Squad girls from Baskervilles Gymnastics Club took part in the third and final West Country League Competition of the year over the weekend of the 26th and 27th November 2016, winning two team gold medals and three silvers. The competition, which was hosted by Wiltshire School of Gymnastics in Melksham, saw gymnasts from the area compete against each other on behalf of their clubs, with four teams representing Baskervilles. Teams were awarded for their performance on the day, as well as for their overall performance in each of this year’s West Country League Competitions. The event saw stiff competition for Baskervilles’ gymnasts, with 24 gymnastic clubs taking part.
On Saturday 26th November, the A League Division 3 and Premiership A League teams from Baskervilles competed, taking 2nd place and 4th place respectively, with the A League Division 3 team awarded overall West Country League gold.
In Baskervilles’ A League Division 3 team were 10-year-olds Olivia Underwood, Isobel Dixon and Phoebe Pritchard, 9-year-olds Isabella Mori and Molly Hibbert-Davies, and 8-year-old Amelie Rushforth. Overall, the team bagged the silver medal overall, coming 1st on vault, and winning the gold medal for their overall performance over the year. Individually, the girls also had some great results. Pritchard picked up 1st place on vault, with a score of 12.18, and 2nd place on floor. Underwood came 1st on beam with a score of 11.27, whilst Rushforth took 3rd place on asymmetric bars. Overall, Dixon took 2nd place with a score of 45.40.
Competing in the Premiership A League team from Baskervilles were 9-year-old Anya Green, 8-year-old Annabelle Moss, 7-year-olds Tahlia Wyatt and Gracie Hurd, and 6-year-old Evie Wilkins. For Wilkins, this was her first ever four-piece competition. The team from Baskervilles came 4th overall, taking 2nd place on beam – a brilliant result for the youngest team taking part in the entire West Country League competition. Individually, Green took 2nd place on asymmetric bars with a score of 12.14, coming in 3rd place overall, with a score of 46.20.
On Sunday 27th November, Baskervilles’ B League Division 3 and C League Division 1 teams competed, winning gold and silver medals respectively, with overall silver medals for their year’s performances.
In the B League Division 3 team were 15-year-old Edie Gudmunsen, 14-year-old Elisabeth Osborn, 13-year-olds Pearl Fray, Jasmine Andrews and Ruby Millard, and 10-year-old Camille Gillett. The team had a successful competition, winning the overall gold medal, also coming 1st on vault and beam, and winning silver for their performance over the past year. Individually, Andrews came 1st on vault, scoring 12.60, and 2nd overall, in what was her final ever gymnastic competition. Gudmunsen came 2nd on vault, with Osborn 2nd on asymmetric bars. Millard came 1st on beam, with a score of 12.87.
The C League Division 1 team comprised of 16-year-old Bree Warren, 12-year-old Kiera Williams, 11-year-old Isobel Martin, and 10-year-olds Rosa Pawlyn and Esme Mathias. The team from Baskervilles won the overall silver medal, coming 1st on bars, as well as taking silver for their performance over the year. Individually, Bree Warren had a successful competition, coming 2nd on vault with a score of 12.55, and 3rd on bars and floor, where she competed her first ever double back somersault. Pawlyn also displayed a new skill, competing her first ever Yurchenko vault.
Following the competition, Elite Girls’ Coach Emma Baskervilles commented,
“this was an amazing final competition of the year. The girls all competed well and did me really proud, working really hard as a team. All of the teams performed exceptionally well!”
The gymnasts are now looking forward to performing in Baskervilles’ Annual Christmas Gala, which will be held on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th December.
Squad Gymnasts from Baskervilles Gymnastics Club have had success at the A Star Competition in Bristol, with two gymnasts qualifying for next year’s Somerset Squad. The competition was held at City of Bristol Gymnastics Club on Sunday 13th November, and provided a rare opportunity for the gymnasts to compete individually.
In the Level 5 Competition, 10-year-old Phoebe Prichard qualified for Somerset Squad with an outstanding performance all around. Prichard came 1st on floor, with a score of 12.000, and 3rd on vault, scoring 11.400, bagging 4th place overall. 10-year-olds Camille Gillett and Isobel Dixon both had personal bests, with Gillett coming 6th on floor and vault and Dixon 9th on beam.
In the Level 4 competition, 14-year-old Elisabeth Osborn came 2nd on bars, scoring 12.500, and 2nd on floor with a score of 12.030, coming in 6th place overall and qualifying for Somerset Squad. The Level 3 competition saw 15-year-old Edie Gudmunsen take 6th place on beam, with a score of 12.250.
Elite Girls’ Coach Katie Cottrell commented, “The girls all competed really well and I was pleased with their style and performance all around. The girls are looking strong for the upcoming West Country League final next week”. 
Three Elite Gymnasts from Baskervilles Gymnastics Club travelled to Guildford Spectrum on to take part in the 2016 National Finals on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November 2016. The girls competed to a high level, with 10-year-old Rosa Pawlyn winning a silver medal as part of the South West team.
