Trampoline elite men’s title to Humphreys

Press, 25 October 1982, Page 16

Trampoline elite men’s title to Humphreys

Nigel Humphreys, of Auckland. turned in an immaculate display of form to win his third elite men's double mini-title in four years at the New Zealand trampolining championships in Christchurch yesterday.

In a repeat of Saturday's 18 years and over age group competition, the 20-year-old service station manager scored 22 points from his five “passes." or exercises, to take the event by 1.2 points from Alan Kerr’ of Christchurch. The women's event was won narrowly by a national representative, Fiona Ricketts, of Auckland. Miss Ricketts’ score of 20.7 gave her a winning margin of 0.3 points over the defending champion, Auckland's Lisa Bercich.

Like Humphreys, Miss Ricketts had also won the 18 years and over age group event on .Saturday. Humphreys was the top scorer for all five passes, reaching a high of 4.6 for his third and fourth exercises. The former included two somersaults and three-and-a-half twists executed in two moves, while the latter centred on three somersaults.

Humphreys' tactic of concentrating on technique rather than passes with a high difficulty rating paid dividends. Although Kerr, the defending champion, chalked

up 7.4 points to the difficulty of his moves to the Aucklander's 6.8 points, the correctness of Humphreys’' work gave him the edge? Humphreys said his exercises had gone "very much as planned,” despite the limited nature of his build-up for the championships.

The Aucklander devotes most of his trampolining energies to coaching at the Icon club, a club he set up three years ago. “I’m more into coaching than competing,” he said. “I compete to give the younger ones something to strive for."

Miss Ricketts' victory came at the completion of a neck-and-neck battle with Miss Bercich. The defending champion led, 8.4-8.1, after the second pass, but Miss Ricketts replied with an exercise which yielded 4.5 points — the highest score of the day — to lead by 0.3 after three passes.

Miss Ricketts cemented her lead with a score of 4.2 on the fourth pass, 0.3 better than Miss Bercich’s attempt, and carried off the championship with a final pass which scored 3.9. Ironically, the last effort — a two-and-a-half twisting front somersault — was the 19 year old’s most difficult routine.

Miss Ricketts’ win capped off a successful return to trampolining after a back

injury in the sport which forced her out of competition for most of last year. The Auckland girl, who was a member of the bronze medal-winning New Zealand team at the world double mini-championships in the United States earlier this year, has to swim regularly to keep her back in condition for trampolining. The championships continue today with the open grade compulsory and voluntary trampoline events and synchronised trampoline competition. Results —

Double mini trampoline, elite men: Humphreys, 22.0, 1; Kerr, 20.8, 2; P. Burley (Christchurch), 19.3, 3. Elite women: Ricketts, 20.7, 1; Bercich, 20.4, 2: J. Barn (Auckland), 19.8, 3. Age group double mini trampoline.— Men: 18 years and over: N. Humphreys (Auckland), 22.0, 1; A. Kerr (Christchurch), 20.8, 2: P. Burley (Christchurch), 19.4. 3. 15-17 ’ years: V. Anderson (Nelson). 18.9. 1; B. Rutherford (Auckland), 15.9, 2. 13-14 years: K. Mclvor (Auckland). 16.9, 1; S. Faoagali (Christchurch), 16.1, 2; M. Bailey (Christchurch), 15.7, 3. 11-12 years: T. Hohepa (Auckland) and K. Henderson (Auckland), 18.3, first equal; D. Waller (Auckland), 17.7, 3. Women.— 18 years and over: F. Ricketts (Auckland),

18.8. 1; S. Miller (Christchurch), 16.1. 2: H. Payne (Christchurch). 15.8. 3. 15-17 years: L. Bercich.(Auckland). 18.5. 1; N. Walker (Auckland). 18.4, 2; J. Kerr (Christchurch). D. Harvey (Auckland) and K. Eustace (Palmerston North). 18.0. third equal. 13-14 years: D. Crum (Auckland). 19.5. 1; L. Rogers (Auckland), 19.1, 2; S. Nevell (Christchurch). 16.9. 3. 11-12 years: J. Barn (Auckland), 1913. 1; M. Whye (Auckland). 18.0, 2; T. Drummond (Upper Hutt), 17.3. 3. 10 years and under: M. Boulton (Auckland), 19.2, 1; A. Boulton (Auckland), 18.7. 2; J. Waller (Auckland), 17.7, 3.