Te Puke Gymsport will be bursting into spring colour when more than 300 young athletes descend on the club for its annual Springfest recreation competition on September 19-20.
The two-day event will bring together recreational gymnasts, tumblers and parkour athletes from clubs stretching from Hamilton to Taranaki.
“Registrations closed on September 4, and we have 345 participants registered,” Te Puke Gymsport general manager Erin McKenna said.
“Springfest is designed for athletes attending recreational gymsport classes and is a fun competition where they can showcase the skills that they have learned during the year and gain ribbons or medals.”
The event is for athletes from about age 5 through to teens aged 15-16.
Te Puke Gymsport has more than 100 parkour students each week at classes.
“It’s great to have some competitions for them too,” McKenna said.
Te Puke Gymsport general manager Erin McKenna is looking forward to Springfest. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
The competition will have a distinctly spring-themed atmosphere, with the gym decorated with flowers, balloons and other decorations.
“We call it our spring festival recreation competition,” McKenna said.
“The gym will be full of all the spring flowers and balloons; it’s a lot of fun.”
The influx of athletes and their families is expected to bring plenty of visitors into Te Puke for the weekend.
The regional reach reflects the growth of Te Puke Gymsport, which began as the Te Puke Gymnasium Club in 1954 before moving to its Station Rd premises in 2009. The club now offers gymnastics, tumbling, trampoline and parkour programmes.
Its continued growth is also behind plans for the proposed Bay of Plenty Movement HQ at Centennial Park – a partnership between Te Puke Gymsport, Te Puke Dance Studios, the Graeme Dingle Foundation and Te Puke Junior Football Club.
The proposed $5 million facility would provide a multi-purpose sport, recreation, fitness and wellness hub for the community.
McKenna said the partnership had completed the first $200,000 phase needed for planning, with building plans being developed before they begin funding applications.