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| Report on Geneva Acro Cup 2008 |
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On Saturday 5th April over 200 gymnasts from seven countries (Switzerland,Ireland,Wales,Finland,Italy,Holland and France)
converged on Geneva for the 6th annual Geneva Acro Cup. Ireland was well represented with gymnasts from Carlow,Gymstars,
Tuam All Stars, Dynamo, Cork Acro & Ballincollig clubs all participating.
This is one of the friendliest and best organised events on the international calendar,and one that invited clubs look forward to
attending every year.This year the competition was arranged with four categories Swiss Levels 1 & 2 (similar to our
Preparatory A and Level 1), FIG Age Group Levels 11-16 rules and Junior 12-19 rules (both open age)
The first competition was the Swiss Level 1 Womens Pairs, where 21 partnerships were entered. In what was an extremely
close competition the winners were Emi & Miwa Kishii from the local Acro-Geneve club with a score of 25.667. They were
closely followed by Rebecca Diamond and Michelle McCabe from the Dynamo Gym club who scored 25.60, Clare Lee
and Ciara Hickey of Ballincollig who scored 25.533, and Roisin o'Toole and Roisin Whelan from Carlow who scored 25.367
to finish 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively.
In the Level 1 Mens & Mixed Pairs Graham Coleman & Jamie Murphy, Fionn Little & Rachel Hannigan of Cork Acro both
won the Gold Medals,ahead of Eoghan Mahon & Kevin Mahoney of Gymstars and Jorik Schellekens & Jennifer Jones of
Cork Acro.
There were 11 groups entered in the Level 1 trios and again this was an extremely close competition. The winners were a
group from Finland who scored 25.80, followed Ciara Hudson, Joy Watson & Lisa Mongan from Tuam who scored 25.70,
and Shannon Geoghan, Sine McGoff & Lauren Holohan from Carlow who secured 3rd place with a score of 25.367.
Other Irish performances of note at this level were from Roisin Brennan, Katya Farrell & Marianne QuirkeBolt from Carlow
who finished 4th with a score of 25.30 and the fifth placed group Kaitlyn Bradfield, Cassie Murray & Siodhmhaith Walsh
from Ballincollig who scored 25.20
In the Swiss Level 2 Womens Pairs there was further Irish success when Hayley Cosgrove and Stephanie Gilmore from
Tuam won the Gold medal with a score of 25.667.They finished ahead of a pair from Finland, and the third place pair of
Jilly Kearns & Aoife Brennan from Ballincollig who scored 25.133.
In the Swiss Level 2 Womens Groups Emma Flanagan, Alice Townsend & Caitlin Kiely from Ballincollig won the
competition with a fantastic score of 26.00, ahead of Emma o'Byrne, Rebecca Holohan & Aine McGoff from Carlow
who finished 2nd with a score of 25.40.A group from Wales prevented a clean sweep by Irish Gymnasts as Laura Hayes,
Iseult Harding & Niamh Kelly finished 4th with a score of 24.967.
The afternoon sessions began with the 11-16 Age Group competition, and here Alison Hayes & Leigh Lehane of Ballincollig
secured the Gold Medal with a score of 55.20 ahead of the Welsh pair Sanant Evans & Elan Evans whoscored 53.90.
In third place were the Carlow pair of Grace Millar & Anya Farrell who scored 51.933 who were followed by pairs from Finland
& Italy.
In the 11-16 Womens Groups 1st & 2nd places were filled by gymnasts from the local club but Laura Murphy,Fiona Bruce
& Katelyn Bailey of Gymstars secured the Bronze medal with a score of 53.133 just ahead of the Ballincollig trio Helen
Flynn,Aileen o'Connor & Hayley Keane who scored 53.033.
The final competitions of the day were the Junior Levels. In the Womens Groups the newly formed Ballincollig trio of Kim o'Brien,
Eva Crowley & Louise Kelly led the way with a total score of 49.80 ahead of the Tuam trio of Aisling Costello, Emma Mahon
& Katie Rathbone who scored 48.017 who edged out two Italian Groups who finished 3rd & 4th.
The Cork Acro group of Michelle Sheehan, Aisling Griffen & Shauna Carew had to retire after the Dynamic routine due to injury.
In the Mixed Pairs, Emmett Farrell, and Eva Casey of Cork Acro finished in Second place to the Dutch Pair,
A new feature of this years competition was the team award for clubs with gymnasts competing in the 11-16 & Junior
competitions and here the host club were the winners, with Ballincollig finishing a very creditable 2nd ahead of teams
from Finland & Italy.
In conclusion it was a very successful day for Irish Acrobatic Gymnastics, and the experience gained by so many of our
gymnasts competing successfully abroad bodes well for the future. A special word of thanks to all the coaches and
judges who travelled with the teams and we hope to see you all at the upcoming All Irelands which will be held in
Wexford on the 10th & 11th May.
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