The Nipissing University Athletic Centre is about to be transformed for the club’s annual Gymtrix Sunshine Classic. To celebrate this 20-year milestone, Gymtrix has added two new disciplines to the 2018 lineup. In addition to Gymnastics and Trampoline, there will be Double Mini Trampoline as well as Power Tumbling competitions.
For a 20th consecutive year, the participant numbers have grown. Since the club hosted the inaugural Sunshine Classic, the number of athletes has risen consistently every year - from 300 gymnasts in its first year to over 800 this year. There will also be over 130 coaches and 40 judges bringing the total participant level to nearly 1,000. Gymtrix Sunshine Classic has become one of the largest Gymnastics Invitationals in Ontario and is a ‘one of a kind’ event in Ontario considering the diversity of the disciplines and the spectrum of levels included.
Gymtrix has hosted Sunshine Classic in a variety of local venues over the years including their own facility, West Ferris Arena and Memorial Gardens.
“When the event outgrew our own facility, our first off-site competition was held at West Ferris arena. When we added Trampoline the following year, we knew that the ceiling was too low for the Senior trampolinists,” states Competition Co-Director Nicki Chretien-Mills.
“We joked that if we strategically placed the trampolines, the athletes would have enough vertical space as long as they stayed within the ceiling beams.”
The ‘Classic’ then moved to Memorial Gardens the following year which allowed for the Trampoline events. A year later, when the Memorial Gardens renovations were announced, the club immediately starting looking for an alternative venue. That was six years ago and Sunshine Classic has been hosted at Nipissing University ever since.
“Nipissing University has been an amazing partner since we began hosting Sunshine Classic at the Robert Surtees Athletic Centre in 2013,” according to Co-Director Bill Rhoads.
“Over the past two decades, Gymtrix Sunshine Classic has built a reputation as a first-class event within the Gymnastics Ontario community. We are certain that hosting the event in the ‘state of the art’ venue at Nipissing also plays a vital role. We are fortunate to have this amazing facility in North Bay, not to mention the bonus of having the residence available on site.”
Chretien-Mills says the volume of work to pull off an event this large is incredible.
"It takes close to a year to prepare for and involves a very small team of individuals some of who have been involved with Sunshine Classic since the beginning. We have become a very well oiled machine," she said.
“We are always looking for extra hands to help with the set-up which takes place tomorrow.”
Gymtrix Sunshine Classic goes from Thursday to Sunday and will feature Gymnastics, Trampoline, Double Mini Trampoline and Power Tumbling.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Showcase divisions
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Women’s Apparatus
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Power Tumbling
Friday 12:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Double Mini Trampoline
Friday 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Trampoline
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Women’s Apparatus
Men’s Apparatus
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The spectator highlight of the weekend, featuring the Gymtrix Elite Provincial team members and Provincial medalists Jack Mah and Jo-zef Mathieu will be held Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
On the Women’s side, North Bay’s highest level female gymnasts Emily Mah and Victoria Desfosses (both Level 8) will compete Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for Seniors, Students and Children. Kids under 5 years of age are free.
