After weeks of preparation, Cardiff Aerial Fitness saw another win against Swansea with three gold medals, three silver and two bronze, tipping the scales to Cardiff. I had a unique experience being able to experience Varsity this year, not only as an editor but also as a competitor winning a silver medal in the intermediate category. Going into the competition, the standard was high and it was an honour to be able to represent my university as a final year student.
The day began early with competitors arriving from 10am as the poles were set up and costumes put on, everyone felt excited but nervous for their performances. With five different categories from Beginners, Aspiring, Intermediate, Advanced and the Group performances, Cardiff did an amazing job securing the win. The team secured first place in beginners, aspiring and intermediate categories. Alongside this we also took second place in beginners, intermediate, advanced and group categories and third in aspiring, leaving every single Cardiff competitor to finish with an award.
Aerial Fitness routines demand a balance of strength, flexibility and musicality which was clear and consistent throughout the competition. Officially, they are judged based on five categories; Tricks, Movement Execution, Quality & Flow, Choreography, Musicality and Overall Performance with ranging scores between 1 and 20. With three judges from various studios across Cardiff, it was an honour to see my team perform so well and be rewarded with their marks.
Aerial Fitness routines demand a balance of strength, flexibility and musicality which was clear and consistent throughout the competition
The atmosphere at Varsity is what really made the day special. The noise and cheering from the crowd after each move no matter the level created the joy and support across the board. There was no putting down of the other teams, it was all about creating that environment that put joy on people’s faces and it was clear that each competitor had an amazing time performing with pure excitement from their smiles.
With results like these, Aerial Fitness has proven to be a clear, standout event for Cardiff this Varsity. As a sport with not a lot of awareness surrounding it, it is about the individual results contributing to the wider team effort and I could not be prouder of every single competitor with Annie (1st Beginners), Kami (3rd Beginners), Becky (1st Aspiring), Whitney (3rd Aspiring), Izzy (1st Intermediate), Me (2nd Intermediate), Ariana (2nd Advanced), Yas and Eva (2nd Group) smashing the competition.