4th European Aerobic Gymnastics Championships

Coimbra, Portugal
27-30th October 2005

Recently crowned British Gymnasts of the Year, Katie Cannon and Katie Richards, both did well last weekend at the 4th European Aerobic Gymnastics Championships in Portugal. Pitted against gymnasts from 17 other nations, Katie Cannon, from Heathrow Aerobic Gymnastics Club, proved once again she is Britain’s top aerobic gymnast scoring the highest ever mark achieved by Great Britain in the Senior Individual Women’s competition at a European Championships. She was placed 14th with a score of 18.3, less than two marks behind the winner of the qualification round. Katie Richards, with a score of 17.05, came 18th out of a field of 28 competitors, dominated by the Russians and Romanians.

Stephanie Fois did best for Britain in the Junior (15-17) Category, beating fellow Brit Vicky Smith. Steph scored 15.85 coming 19th out of 26. The winner of this category scored 19.25, which shows the gap which needs to be closed if Britain wants to win medals in the future.

The Junior Trio of Stephanie and Heathrow team mates, Chelsey Dixon and Rachel Murphy, unfortunately lost vital points by not achieving an element in their routine. This left them in 14th place with just 15.35 against a winning score of 19.05.

Sebastian De Verteuil, from Pinewood, won the first ever men’s medal for GB at a European Championships, claiming bronze in the 12-14 I.M. Age Group Category with a score of 17.05. He then went on to come 10th (out of 12) in the Age Group (12-14) Trio competition with team mates Fay Manning and Ellie Spooner.

GB Results

Senior I.W
Katie Cannon * 14th 18.300

Katie Richards 18th 17.050


Junior (15-17) I.W
Stephanie Fois* 19th 15.850
Victoria Smith 23rd 15.400

Junior (15-17 Trio)
Stephanie Fois* 14th 15.350
Chelsey Dixon*
Rachel Murphy*

Age Groups (12-14) I.M
Sebastian De Verteuil 3rd Bronze 17.05

Age Groups (12-14) I.W
Katie Mc Donnell 12th 16.650
Chrystal Haselden 15th
16.200


Age Groups (12-14) Trio
Sebastian De Verteuil 10th 15.700
Fay Manning
Eleanor Spooner

* Gymnasts from Heathrow Aerobic Gymnastics Club

.Report by Val Lewis