Gold at the International Acro Cup

Congratulations to Year 7 pupil Eliza who has won gold at the Bristol International Acro Cup, with her acrobatics partner Henry. The Acro Cup is an international acrobatic gymnastics competition, this year held at Yate International Gymnastics Centre.

Eliza, who has been competing since she was eight years old, is clearly an extremely talented gymnast, and trains at the City of Bristol Gymnastics Centre, where her coach is based. Acrobatic gymnastics is a competitive gymnastic discipline where partnerships of gymnasts work together and perform figures consisting of acrobatic moves, dance and tumbling, set to music.

In each partnership, the gymnasts’ different sizes and abilities will be balanced to complement each other in order to carry out the complex moves. Some will mainly carry out supporting and pitching roles, and are known as ‘bases’. They are then balanced with smaller gymnasts who become the ‘tops’. Partnerships are judged on artistry, difficulty of skill and the execution of skills, with routines set to music. Within Eliza’s training partnership she is the ‘tops’ – the acrobat who flies gracefully through the air – whilst partner Henry is the ‘base’. Eliza trains for between 14-17 hours per week, travelling into Bristol four evenings a week after school, and again on Sundays!