Competitions are thought of as an excellent way to immerse yourself into pole fitness, perfecting your best moves and using your creativity to come up with a routine that will impress the judges – all while having fun, meeting new people, and getting to visit different pole teams across the UK.
This year we’ve had overwhelming interest from our members to participate in competitions, and we knew from the auditions that we were heading towards a successful year. Our first competition, South West University Pole Competition, allowed beginners, intermediates, advanced, and group performances to perform in front of a large audience, as well as some famous pole icons. Despite not winning any medals, our spirits were high and we were extremely proud of the competitors, not to mention happy for the opportunity to visit Plymouth University.
Welsh Dragons 2018 was one of our most successful competitions to date, with 6 out of 9 performances managing to win medals! It was a great opportunity to compete against the other Welsh pole teams and meet some of the Cardiff pole members who would be joining us for the Pole Varsity the following month.
Despite our best efforts, we were not able to secure an official varsity. However, with our competitors lined up, judges booked and event planning in progress, we decided to follow on with the planning and host our own varsity while making it into a charity event to support Mind. There was a huge turnout from both Cardiff and Swansea students, and the performances truly reflected the hard work the competitors had been putting into their routines all year. Judges included Swansea University Dance Society President Jess Schimmons, Cardiff University Pole Sport Competition Coordinator Anna Holloway, and inspirational pole sensation Sonia Allcock. Despite Cardiff winning the Pole Varsity, we managed to secure silver medals in the beginners and doubles categories, as well as a gold medal in the intermediates category. To top it all off, we all had an amazing day and managed to raise a fantastic £126 for Mind!
Overall it has been a fantastic year, and we are extremely proud of everyone who auditioned, competed, and even won medals in our competitions. Next year we plan to be bigger and better than ever, and we hope you’ll be there for the journey!
If you’d like to learn more about Pole Fitness Club and fancy a go yourself please email polefitness@swansea-sports.co.uk for more details
by Lauren O’Dwyer – Competition Coordinator
