From left to right: Penticton's Thomas Cunningham, Jordis Hickie and Samuel Kliever won silver medals for a double dutch routine at the 2023 World Jump Rope Championships in Colorado.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Thomas Cunningham
July 20, 2023 - 7:54 AM
Competitive jump rope athletes from the south Okanagan are representing Canada on the world stage this week.
Ten athletes from Penticton’s Black Widow Rope Spinners, a competitive jump rope club, qualified for Team Canada and are competing at either the International Jump Rope Union World Championships, World Junior Championships or International Open Tournament; all being held in Colorado Springs from July 16 to July 23.
Assistant coach and competitor, Thomas Cunningham, said so far things are going really well.
“Our team is very excited and in awe as this is the first World Championships for eight of our 10 athletes here,” he said. “They are nervous but that is normal when competing at this level. Overall it has been a very positive experience so far.”
The Black Widow Rope Spinners is a competitive jump rope club that started up in Penticton in 2004 made up of 27 athletes ranging in age from 7 to 65.
Cunningham said an unprecedented number of the jumpers, one third of the club, made Team Canada this year.
“We’re one of the strongest clubs in the country,” he said. “We have several multi-time national champions. I, myself, am a seven-time national champion.”
Jumpers had to attend two qualifier events where scores were submitted and reviewed, with the top three in each event making the team. The next two in each age category qualified for the International Open Tournament.
So far the Penticton athletes have earned two silver medals from the International Open Tournament and Cunningham made finals for one event at the World Championships. The athletes do double dutch, double dutch speed, single rope speed and single rope routines.
“Our main goal is to represent Canada well,” Cunningham said. “By making finals I have secured a top 6 spot in that event. I would love to get into the top 3 but that event is a tough one to guess how people will do.”
READ MORE: 1,500 feet of Okanagan lakefront on sale for $9 million
He said the sport of jump rope is not very common in Canada but is expanding on a world scale.
“We love getting to perform at events like BC Day and Peachfest,” he said. “It’s a way to not only promote our team but also the sport as a whole.”
READ MORE: TRENDING NOW: A bison where he shouldn't be
There are several more events to compete in before the competition ends on July 23.
“Our athletes are doing great,” Cunningham said. “We’re eager to perform and to continue representing our country well.”
READ MORE: Canadian Tire in Penticton to almost double in size
Black Widow team members selected to Team Canada are Cathy Cunningham, Thomas Cunningham, Cameron Helm, Jordis Hickie, Presley Hickie, Bethany Holloway, Samuel Kliever, Helena Schales, Finn Tolley and Matthew Turner.
It costs between $3,000 and $5,000 per jumper to attend the competition depending on how many events they’re participating in.
A fundraiser was started to cover transportation, fees and competition costs. The fundraiser has pulled in $2,500 with an end goal of $10,000. Any money donated now will be divided amongst all local team Canada Athletes.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.
News from © iNFOnews, 2023