News and Results

2005 News Archive

2006 News Archive

2007 News Archive

If anyone from the club has any news they want added just contact Janet or Ian with the details.

Isle Of Man Invitational Competition

Six of Blackpool's young Gymnasts travelled to the Isle of Man to compete in the recent Isle Of Man Invitational Competition.

Once again we had a very successful weekend with our team coming 3rd Overall, This was the first competition that these Gymnasts had competed together as a team. The team was made up of 5 Gymnasts:
Kathryn Ellor, aged 12 (who came 1st on Vault, 1st on Bars and 2nd Overall)
Sarah Perry, aged 12 (who came 2nd 0n Bars)
Charlotte Radford, aged 10 (who came 1st on Beam)
Lydia Walker, aged 12
Amy McPhail, aged 10

Hayley Hodgkinson, aged 15, entered the F.I.G. (Federation of International Gymnastics) Competition and came away with 3rd place on Beam. The competition was held at Manx Gymnastics Club in Douglas.

All of the girls train for over 20 hours a week at both Blackpool Sports Centre and the purpose built full time Gymnastic Facility at Collegiate Sports College.

Janet Mankowska, Gymnastic Development Officer, at Blackpool Council said:" It was a fantastic experience for these girls to fly to the Isle of Man and compete without their parents being present, they were a credit to both the club and their parents”.

Pictures...

TRIPLE SUCCESS FOR BLACKPOOL GYMNASTS

Three of Blackpool's young gymnasts had a very successful weekend at the North West Regional and North West Age Group Gymnastics Championships held at Birchwood Sports Centre in Warrington recently.

Both Sarah Perry and Kathryn Ellor came away with medals from the North West Regional Championships, held on Sunday September 23

Kathryn Ellor, aged 12, came 3rd on Vault, 3rd on Bars, 5th on Beam, 5th on Floor finishing 4th overall. This was a fantastic result for Kathryn as she has been out of competition for 18 months due to injury.

Sarah Perry, aged 12, came 2nd on Vault, 5th on Bars, 7th on Beam, 6th on Floor finishing 7th Overall. Once again, this was a fantastic result for Sarah as 12 months ago she was only competing at novice level, so has improved dramatically to go in to a competition at this level and come away with a medal.

Amy Mcphail, aged 10, came 6th on Vault, 1st on Bars, 6th on Beam, 7th on Floor finishing 7th Overall making Amy the North West Age Group Bar Champion.

All three girls train for over 20 hours a week at both Blackpool Sports Centre and our purpose built full time Gymnastic Facility at Collegiate Sports College.

Blackpool Sports Centre Hosted this years Gymnastic Festival for Blackpool Schools.

Tuesday the 15th May, 5 of Blackpool schools competed in the Blackpool Annual Gymnastics Festival.

The competition is part of the Blackpool Youth games. 5 children from each of the following school's took part:- Devonshire, Stanley, Moor Park, Boundary and Thames all hoping to win and represent Blackpool at the Lancashire Youth Games which for the second year running will be hosted at Blackpool sports Centre on the 30th June.

For the second year running Stanley Junior School were the clear winner's with a win of nearly three whole marks. Stanley's School teacher Sarah Salthouse did a fantastic job in making their routines very simple and well polished. In Second place was Devonshire Junior school. and third place was Moor Park.

This is only the second year Blackpool Sports Centre has hosted this event and the improvement was terrific it is fantastic to see so many children from school's taking part in this Festival, hopefully next year we will be able to encourage more School's to take part.

Results for the Northwest floor and Vault Competition

Blackpool gymnast's competed in the North West Floor and Vault Competition held in Salford on the 3rd/4th June

For some of these very young gymnast's it was their first competition, but due to good competition preparation they coped with the pressure very well.

Blackpool brought home a total of 16 medal's.

All of our gymnast's train at both Blackpool Sports Centre and Collegiate Sports College, under the direct supervision of fully qualified British Gymnastic Coaches

Janet Mankowska, Gymnastic Development Officer at Blackpool Council said: Since Blackpool built our purpose built Gymnastic Facility at Collegiate Sports College, the club is just going from strength to strength.

