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Deerness Gymnastics Academy – 1st Place British Championships
Deerness’ 1st place performance at the 2013 Acrobatic British Championships.They scored 28.165.
Finn gears up for top championships – Deerness Gymnastics Academy
Alnwick lad Finn Gavin will compete against the very best acrobatic gymnasts from around the country this weekend.
The 11-year-old, who belongs to the County Durham-based, is to battle it out at the British Acrobatic Gymnastic Championships.
Finn will be competing in the age group (11-16 years) men’s four event.
The prestigious competition takes place in Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday and Sunday.
He is one of 10 gymnasts from the club travelling to the British Championships.
All of them are coached by Stuart Thompson and Karl Wharton who also coached the club’s senior men’s group to become World Champions in 2012. Stuart praised the ability and commitment of those at the club who have put in many hours of training in the gym and worked with international choreographers to prepare their routines to incorporate strength, agility, flexibility, balance and acrobatic skills for this competition.
Performances at the championships will include intricate balances and multiple and twisting somersaults.
via Finn gears up for top championships – Other Sport – Northumberland Gazette.
Deerness Valley prepared for British battle
Ahead of the Acrobatic British Championships this weekend in Stoke on Trent, British Gymnastics caught up with Deerness Valley, a well-established acrobatic and tumbling club based at Deerness Gymnastics Academy in County Durham.
Having produced numerous British, European and World Champions and become winners of the ITV talent show ‘Let’s Get Gold’ with the group Acropolis in 2012, head of acro at the club, Stuart Thompson is now looking forward to 2013 and beyond. Stuart is excited about the upcoming talent at Deerness and knows with many gymnasts retiring that hard work is essential and this weekend we can look forward to seeing the stars of the future.
“In terms of competitions, the club has taken a break since the Worlds in Florida last year and my aim has been to build up the squads again. We have development groups coming through now and I want to make sure I develop them because they are the future – there is a great deal of talent in the club. The British Championships will be our first focus as we have had a lot of moving around with a few people retiring from Florida. You have to crack on and push yourself; we will work hard and see what it brings.”
For a lot of the gymnasts competing this weekend it will be their first British Championships. It’s a time for new talent to shine as fresh partnerships and groups are formed and it will be a key competition for gymnasts looking to be selected for the World Games this summer in Colombia. Club member, Abbi Greaves is looking forward to the weekend.
“It’ll be my first British Championships this year in a pair with my teammate Chelsea. It’s a big competition but I don’t mind, I try not to think about it so I don’t get nervous. I love doing acro, I like travelling to different places and meeting new people, you’re never alone – you always have someone to compete with.”
World Champion and ‘Let’s Get Gold’ winner, Richard Hurst has now retired from the sport and is a full time coach at the club. He achieved outstanding success at international level and although he was also successful in the talent show world he knows the importance of the British Championships and other competitions and how the feeling of achieving in your sport will always be the best.
“Acro gymnastics has always been great for display; it’s fascinating for people to watch. I however still prefer the competitions; the talent show was completely different experience to worlds for example. The high you get from winning competitions and hearing the national anthem playing is a completely different high that you get when you do a display. The applause is still the same and it’s great, but nothing beats competing.”
For the full article ‘For the love of acro’ on both Richard Hurst and Stuart Thompson, check out the next issue of the GYMNAST magazine coming soon.
Gym club appeals for safer future From The Northern Echo
A SUCCESSFUL gymnastics club is appealing for support to beat the vandals who are targeting its academy base.
In the latest crime to hit Deerness Gymnastics Academy, the letter ‘E’ was stolen from the club’s sign just a couple of weeks after it was installed at a cost of more than £2,000.
Karl Wharton, the club’s director of gymnastics, said such mindless acts were really disheartening and affecting the running of the club.
Over the last 25 years, the County Durham club has produced more than 80 international class gymnasts and won more than 60 world and European medals, all from the small village of Ushaw Moor.
Eighteen months ago, the club took over running its base from Durham County Council, which was planning to close it.
Since then, there have been several incidents of theft and vandalism at the facility.
The latest crime took place on Wednesday night (March 13).
Mr Wharton said: “A lot of hard work has gone into ensuring this club has a future and it’s really disheartening that these mindless acts affect the running of this club and its continued development.”
The club now wants to install a new security system to protect the academy.
Mr Wharton appealed to anyone who could help to come forward. To support the appeal, call the academy on 0191-373-9419, email: contact@deernessgymnastics.org.uk or visit deernessgymnastics.org.uk
via Gym club appeals for safer future From The Northern Echo.
Matt Baker visits his Former Durham Gymanastics Club – Ushaw Moor
FORMER British junior gymnast Matt Baker paid a visit to his old stomping ground during a visit to the North East.
The BBC TV The One Show and former Blue Peter presenter, 34, was a star performer with The Deerness Gymnastic Academy 20 years ago, until he had to give up the sport after being diagnosed with anaemia.
Matt – who was born in Easington, County Durham, before his family moved to a farm west of Durham – compensated for his loss to gymnastics by taking up sheepdog trials and pole vaulting.
Yesterday he called in to watch a display by the Deerness Gymnasts at Ushaw Moor, near Durham, a day after he carried the Olympic Torch on to the city’s Racecourse ground.
Deerness Gymnastic Academy is run by volunteers who took over the sports centre in Ushaw Moor last year after Durham County Council threatened to close it due to cost cutting.
It has become one of the top clubs in acrobatics and tumbling over the past 20 years, having trained over 60 international gymnasts, winning more than 50 world and European medals, with five world and four European champions in its roll of honour.
via Matt Baker visits former Durham gymanastics club – Durham – Communities – ChronicleLive.
Performance by Deerness Gymnastics Academy at Olympic Torch Event in Durham
THOUSANDS of spectators are expected to attend an event to mark the arrival of the Olympic torch in the North-East.
Details have been announced of a celebration in Durham City on Saturday, June 16, to welcome the Olympic flame.
TV personality Matt Baker and Ashes cricketer Paul Collingwood are among those taking part in two days of events to mark the occasion, with thousands of spectators likely to line the streets along the route of the torch relay.
Details were revealed on the day the flame was lit from the sun’s rays on Olympia, birthplace of the Games, ahead of its journey to London.
A large screen on The Racecourse will broadcast live coverage of the relay as it makes it way through the county, while BBC presenter Matt Baker will run the last leg of the relay before lighting a cauldron on The Racecourse which will burn throughout the celebration evening.
The County Durham-born presenter said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be carrying the Olympic flame in my home county.
“It will be an honour and a privilege to be part of such a once-in-a-generation moment.”
Organisers say the event will include performances by indie rock trio Little Comets and the award-winning Deerness Gymnastics Academy.
Durham County Council leader Councillor Simon Henig said: “Both the Olympic Torch Relay and the evening celebration event will ensure that our residents feel part of this historic moment.”
On Sunday, June 17, the torch will resume its journey after a breakfast event in the Market Place, taken on its next leg by Shotley Bridge-born England cricketer Paul Collingwood.
Among the runners selected for the honour of carrying the torch as it passes through County Durham are 85-yearold Larry Smith and 80-yearold Ken Allday, both of whom keep in shape at Abbey Leisure Centre, in Pity Me.
Mr Smith, from Pittington, was a marshall at the London Olympics in 1948 and will be the oldest torchbearer in County Durham when he carries the flame through Blackhall Colliery on June 17.
He said: “It is a once in a lifetime honour. It is really great to be given the chance to take part in such a historic event.”
via Experienced pair ready to fulfil Olympic duty (From The Northern Echo).
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