Turoa Tumblers pair return from USA trip

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 372, 5 February 1991, Page 16

Turoa Tumblers pair return from USA trip

Turoa Tumbler gymnasts, Warwick Hays and Shaun McLean, have now returned to Ohakune following their 'Sport for Understanding" tour of Hawaii and California and Warwick has filed this report: Following a 10&1/2 hour flight to Hawaii we landed to have our second Christmas Day, and an international Christmas Dinner with gymnasts from many other countries. We spent a week in

Hawaii, with four of the girls in the team competing in the Aloha Festival while the remainder of us trained and soaked up the sights of Oahu such as visiting the Pearl Harbour memorial to find a W.Hays listed as one of those who died in the attack. On New Years Eve we departed for Los Angeles arriving in time for an all night party - no chance for jet lag here! On 1 January we watched the annual flower festival parade along with

four million other spectators (just a little larger than the Ohakune parade!) Shaun and I then transferred to our billet who lived in Beverly Hills. From here, we trained every second day. Unfortunately the only facilities were for female gymnasts but we managed to learn new moves on floor, vault and bar. John La France, of our host family, showed us the sights around Beverly Hills while going about his job as a mobile gym teacher at schools in the area. We gave a number of demonstrations at one of these, Curtis School, which was a school for the kids of film stars and the wealthy including the sons of Sylvester Stallone and Micheal Keaton. The day war was declared in the Gulf we were watching some of America's best gymnasts at UCLA. Watching those gymnasts gave me something to really aim for in my own gymnastics. Although we trained hard we still had a chance to relax and took

the opportunity to visit Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, Venice's "Muscle Beach", and San Diego's Sea World. The longest leg of the journey was the 13 hour flight back to Mangere, which really had me looking forward to the long drive home. A 14 hour sleep had me sufficiently de-jet lagged and I'm now looking forward to getting back into the gym and continuing with the new moves I have learned. I would like to thank all those who contributed or helped towards Shaun and me being able to take this trip, and gain this valuable experience. In an interview Shaun McLean, the other gymnast who travelled to the USA, said he also appreciated very much the opportunity to make the trip. "I'd do it again, tomorrow," said Shaun. Shaun has yet to decide on his gymnastics future, but despite being undecided he seemed keen when interviewed.