Scores
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Congratulations to Jodie and Morgan

When it comes to nurturing talent of the future Blackpool Gymnastics Club has enjoyed a double dose of success
.

The Club’s longest participating members, twins Jodie and Morgan Hanley, have not only earned a shelf full of titles and trophies, they are now hoping to pass on their tips for success after having recently taken up coaching alongside their participating.

The duo, from Blackpool, have been with the club since the age of five and now 11 years on, with many medals under their belts, feel it’s time to have a go at coaching. Jodie and Morgan have competed in both two and four piece competitions, and have recently passed their club grade 4.

To the delight of the Club, the girls are well on their way to becoming coaches, having recently attained their level 1 Women’s Artistic Assistant coaching award.

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Happy 21st Birthday

It was Sammy's 21st last week and the gymnasts and coaches got together to present her with an Ipod and some speakers. She didn`t want to pose for a photo but I managed to get one.

Sammy started in Gymnastic's at the age of 5, she won the Lancashire Championship's at under 8, under 10,under 12 and over 12, then went onto compete in many National Final,s for the North West. Her biggest achievement was coming 6th in the Elite British Championship's held in Guildford.

Sammy at the age of 13 decided she would like to retire as a Gymnast and go into coaching, and has now qualified as a Women's Artistic club Coach, Pre-School Club Coach and a Club Judge, Sammy has been involved in Gymnastic's for over 16 year's

Sammy has been coaching for Blackpool Council for the last 8 year's and thank's to the hugh support shown from both the Borough Council and the Senior coaches at the club, she has produced a number of Gymnast's that have competed at national final's.

National Coach

Senior National Coach, Zoltan Jordanov, visited the club on Tuesday 3rd April. Some of the gymnasts had met him before at Regional Squad but most hadn`t. He watched the squad train and did some coaching. At the end of the session he gave some positive feedback and said he is going to return in around a months time.

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Double success once again for Blackpool Gymnasts

Two of Blackpool's young gymnasts had a very successful weekend at the North West Club grades competition held at Copley Recreation centre in Stalybridge on Sunday 18th March.

Both Hayley and Kirsty Triumphed in the club grade three competition against 46 other young competitors that competed from the 13 varies clubs around the North West.

The two Blackpool gymnasts will now make up a team of four from the North West to compete at the National finals held in Birmingham on the 28th/29th of april.

Hayley Hodgkinson came 9th on Vault, 3rd on Bars, 5th on Beam 1st Floor and 1st Overall.

Kirsty Birks came 7th on Vault,1st on Bars, 2nd on Beam, 10th Floor and 3rd Overall.

Hayley and Kirsty travel from Burnley four days a week to train with Blackpool gymnastics club, they train 16 hours a week with personal coach Ian Walsh at both Blackpool Sports Centre and in our purpose built full time gymnastic facility at Collegiate Sports college.

Janet Mankowska,Gymnastic Development Officer for Blackpool Borough Council, said: The dedication of both gymnasts and coaches have certainly paid off.

Compulsory Level 3 Team For National Final

GRADE 3 CHAMPION - Hayley Hodgkinson (Blackpool)
2nd - Abbie Winstanley (CMIG) 3rd - Kirsty Birks (Blackpool) 4th - Samantha McLennon-Greaves (Sparks)
Reserve - Ellie Higham (Garstang)

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North West compulsory Level 3 in Age Competition.

Amy McPhail competed in the North West Regional grades competition held at Copley Recreation Centre in Stalybridge on Saturday 17th March 2007.

Amy came 4th on Vault, 2nd Bars, 6th on Beam, 5th on Floor, 9th on Range and Conditioning and 5th Overall

Amy will now travel to Birmingham as the reserve for the North West team on the 5th/6th May.

