Pipers Vale quartet land regional titles

GYMNASTICS

A QUARTET of talented young gymnasts from the Ipswich-based Pipers Vale club are celebrating after scooping regional titles.

Robert Banthorpe, Lloyd Clarke, Charlie Banthorpe and Josh Travis were triumphant at the regional championships in Huntingdon.

Their success takes the club's haul of regional titles to a staggering eight out of a possible ten.

"This is fantastic, we now hold eight out of ten regional titles which is staggering when you think two years ago the club was only achieving a few county and regional honours," said Pipers Vale's head coach Andy Wood.

"The standard of the club, both on the girls and boys side, seems to be getting better and better each year with more and more titles being added to the list."

The Ipswich quartet were joined by gymnasts from Norwich, Huntingdon, King's Lynn and Bury St Edmunds in the battle for various regional championships.

Robert (Under 12s) and Lloyd (Under 10s) competed in the regional championships for boys where they had to perform voluntary routines on floor, vault, parallel bars, high bar, pommel and rings.

The lads had worked very hard over the past few months learning new moves and putting together their routines.

Their endeavours paid off as both lads competed really well and finished in first place, giving the Pipers Vale club its first ever men's regional honours.

Charlie and Josh took part in the Regional NDP Club route competition where they had to perform set routines on all of the pieces.

Charlie took part in the Intermediate 1 level for Under-14s and Josh in the Primary 1 level for Under-12s.

Again, both Ipswich boys competed very well to take the title.

Charlie and Josh will now represent the East region at the National Finals, held at the Lilleshall national sports centre next month.

If you would like details about gymnastic classes or want to know more about the Pipers Vale club you can contact Wood on 01473 433676.