I’m excited for my friends from Island Gymnastics Academy in Maritime Canada who depart for Japan today. That’s half way around the world, almost 24hrs of travel.
P.E.I. gymnasts are off to Japan next week to compete and tour the country.
Visiting Japan is a trip of a lifetime for most people, but for 14 members of Island Gymnastics Academy it’s got an extra bit of spice.
Over nine days starting next week, eight boys and six girls from the 2007 Canada Winter Games training team, who work out at the Charlottetown club, compete in the world-class Moonsaulto meet in Sakata City, Japan (Nov. 24-25), train at the gym of Japanese gymnast Mitsuo Tsukahara (winner of five Olympic gold medals) and soak up the culture thanks to three days of billeting with Japanese families. …
For 16-year-old Alice Ma, it’s a chance to scope out some of the athletes before the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon, in February.
“I’m actually really excited. The girls will have a chance to see what we’re competing against at Canada Games,†said Ma at a recent practice.
The Guardian: Sports | Trip of a lifetime
I remember my first big trip: Germany, when I was age 16.
Sports travel is one of the best aspects of sport.
For me training camps are often even better than competitions. For years we took teams to United States Olympic Training Center and UCLA simply for training. Those were excellent, motivating trips. Coaches that have been to Tsukahara’s meet tell me it is one of the best trips available anywhere.
PEI gymnasts
Gymnastics Coaching.com 