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New Zealand wins Gold at World Cheerleading Championships
New Zealand wins Gold at World Cheerleading Championships
New Zealand has this weekend made history by scooping Gold at the World Cheerleading Championships in Florida, USA.
Two of the All Star Cheerleaders' top squads, Team New Zealand All Girl and Team New Zealand Co-ed, came first in both the divisions they were competing in at the International Cheer Union (ICU) world cheerleading champs.
Team NZ Co-ed placed first in the co-ed elite division and Team NZ All Girl placed first in the all-girl elite division.
More 30,000 cheerleaders representing 70 countries travelled to Walt Disney Resort in Florida, USA to compete against the most elite squads around in world on 24-25 April.
Owner of All Star Cheerleaders Kimberley Ramsay says they are overwhelmed with the win.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what the girls and guys have achieved. Training for the world champs has been intense, with more than 60 hours a week spent training in the lead up to this competition, so they have achieved this through sheer dedication, determination and discipline.”
New Zealand has been competing at the ICU champs since 2005. The last time they competed (2012) they came second and for the past two years they have been dedicated to winning Gold, by bringing in internationally trained co-ed stunting coaches, as well as highly trained gymnastic coaches and frequent, specialist coaches from the USA.
Kimberley Ramsay says the win puts New Zealand cheerleading on the map and hopes it will spark more interest and encourage young kids to take up the sport.
“The biggest misconception is people think cheerleading is dancing on the side of a rugby or sports field with pom poms. We actually don’t use pom poms because our routines are filled with stunting, tumbling and amazing athletic skills. The sport has grown exponentially throughout NZ over the past few years – from school kids at recreational level to those wanting to compete on the national and international stage.” said Ms Ramsay.
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