remember I played the red Power Ranger as my character for Dance Twirl.

What is one of your favourite routines you’ve ever done?
In 2005 I was in the Australian Team when we went to America for the World Championships. I just loved our Jungle themed team! It had so much character and it was so different to anything we had ever done before.

When was your first World Championships?
This is my eighth world championships, my first one was in 2001 in Paris, France. I was competing in Junior Men Freestyle and I used the music from Zorro. I remember just moments before I went on the floor, in the warm-up area, I was practicing one of my tricks and the baton came down and smacked me in the eye! I was nursed by the French team and then went out onto the competition floor to compete against “little dude” (Keisuke) doing ‘Live and let die.’

What’s it like being the only male baton twirler in Australia?
Well in Australia they don’t separate the athletes into male and female so I’m used to being amongst all the girls (winks)!

Are you looking forward to Norway?  
Yes, I can’t wait to perform in Bergen. The country looks beautiful and it will be great to see everyone at the competition again.

Japanese baton twirler Mei Maruo on the Ellen DeGeneres Show!