As usual UKCA were well represented at ECC 2010 in Helsinki on 10 and 11 July. 16 teams from 5 clubs – Gemini, Hawks, Maximum Cheer, STCA and Wild Spirit Allstars – carried our hopes in a sweltering stadium ironically called the Ice Arena. Off the floor UKCA made an equally important contribution providing 2 of the judges, 2 shadow judges who are now fully qualified at European level and the Head of ECA’s organising committee. A small but enthusiastic band of supporters kept the teams’ spirits up.
The Arena normally hosts ice hockey, which meant there was room for 2 floors and 2 panels of judges. This kept the competition flowing nicely – on the Sunday the super efficient Finns had us nearly an hour ahead of schedule!
Around 1700 athletes from 70 teams who had qualified from their own National Championships gathered to parade their skills. And what skills they were, the Scandinavians and Norway in particular dominating through teams like Viqueens. There is no doubt that the standard of competition gets higher year on year, which is what makes Cheerleading such an exciting sport to be part of right now.
Sadly this year there were no individual events, a rich source of medals in the past for UK. Phoebe Hulme and Rachael Burrows had contributed 5 in the last 3 years, culminating in Rachael’s stunning gold medal performance last year.
So where would the medals come from, if indeed anywhere? Rachael had already served notice of her abilities as a coach whilst still competing and the responsibility of founding and running her own club has allowed those talents to blossom with success at all levels of UKCA competitions this year. The other 4 teams have many years European experience between them.
Saturday was a barren day for the Seniors – the highlight being STCA’s Senior Female stunt group finishing 8th. Perhaps it was asking too much for them to repeat their 4th at the Worlds in a highly competitive discipline.
Sunday started brightly with Maximum Cheer called to the podium in the Junior Mixed Stunt Group category. It was a truly wonderful achievement in their first taste of European competition to win silver. Rachael was understandably bursting with pride at her young teams’ performance. Sadly the other junior teams were unable to build on that success.
All too quickly all the medals and trophies had been awarded and another ECC was over. The best ever? As someone with experience of just the last 3 and an organiser, it would be wrong for me to comment. But judging by the comments and thanks still pouring in it was the place to be last weekend.
Congratulations to all those who competed – just to qualify for that level of competition is an achievement. However we will be working with teams to increase the chances of moving up the rankings and hopefully bringing more medals home in future.
