September 17, 2005

Canadians take silver in world synchro trampoline

A Canadian team won the silver medal in synchronized trampoline Saturday to conclude the world trampoline and tumbling championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

Karen Cockburn and Rosannagh MacLennan of Toronto joined forces in June and earned gold and silver in their two World Cup appearances prior to the world championships.

Russians Irina Karavaeva and Natalia Chernova won gold by scoring 48.50 points, followed by Cockburn and MacLennan with 48.30.

"It's been amazing to have this kind of international success so quickly," said the 24-year-old Cockburn. "When we finished the routine today we knew we had done the very best we could. Rosie is a great partner. She's very consistent and you always know she's going to hit her stuff."

MacLennan, 17, won the Canadian individual title earlier this year. "Sure there is a lot pressure," she said. "But Karen and I train together and we get along very well which is an important element. We try to stay as laid back as possible on the days of competition."

Other Canadian results

The Canadian men won gold in double mini trampoline team competition and the women's team took bronze on Friday.

In double mini trampoline, the competitor takes a long run-off, hits a first trampoline, which is set at an incline, performs an acrobatic manoeuvre onto a flat trampoline, and performs a second high-flying element to the landing area.

Jane Bickerstaffe of Coquitlam, B.C., was fourth and Julie Warnock of Calgary fifth in the women's double mini trampoline.

Bryan Milonja of St-Bruno, Que., was fifth in the men's event despite injuring himself in warm-up when he landed on the trampoline head first.

Cockburn did not perform as well in the women's individual trampoline event, she finished sixth. She is the Olympic silver medallist in the event.

The next world trampoline and tumbling championships wil be