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PRESS CALL: Press are invited to attend the
taster day on Friday 3rd November from 1.30pm to 3pm at Robin Park
Sports Centre or the events over the weekend of 4th/5th November. There
will be opportunities to meet Britain’s top gymnasts as they show young
people how to use the various apparatus. Contact Chris Dunbar on 01942
486937.
Robin Park Arena and Sports Centre, Wigan, will host the British Men’s
Artistic Gymnastics Championships over the weekend of 4th and 5th
November.
Young people from across Wigan Borough and beyond are being invited to
witness Britain’s largest and most prestigious gymnastics event of 2006
for free. Children aged 16 and under will qualify for free tickets if
they are accompanied by an adult.
Held annually since 1896, the British Men’s Championships is coming to
Robin Park for the fourth consecutive year and will feature three times
British Champion and Commonwealth medallist Ross Brewer from Sutton.
Looking to take his crown will be Danny Lawrence (South Essex) and Ryan
Bradley (Earls), who each have a vast array of exciting skills and the
burning ambition to be Champion of Great Britain.
Event organiser Ben Murphy from British Gymnastics, said, “We are
anticipating a really exciting weekend and hopefully a lot of young
people will come along and take an interest in the sport in the
long-term. The Men’s Championships are always a close run affair and
seeing the exciting somersaults and strength of these athletes live is
an awesome experience. This year we can increase our viewing audience
with the live webcast going directly into people’s homes at Sunday
lunchtime.”
Saturday will attract competitors for the three traditional titles,
British Youth Champion (15-16), British Junior Champion (17-18) and the
coveted senior title of Men’s Champion of Great Britain. Spectators will
also see the nation’s youngest gymnastic talents competing in the
British Under-12 Championships on Sunday morning. The Under-14
Championships will give potential 2012 Olympic candidates their chance
to impress the selectors.
An exciting new element to the championships, the British Masters
Finals, will see the top eight gymnasts competing to become the
apparatus king. The event will also be broadcast live over the internet
from 1.30pm Sunday at
www.british-gymnastics.org.
The Masters will feature Commonwealth Games Pommel Horse Champion Louis
Smith. Louis is a formidable expert on this apparatus with two Junior
European Gold medals to his credit.
Mike Lea, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust’s Gymnastics Development
Officer, said, “This is a great opportunity for young people and their
families to come along and see some great athletes in action for free.
Both Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and British Gymnastics are
determined to get more and more young people involved in what is a
graceful, powerful and dynamic sport. As we approach the Olympic Games
in 2012, it would be great to witness gymnasts from the borough
competing with a Great Britain flag on their chest.”
In addition to the main events, on Friday 3rd November Robin Park will
open its doors to young gymnastic enthusiasts and novices alike to
witness some of the nation’s finest gymnasts (including some of the GB
National Squad) close at hand and to have the opportunity to try out the
apparatus for themselves. Last year over 250 school children took part
and anyone wishing to attend should contact Mike Lea on 01942 404952 for
further details.
To purchase tickets for this event please contact the ticketweb hotline
on 08700 600 100 or visit
www.british-gymnastics.org. Tickets can also
be obtained via Robin Park Sports Centre on 01942 828550. Tickets are
free to under-16s but must be obtained in conjunction with the purchase
of an adult ticket. Adult day tickets are priced at £8 (£4 for
concessions) or weekend tickets are priced at just £12 (£6 concessions).
Competition Start Times:
Saturday
Under-16s: 11.20 am
Under-18s and Seniors: 2.50 pm
Sunday:
Under-12s: 9:55 am
British Masters: 1:50 pm
Under-14s: 4:30 pm
-ends-
PRESS CALL: The taster sessions have been opened up to all primary
schools in Wigan, it is estimated that over 250 children will be taking
part. The session runs from 1.30pm to 3pm.
NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Officer, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org.
Gymnastics: For further information on Great Britain’s gymnastics
programme, please see
www.british-gymnastics.org.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support Leisure and Cultural facilities, initiatives and events for
300,000 residents across the Wigan Borough.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is WLCT’s vision to ensure
that people across the Wigan Borough have the opportunity to become more
physically, mentally and creatively active. It also aims to increase
community activity and to encourage good citizenship.
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Current champion, Ross Brewer
Challenging for the title, Danny
Lawrence |