Canada daunting, but Aussies not jumping

Arriving from Monday, Canada will leave no stone unturned to finish on top of the dais, sending their most talented team, including reigning world championship synchronised silver medalist duos Jason Burnett and Charles Thibault (men’s) and Karen Cockburn and Rosanna MacLennan (women’s).

But the competition, featuring both men’s and women’s synchronised and individual trampoline events, is far from sewn up yet.  Powerhouse gymnastic nations China and Russia will also field world-class teams and host nation Australia will benefit greatly from a hometown advantage. 

Watch the trampoline promotional clip for the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships here.

Burnett, who also won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, enters the individual competition as the one to beat, and will join partner and current world no. 8 Thibault for their pet event, the men’s synchro.

Headlined by three-time Olympic medalist Cockburn, the Canadian women’s team is just as formidable.  A bridesmaid at the past three Olympic Games winning silver medals in Beijing (2008) and Athens (2004) and bronze in Sydney (2000), Cockburn will be expecting to take the final step in Melbourne.  The veteran will team up with 2009 world championships fourth place getter MacLennan in the women’s synchro.

Heading into training camp in South Australia tomorrow, Australian men’s duo Ben Wilden and Blake Gaudry are not daunted by the power of the Canadian team on paper and will settle for nothing but a podium finish.

Australia’s sole trampoline representative at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Wilden, missed out on a finals berth by just five positions finishing 12th in qualifying but is confident he and teammate Gaudry have the foundation to deliver a winning performance for Australia.

“I am going to Pacific Rim to finish standing on the podium,” Wilden said.

“I will be jumping with Blake Gaudry and we have been jumping really well so our current form should see us on the dais."

“There are a few talented people coming across for the competition, but Australia as a whole will be extremely competitive.  Canada is going to be strong.  They have proven in the past that if they hit their routines they will score really well, but we can do just as well.”

Wilden, who turns 25 on Saturday, is also looking forward to a vocal home crowd advantage to set them up for the remainder of the year.

“You can always walk out into a competition in your own country feeling a little more relaxed.  Australians are some of the best patriotic supporters and I know that a lot of the trampolining community is coming to get behind us as well,” Wilden said.

The 2010 Pacific Rim Championships will see the powerhouses of world gymnastics including China, Russia, Canada, the United States and Australia battle it out over four-days of exciting competition. 

The State Netball and Hockey Centre will feature the rhythmic gymnastics alongside the trampoline competition, whilst Hisense Arena will host the men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics.

Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster on 136 100 or ticketmaster.com.au (State Netball and Hockey Centre) or Ticketek on 132 849 or ticketek.com.au (Hisense Arena).