THE Portland Gymnastics Club have finished their season with a flourish last weekend, holding their end-of-year performance.

The club’s season has been interrupted on a number of occasions, but despite this, when they have been able to do gymnastics, they have been reasonably successful.

Although the pandemic has hit participation as well, a strong core of gymnasts has helped the club through, and they are looking to rebound next year.

As well as presenting awards for the season, the club also raffled off a 10kg block of chocolate, and were able to raise $1,902.05.  The raffle was won by Sandra Barrington.

“It was a successful and much needed couple of days of finally seeing the gymnasts back in the gym and doing what they love,” said head coach Teagan Barrington.

“We had our gymnasts showing off their skills from one end of the hall to the other, flipping and vaulting to a series of Christmas carols for their friends and families. 

“It was so wonderful to be able to share their hard work with their loved ones and celebrate their achievements together.

“2020 was so terrible that when it was over and 2021 started, everyone seemed to collectively run into it with such extreme enthusiasm and hope.

“How frustrating it was to then find out we had run head first, straight back into the exact same obstacles as before.

“Lockdowns, masks, density limits, QR check in, Covid Marshalls, strict cleaning protocols not to mention all the fun, new curve balls surrounding vaccination status and restrictions.

“It seemed that we woke from a 2020 nightmare straight into a 2021 one.

“The Club has suffered quite a bit at the hands of Covid 19 both financially and with our staff and membership decreasing.  

“However, we have found that a good solid core of members have stuck it out through the difficulties, are coming back next year and our 2022 waiting lists are already filling up.

“We are incredibly positive that our numbers next year will increase.”

Awards were handed out at all levels of gymnastics, women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) with participants at development, levels 1-3 and senior, men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG), gym-skills, gym-stars and ninja.