Women’s Artistic Gymnastics competition being hosted in May in Huntsville

In case you haven’t heard, there is a pretty big event on the way and the organizers, Muskoka Limberettes, are excited about the possibilities.

The Gymnastics Ontario Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Ontario Championships will be hosted in Huntsville at the Don Lough Arena at the Canada Summit Centre from May 2 to 5, 2024.

Over 900 athletes (aged nine through 14-plus) and over 300 coaches representing over 100 clubs, as well as their families and supporters are expected to visit the community.

The Arena will be separated into two sections to allow for proper execution of the event.

“This will be a great event,” says Chantelle Armstrong, WAG logistics lead. “It will be great for the clubs throughout Ontario to see how amazing our community is at hosting a provincial event of this stature.”

Artistic gymnastics is the form of gymnastics most people are familiar with, explains Kelsey Davis, the Muskoka Limberettes head coach and WAG event head lead. It’s the style of gymnastics performed by US multiple Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.

“It’s what most people think of when they think of gymnastics,” says Davis. “Women’s artistic gymnastics is where they do vault, bars, beam, and floor. They have routines on each to perform and be judged on.”

The event was originally set to happen in Huntsville in 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic, which then caused a ripple effect for other events.

“They eventually asked us to re-submit last year to host this year,” says Shana Handrigan, lead for administration matters. “It’s been a bit of an up-and-down and it’s finally come to pass, so we’re really excited.”

Working with Town of Huntsville staff, the Muskoka Limberettes had to show plans and a letter from the Town, as well as other logistics such as hotel space, restaurants, and other amenities, to Gymnastics Ontario as part of the application.

Want to find out even more, check out the audio and video of the The Chris O Show featuring the Muskoka Limberettes at: WAG Championships.

Speith Canada is the provider of all gymnastics equipment for Ontario Championships as set out by Gymnastics Ontario. Canada will have two transports transport all equipment to Huntsville and will construct the approved floor layout. The hosting club is responsible for providing some volunteers to assist with set up and the cost of renting the equipment.

That’s where the need for community support comes into play, from both a business sponsorship and individual volunteer standpoint. The event is brining a large amount of tourism dollars to the community during the shoulder season.

A sponsorship from Drive Muskoka and some funding from the Huntsville Municipal Accommodation Tax Association (HMATA) has been secured to get the ball rolling.

Volunteers will be needed for a wide array of positions, from helping time events on the floor sitting with the judges to helping with registrations, awards, admission, a first aid station, food and beverage, and more.

 “The more sponsors and volunteers we have, the more opportunities we have to make this an amazing event for the athletes, the judges, the coaches and families visiting the area,” says Armstrong. “Putting our best foot forward will give us a leg up on hosting other large events in the future.”

To get involved as a sponsor or to volunteer, email Chantelle Armstrong at: ca@swnorth.ca

ABOUT MUSKOKA LIMBERETTES

The Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club is located within the Bracebridge Sportsplex, with 12,000 square feet of gym space. Our bright, clean and modern facility contains all apparatus for both Women’s and Men’s artistic gymnastics, as well as numerous dug foam pits, inground trampolines, a KinderGym area, and a 43’ tumble track.

Every year we see over 400 gymnasts come through our doors to partake in our fun, active, and challenging gymnastics programs. Muskoka Limberettes is a non-profit organization run by the Head Coach, Administrator, and the Board of Directors. Our aim is to provide quality, affordable, physical fitness programming to the Muskoka community that will help each participant achieve personal success and a lifelong love of sport.

Learn more at www.muskokalimberettes.com