Another medal-filled display at this year’s national competition shows the Airdrie Sky High Twirlers (ASHT) continue to make an impact in Canada’s competitive baton-twirling community.
More than 20 ASHT members competed at the 2019 Canadian Baton Twirling Federation’s Nationals Competition, held July 1 to 4 in Regina, Sask., with several bringing home hardware. In total, the Airdrie club garnered 38 podium placements, including nine gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze medals.
“It sort of fluctuates, but I’d say it was on the high side this year,” coach Loren Dermody said. “Some of the lower-level athletes are starting to look up to the higher-level athletes in the club, and are trying to achieve the same status that they’re achieving.”
Airdrie’s gold-medallists in individual categories included Emily Mathewson and Paige Epp in the 3-baton, as well as Allison Quo and Emily Lewall in the solo competition.
Marissa Bieleny and Megan Smith took home gold in the duet, while Quo and Anna Wiedemann collected first-place finishes in the medley event.
In the team events, the sole ASHT team to win gold consisted of Lewall, Mathewson, Wiedemann and Brooke Mauro in the Open Senior Small A Dance Twirl division. In total, six ASHT teams medalled in the team events.
Dermody said ASHT’s continued success at nationals has created a positive reputation for the club.
“I think we placed third overall in the Group Challenge Cup, across all of Canada, so people would know us,” she said. “For Airdrie being relatively small compared to other cities, we, statistically, are doing very well.”
Epp, one of the club's top performers, was the only member to qualify for the Grand Nationals competition – a feat the 14-year-old achieved by winning the 3-baton A category for her age group.
“[3-baton] is my favourite event – I like the challenge of it, and the amount of unique tricks you can do with it,” the St. Martin de Porres student said.
While Epp was nervous to compete in her first Grand Nationals competition, she said she was excited to twirl against two of her baton idols – Julee Stewart, of Regina, and Brianna Middleton, of Moncton, N.B.
“Nationals is always nerve-wracking, because you work all year to get there,” Epp said. “This year, I felt I did my best, because I qualified for the finals in every event I did.”
Though nationals marked the conclusion of the 2019 season for many ASHT members, twelve twirlers will continue at the 2019 International Cup Championships in Limoges, France, Aug. 5 to 8.
“I’m really excited to see all the baton twirlers from around the world compete,” said Epp, who will compete in the solo, 2-baton, 3-baton and artistic pair competitions.
At the last International Cup Championships, held in Croatia in August 2017, ASHT sent 16 athletes and brought back eight medals.
Competing for hardware will be at the forefront of the athletes’ minds, according to Epp, but the trip will also include some leisure activities.
“We’re going to spend a few days in Paris before the competition, and then after, we’re going to go on a cruise to Barcelona,” she said.