As well as contributing to her team silver, in the Level 3 Category, Pawlyn performed well against tough competition, coming in 23rd place overall out of 54 gymnasts. Rosa came 6th on vault, with a strong score of 13.250. In her first ever National Competition, 11-year-old Isobel Martin competed individually in the Level 2 Category, scoring 11.300 on vault, and coming in 38th place overall. 10-year-old Esme Mathias was a travelling reserve at the competition. Although she wasn’t able to compete on the day, Mathias gained fantastic experience in attending such a high level competition.
Elite Girls’ Coach Emma Baskerville explained, “The girls represented the region to a really high standard. Rosa displayed a sparkling, endearing performance, whilst Isobel held her own with an exciting and energetic floor routine”.
Baskervilles Gymnastics Club were presented the accolade of Community Club of the Year 2016/2017 at the Bath Chronicle’s Annual Sports Awards on Wednesday 9th November. 
Following the ceremony, Baskervilles founder Barbara Baskerville said: “This award is amazing recognition as we’ve been going for over 30 years as a club.
Elite Gymnasts from Baskervilles Gymnastics Club have had a successful weekend of competition, winning seven medals, including a gold medal for Oliver Snook who took the crown of National Champion. Five Elite Gymnasts travelled to the GMAC in Birmingham to compete in the Men’s Artistic National Development Grades Competition, which took place on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th November. Gymnasts competed individually, and as part of the South West team.
For 9-year-olds James Smith and Edward Gould, who competed in the Level 1 Category, this was their first competition at a National Level. In a competitive category with 64 gymnasts in total, both of the boys had a strong competition. Smith performed outstanding routines with consistency across the board, winning 1st place on the high bar and 2nd place on the parallel bars, winning the overall silver medal. Gould also had a strong competition, finishing in 9th place overall with the help of a tidy rings routine where he placed 6th. Both of the boys also brought home gold medals as a part of the South West Team, who finished in 1st place in their category.
In the Level 3 category, 11-year-old Theo Todd-Jones placed 13th in the overall competition, giving him the highest position of his regional team. A strong competitor on the rings, Todd-Jones took 2nd place, with a score of 9.600 which, along with a score of 9.750 on the pommel horse, helped land the South West region 2nd place in the team competition.
Out of 53 competitors in the Level 4 competition, 11-year-old Oliver Snook finished in gold medal position to become National Champion. Snook showed great consistency across all of his routines placing in the top 10 scores, with remarkable scores on the rings and parallel bars to take 2nd place, as well as placing 3rd on the floor. Snook also led the South West region to victory in his category to claim another gold in the team competition.
Competing in the eldest, Level 6, Category was 13-year-old Henry Brooker. Brooker showed his expertise on the high bar where he placed 1st, as well as vaulting his way to 2nd place. Brooker’s considerable competition experience showed, as he finished in top 10 positions across all of his routines, to land him in 6th place overall, and helping his South West team to 1st place.
Thanks to their strong performances, the Baskervilles boys helped the South West to retain the Bob Currier trophy for being the most successful region at the competition.
Elite Coach Craig Hutchison commented, “The boys achieved these exceptional results because of their hard work and dedication to the sport. Congratulations also to the boys’ head coach Levente Molnar-Schondorfer following this brilliant weekend of competition”.
It would seem that there is no end to the talents of our coaches at Baskervilles! Bath’s Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy secured the title of team British Champions at the British No Gi Open Championships on Saturday 29th October, thanks in part to some of Baskervilles Gymnastics Club’s coaching team. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an exciting and competitive martial art combat sport, and the Championships, held at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton, are Britain’s largest event of its kind. The Gracie Barra team from Bath bagged a total of nine awards at the event.
In the Beginner Adult Feather Category, Baskervilles’ Elite Boys Coach Craig Hutchison’s strong performance throughout helped him secure the gold medal. Also flying the flag for Baskervilles, Paul Baskerville won bronze in the Beginner Adult Light Category.
In the Beginner Adult Ultra Heavy Category, Darrell Lambert secured the bronze medal. Antonio Bustorff bagged himself the bronze medal in the Intermediate Master 1 Heavy Category, with Mario Saeed taking silver in the Advanced Adult Medium Heavy Competition.
A gold medal was awarded to Harvey Dines in the Elite Brown Master 1 Light Competition, who also received silver in the Elite Brown Masters Absolute. Dines was followed closely in this category by John Lister, who bagged himself the bronze medal as well as taking gold in the Elite Brown Master 1 Heavy Category.
In one of the most high-level competitions of the day, Jason Tripp won silver in the Elite Black Master 2+ Light Category.
Thanks to the fantastic efforts of the athletes, Gracie Barra were the most successful team of the competition, winning the title of 2016 British Team Champions.
Coach Professor Salvatore Pace commented, “I appreciate every single student who steps onto the mat. Whether they win, lose or draw, what matters is that these guys have dedicated themselves and put hard work into representing themselves and us. That said, as a coach, it is a very proud moment watching all of my students compete and do well – they all did an amazing job”.