Compulsory Level 3 Team For National Final

COMPULSORY LEVEL 3 CHAMPION - Abi Caig (Liverpool)
2nd - Charlie Fellows (Sandbach) 3rd - Georgia Finch (Garstang) 4th - Hanzol Kim (Garstang)
Reserve - Amy McPhail (Blackpool)

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Lancashire Grade 6 Competition in age and out of age

Abigail Mercer and Cara townsend competed in the Lancashire grade 6 in age competition held in Southport on Sunday the 25th February 2007.

Cara came 4th on Vault, 2nd on Bars, 3rd 0n Beam, 8th on Floor, 8th on Range and Conditioning and 4th Overall.

Abigail came 2nd on Vault, 1st on Bars, 9th on Beam, 2nd on Floor, 1st on Range and conditioning and 2nd Overall.

Both girls then went onto represent Lancashire at the North West Finals held at Copley Recreation Centre in Stalybridge on sunday 18th of march 2007.

The team came 3rd Overall

Cara came 11th as an individual.

Abigail came 2nd as an individual.

In the Grade 6 Lancashire out of age competition Alice Brown came 1st on Vault, 1st on Bars, 1st on Beam, 3rd on Floor, 3rd on range and Conditioning and 1st Overall.

Alice then went onto represent Lancashire at the North West Finals held at Copley Recreation Centre in Stalybridge on Sunday 18th March 2007.

The team came 1st.

Alice came 1st on Vault, 1st on Bars, 2nd on Beam, 5th Floor, 8th on Range and Conditioning and 1st Overall.

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Abigail and Alice with Cara below

Welsh call up for Melanie

Blackpool Gymnastics club will be rooting for one its talented members later this month when the teenager makes her International debut.

Teenager Melanie Evans has already made an impact on the Regional and National scene and now is preparing for her Welsh debut.

The 13-year-old has been selected for the Welsh senior squad to compete in the Celtic cup on February 25. The talented teenager - who qualifies for the Welsh squad through her grandfather Samuel who is from North Wales - attracted the attention of the National coach while competing in the British Challenge cup held in Aldershot in November 2006. Melanie competed in the ‘espoir category’, for 12 to 13-year olds and came 4th overall.

Although Melanie lives in Accrington, she travels to Blackpool six days a week where she trains at Blackpool Council’s sporting facilities.

Under the expertise of Blackpool Gymnastics Club she trains both at Blackpool Sports Centre and Collegiate High School Sports College - now a centre of Excellence thanks to the support and commitment of the Council.

Melanie also goes to Liverpool once a Month to train with the North West Squad, as well as travelling to Cardiff to train with the Welsh National Squad.

Melanie’s selection rounds off a very successful year; in September at the North West Championships held in Warrington, she competed in the four disciplines of Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor, achieving an impressive third place overall. She was then selected for a place in the North West Senior Team at the Inter-Regional Teams held in Basingstoke in October and helped the team to fifth place.

Her trainer at Blackpool Gymnastics club, Janet Mankowska, is Gymnastics Development Officer at Blackpool Council. Janet said: “Melanie first took up the sport of gymnastics when she joined Accrington Gymnastics club where she trained under the guidance of coaches Mick and Carol Parkinson.

“Mick and Carol realised the potential of Melanie and asked me if I could offer her more training at Elite Performance, I was a little worried at first as I realised this was going to be a huge commitment for Melanie and would have a huge impact on the whole family, but the commitment shown by her total dedication has been worth all the hard work, and the support from her whole family is amazing.

“Melanie has trained under the guidance of myself for the last three years and shows incredible commitment and determination to what I feel is one of the hardest sports.”

Cllr David Owen, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure added: “It’s wonderful to know that Blackpool facilities are giving this talented and very committed youngster the platform she needs to follow her dreams and achieve the success she’s currently enjoying. I wish her all the best.”

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2007 Results

2007 Challenge Cup

Northwest Gymnastics Association
Pre-Novice, Novice,Level 4,3 & " Out of Age Individual Championships 2007

Northwest Floor and Vault

2007 British Club Grades 4,3,2,1

2007 Northwest Club Grades 6,5,4,3,2,1