Otago competitors finished the New Zealand Gymsports championships in style by winning three rhythmic gymnastics gold medals on Saturday.
Caitlin McKinlay, Claire Lau and Melissa Thomson stood on top of the podium at the Lion Foundation Arena at the Edgar Centre.
They are all members of the Otago Gymnastics Academy that dominates the sport in Dunedin.
McKinlay (13), a pupil at Kavanagh College, won the gold medal in the level six ball with a score of 17.158 points, and a silver medal in the club (16.616). She was second overall behind Elisa Richnow (Canterbury) with a score of 49.849 points.
It was her first national title after competing in the sport for eight years.
"It was a very proud moment for me," she said. "I enjoy the challenge of the sport."
She is coached for 11 hours each week by Luciana Blaga, who was a Romanian international in the late 1980s.
Catherine Hooker (Dunedin) was second in the rope in the same grade with 16.625 points.
Lau (14), a pupil of St Hilda's Collegiate, won her first New Zealand title in the level seven ball with a score of 17.483 and was second in the overall points in that grade behind Georgia Eady (Auckland) with 67.374 points.
"It was an exciting moment but it didn't feel real, she said."
In the same grade, Dunedin's Sophie Coutts was second in the hoop with 17.825 points and the ball with 16.575, and Rosie Hardie was third in the hoop with 17.733 points.
Lau and Thomson (16) are coached by Keita McGowan for eight hours each week.
Thomson, a pupil at Otago Girls' High School, won her gold medal in the level seven club with 16.241 points.
"All the hard work paid off," she said.
Thomson was a member of the New Zealand team that competed in Sydney in May.
In level 4, Lorraine Isaacs (Dunedin) was third in the clubs with 16.258 points.
The aerobics was dominated by the 13-strong Alexandra team coached by the husband and wife pair of Sally and Glen Hart.
In step 4, the Alexandra teams filled the first two places. The A team of Giordyn Moss and sisters Sharon and Tanya Ferreira won the gold medal with 13.877 points. They were closely followed by the B team of Abbie Harrison, Ally Nicholls and Holly Taucher that won the silver medal with 13.793 points.
Holly Taucher and Caitlin Staples won the pairs with 13.750 points from Moss and Sharon Ferreira with 13.673 points.
The individual title for step 4 aged 9 to 11 was won by Breana Smith with 15.830 points from Harrison on 13.790 points. Jessica Menzies (Dunedin) won the step 4 aged 12 to 14 grade with 15.793 points, and Moss won the silver medal with 15.393 points.
Grace McIntyre (Dunedin) won the step 4 over-15 grade with 16.237 points from Kylie Lyders (Dunedin) 16.177 points.
Alexandra's Ngarea Riwhi was the outstanding competitor in step 5 and won the individual gold medal with 16.170 points from Teighan Irvine, 15.477 points.
They were both in the winning Alexandra team with Breana Smith that scored 14.453 points.
Smith and Irvine teamed to win the pairs in the same grade with 14.503 points.
In step 6, Alexandra's Hannah Hutton and Bailey McCaughan won the pairs with 15.397 points. They were joined by Taylor McCaughan in the winning team that scored 15.397 points.
In the step 6 individual events, Hutton won the 9 to 11 years title with 15.733 points, McCaughan the age 12 to 14 grade with 15.603 points, and Kerry Remon (Dunedin) the over-15 grade with 14.147 points.
The step 7 over age 15 event was won by Dunedin law firm receptionist Annelise Lowther with 15.803 points from clubmate Emily White, 15.237 points. Lowther also won the adult open title at Wellington in September.
