Oxford vault to victory
OXFORD'S GYMNASTS TRAVELLED to Enschede in Holland earlier this month, to participate in the University of Twente's 'Jump Around the World' competition.
Over 100 gymnasts from Holland, Switzerland, Great Britain and the USA took part in the event. Despite having endured a 12 hour train ride and a restless night on the floor of one organiser's house the previous day, the Blues team excelled, taking home a large haul of medals, and producing some of the most difficult routines of the day.
To add to this success, Oxford took a team to the University of London floor Vault and Tumbling competition last weekend and dominated the event. The Blues took the team title by a comfortable 2.5 point margin, the outcome based on the top four gymnasts' scores.
In the individual events, Oxford again produced the most difficult routines of the competition. In the Women's advanced floor and vault competition, bronze medalist Jenny Gruber (Univ) finished her floor routine with a full-twisting back somersault. Jenny also won the indermediate tumbling competition.
In the men's competition Dominic Siddall (Keble) and Dan York-Smith (Somerville) took bronze and silver respectively, despite both putting a hand down on one of their tumbles.
Their superior difficulty kept them in the medals, Siddall using a one half-twisting back somersault twice and Dan producing a full-twisting double back somersault and a two half twisting back, punch immediate tucked front somersault.
The prospects look good for the Varsity match on Saturday of 6th week. Anyone interested can contact daniel.york-smith@some.ox.ac.uk
15th Feb 2001