Sunday morning saw everybody assemble on a beautiful field to begin Marchpast. Each competitor looked identical their fellow team members including the angle of their hair piece and the shade of lipstick they wore. Sunglasses even looked uniform due to the lovely sunshine we had on the day. As each team past their inspection and performed – lead by their whistle-blowing leaders – the applaud grew louder and louder. Even with the extreme heat, each competitor showed their highest marching knees, biggest smiles and military-straight arms. It made for great entertainment and all coaches looked very pleased as their teams saluted the judges.
Like a row or ants everyone made their way back to the gym to resume the competition. It was now time to find out who the Freestyle Champion of Champions was! Claudia, Jessica and Adam performed their freestyles for the very last time – each one pushing their limits. After a roar from the crowd, it was Adam Gates from Dandenong with his tight contact, artistic expression and record-breaking tricks that took out the title! After a year of hard work and performing in Norway for the world to see, everything just came together perfectly for the fierce competitor this weekend.
Only minutes later, it was time for Teams – the famed event where coaches choreograph their athlete’s best skills all together to carefully chosen music, which makes for spectacular viewing! Some of the unique exchanges and juggling sequences was a sight to see in itself. Not to mention the big tricks and well-timed rolls. Whether you enjoy dramatic, pretty or theatrical, there was something to tickle everyone’s fancy.
Just as you thought the last event of the championships had come to an end, the ‘So You Think you Can Twirl’ event took place! While the tabulators were busy finalising the results, this new event welcomed everyone, young and old, to the floor to improvise to selected pieces of music. There was only one rule – you must have a baton in your hand. This talent quest-like competition saw toddlers spinning on their toes, mums and dads attempting (and in some cases, catching) one-spins and athletes joining together from other clubs and states to make a mockery of themselves and each other. It brought a truly comedic event to the championships!
Soon enough, it was time to get down to business. Everyone marched out in unison to Australia’s National routine for the closing ceremony and presentations. From Strut through to Team, Juvenile to Adult, Beginner to Advanced, there was no shortage of cheers, smiles and photos! A year of heard work had finally paid off!
