Big weekend coming up with Atlantics on P.E.I.
The sport of gymnastics will be front and centre in the City of Summerside this weekend.
The Atlantic gymnastics championships will take place at Credit Union Place.
“We have around 325 athletes competing from all four provinces,” explained Jeff MacRae, executive director and men’s head coach with the Slemon Park-based Summerside Saultos Gymnastics Club. “It starts at the beginner, intermediate level, and goes all the way up to the national level.”
Competition begins this morning and continues through until around 4 p.m. Saturday. MacRae noted competitors will range in ages from nine to 20.
“It’s a real good opportunity for our younger gymnasts, our recreational program, preschool athletes to be able to see what you can get to with gymnastics, and it’s a good chance to see it first-hand,” said MacRae. “It’s really the first time an event of this size has been in Summerside for gymnastics, so we are really pleased about that.
“We are actually hosting the Eastern Canadian championships in May next year at Credit Union Place. That will be Atlantic Canada along with Quebec and Ontario. It’s a little bit higher level as well.”
A total of 18 athletes – 14 females and four males – will represent the host Saultos this weekend.
“It’s a good number,” MacRae said. “I think it’s our largest number to date of kids competing at Atlantics.”
Females will compete in four events – floor, vault, balance beam and uneven bars, while the males will do six events – floor, vault, high bar, rings, parallel bar and pommel horse.
The Saultos season runs September-June, but the competitive athletes also train during the summer.
“They get a few weeks off in the summer, but to be at that high level you have to keep working,” said MacRae. “This is near the end of our competitive season.
“Competitions usually begin around January and go until the end of April and May.”
Schedule on B4.