Wild West Baton twirling competition takes over Calgary
Around 120 baton twirling athletes competed in the Wild West Competition and regional championships in Calgary this weekend.
Athletes aged five to 23 took to the Genesis Centre gym floor looking to impress the judges with their skill, tricks and presentation.
“For me as an athlete, it's really about getting my routines on the floor,” said Paige Epp.
“This is my second competition of the season, so I was really looking for my personal best and still working to perfect my routines.”
For Brooke Mauro, the sport may not be as popular as others, but crafting the skill set takes a lot of dedication.
“It’s a lot harder than it looks, but it's also a lot more fun and it looks a lot more satisfying. When you catch your trick you've been working on the floor, like it's the best feeling ever,” said Mauro.
“You have to have a lot of good gymnastic skills, dance skills, and then hand-eye coordination.”
The athletes are trying to qualify for provincial championships in May, with 23 from this weekend expected to perform on the world stage in Liverpool, England this summer.
QUALIFYING FOR PROVINCIALS
The athletes are trying to qualify for provincial championships in May, with 23 from this weekend expected to perform on the world stage in Liverpool, England this summer.
Alberta Baton Twirling Association central region board chair Michael Maes says the pandemic had a major impact on participationin the sport seeing a 35 per cent decrease in registration.
Maes says that was due in large part to the lack of facilities available for athletes and teams to compete in.
“When you say baton, everybody knows what a baton is,” says Maes.
“You just think marching band and stuff like that but once you start to get into the sport and watch the development and athleticism of the kids, you can see that it's a combination of artistic dance, athletic ability and there's so many avenues for the kids to express themselves.”
Jenna Jemieff, who coaches at Inspire Baton Club in Olds, has been around the sport since she first competed at age four.
Now Jemieff says it's about giving back to the next generation of athletes.
“The opportunities I was granted in the sport, it’s a very niche and unique sport and along with that comes just so many amazing opportunities,” said Jemieff.
"I always had to travel to the city to do baton twirling, so I just wanted to be able to give back to the sport, grow the sport and give kids in a more rural area an opportunity to do something that they would not have the opportunity to do otherwise."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.