The two highest ranking gymnasts from the Senior and Group 2 Junior Aerobic squad were rewarded with a well deserved selection for the 6th European Championships, held in Liberec, Czech Republic.

The competition itself witnessed some 22 Nations participating with 900 gymnasts.
Full set of results please click here.

First to perform for Britain were the Group 2 Junior trio – Chloe Farrance, Ellie Spooner and Sebastian DeVerteuil, a well performed routine was awarded with a score of 16.998 –final place 13th. Rosie Stevens, Jessica Walters and Bethany Waddington performed a clean routine but due to one gymnast carrying a minor injury the element value tariff had to be reduced. A very respectable score of 15.376 placed the trio in 18th.

Ellie Spooner looked extremely well polished and put a flawless routine out for the judges to score. She was up against very stiff opposition and although being placed 17th over all scoring 17.25 she was only 1.75 behind the leader on the day!

Sebastian De Verteuil never one to disappoint.

Competing in what was considered a very strongly fought contest Seb held his nerve, successfully scored all his elements and sailed through to the finals with a score of 18.25.

Sebastian was last to perform in the finals and was absolutely determined to give it his best shot. His overall performance had the crowd applauding all the way through. Seb had upped his game and put together his best performance ever – coming 7th in the final and improving his score to 18.50.

"My final consisted of stiff competition from the likes of well established countries that take a leading force in the sport such as Italy, Romania and Russia. It was therefore encouraging to see only such a small gap was existent between myself, who had came 7th, and the top 3. Furthermore, many of the competitors in my final were at their maximum peak as they had the advantage of this being their last competition in the junior category. I can therefore walk away with great prospects for 2010 where the World Championships awaits in which I will be in the same position to fulfil my time in the 15-17 age group and this leaves me very optimistic": Seb said.

Both senior girls did GB proud, being amongst the very youngest in this category.

Chrystal Hayselden was ready for the challenge and held her nerve, with a score of 17.60 and placed in a very respectable 14th missing a finals place by a margin of 1.10, she gave many of the more experience gymnasts in the senior category something to think about Amy Woods was very pleased with her own personal performance finishing in 21st place with a score of 17.05.
The senior trio of Rosie Webster, Sian Hill and Amy Woods had very stiff opposition having to compete against the male trio’s in the same category; they were well coordinated and achieved a well deserved score of 16.223 placing them in 12th position.

Gary Jarvis National Senior Squad Coach, and Kerry Scotts, National Group2 Junior Squad Coach said:

“We were extremely pleased with the performances of all the gymnasts both in training and in competition. It was so very unfortunate and a real shame Chloe Farrance who sustained an injury to her knee restricting her from any further participation as an individual performer and in the group routine. We had high hopes for Chloe in both categories”

“Sebastian performed a lifetime best achievement in the finals for which we are extremely proud, he was absolutely fantastic to watch and the audience showed their appreciation in their applause.”