Earlier this summer, a team of young gymnasts from the Sea to Sky corridor helped represent Canada at the 2023 World Gymnaestrada in Amsterdam. A total of 22 athletes from Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton and D'Arcy, as well as Vancouver and Bowen Island, joined a diverse lineup over 18,000 from around the globe (including a 92-year-old performer) in showcasing their skills from July 27 to August 5 at the iconic Olympic Stadium in the Netherlands.
The World Gymnaestrada is a non-competitive event held every four years to celebrate gymnastic movement and performance for all ages and skill levels.
During the mass Canadian routine, the West Coast contingent performed a routine titled "Our Home" and told a story of life in the Sea to Sky: from mountaintop adventures in Whistler and Pemberton to the flight of eagles over Squamish to the Pacific waters filling Howe Sound. Pembertonians Cathy Benns and coached the team alongside Lisa Brougham of Bowen Island.
Participating athletes included Topaz Tyler, Sola Skeels, Heidi Beierlein, Charlie-Parker Losee, Maya O’Toole, Julia Leigh, Anna Prohaska, Meaghan Smith, Sienna Osborn, Clara Patterson, Makayla Toews, Sophia Toews, Riley Baxendale, Kasha Konaka, Nalani Moulton, Maeve Shepard, Callie Brougham, Olive Tourand and Natalie Tichopad.
Last September, the team learned that they had qualified for this year's World Gymnaestrada based on a solid showing in Edmonton's National Gymnaestrada event. Benns and Tyler then joined forces with their peers from Bowen Island (who had attended three World Gymnaestradas before) to build a team from across the Sea to Sky and the Lower Mainland.
