The Cariboo Chilcotin Gymnastics Club flipped its way to Langley March 31 to April 1 for the Christy Fraser Memorial Invitational.
Seven of the club’s competitive team members made the trek for the meet, which featured more than 200 athletes, including local gymnasts Joseph Brinoni, Andrew Bettles, Carson Coldwell, Michaela Newberry, Samantha McKee, Chloe Lutters and Thea Lutters.
CCGC coach Mike Stinson said the meet was extremely well run, and added he saw lots of great things from his gymnasts.
“I loved this meet,” Stinson said. “It was a new experience for me and it was one of the best meets I’ve been to.”
In level three men’s Bettles finished with third-place finishes on both pommel horse and parallel bars — a fifth-place overall result. Bettles, coming off his most recent competition at the B.C. Winter Games, said he felt better competing in Langley.
“I think I did a bit better this time than at the B.C. Games,” he said.
His teammate, Brinoni, competing in level two men’s, finished second in a field of just two athletes, despite competing with an injury.
For the women, especially at large meets, Stinson said the competition is fierce and the size of each gymnast’s divisions are large.
The youngest division, P1 Argo, saw Chloe, 10, and Thea, 8, compete. Both are competing in their first full season of competitive gymnastics. Chloe took 15th on vault and 15th on bars (out of 20-plus athletes), while younger sister Thea finished 19th on vault.
“They both started last year and it was a big step for them,” Stinson said, noting how much both have improved.
In P1 Novice 13-year-old Carson Coldwell, competing in her very first meet, finished seventh on floor.
“I was really scared in the beginning,” Coldwell said. “But then as it got closer to the end I started to feel more confident.”
In P2 Novice, Newberry, 13, and McKee, 13, both competed.
McKee’s best result was 12th on vault, while Newberry took ninth on beam and 12th on bars.
McKee said she performed three new skills at the meet.
“She’s forever progressing,” Stinson added. “She’s only been doing gymnastics for one and a half years and for her to be where she is is an amazing feat. She picks up skills very quickly.”
Newberry also performed a new skill at the meet — a back hand spring.
“For her to achieve that was a big deal,” Stinson said. “She pleased and shocked herself.”
