The Abbotsford-based Skipping Sensations competitive jump rope team has qualified 18 athletes for the Jump Rope Union World Championship in Japan this summer and is hoping the community can help send them to the land of the rising sun.
Back on Nov. 16 and 17, local athletes participated in a qualifying event that saw each province invite athletes to record their performances and submit them to Rope Skipping Canada. Judges from all across the country then made their decisions on how would represent Canada and announced those results in January.
As a result, 18 members of the Skipping Sensations qualified for the 2025 championship, which occurs in Kawasaki, Japan from July 27 to Aug. 3.
Those athletes consist of: Leya Meloche, Lily Kerr, Kylee Harris, Ainsley Ferraro, Zoe Hartman, Jessica Skidmore, Lauren Skelton, Lexi Ferguson, Haven Neufeld, Brighton Andrews, Sophia White, Sophie Todd, Clara Thiessen, Clea Brummit, Kaeli Wiens, Reagan Symonds, Brittany Van Herk and Arden Mills.
Wiens, Symonds, Van Herk and Mills also serve as coaches for the team, which makes their accomplishments – qualifying so many athletes and then also impressing individually – all the more impressive.
The team has launched a GoFundMe to help cover travel costs associated with competing at the event and have a target goal of $5,000. The fundraiser can be found at gofundme.com/f/jump-rope-athletes-to-compete-at-world-championships-japan.
The Skipping Sensations have been part of the Abbotsford sports community for over 35 years and have competed provincially, nationally and internationally for decades. The club has won provincial and national Champions in several individual and team events, and over the years, have travelled to the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Florida to compete in the World Jump Rope Championships.
Due in large part to the ongoing legacy of the Skipping Sensations, Abbotsford is considered one of Canada's hot spots for competitive jump rope.
This fall saw the club create the inaugural Fraser Valley Classic jump rope event, which saw several top coaches and athletes come to Abbotsford for a two-day elite camp. Abbotsford also hosted the 2023 Jump Rope BC Provincial Tournament.
Abbotsford Sports Hall of Famer Deirdre DeGagne created the club in 1990 and is credited for helping develop interest in the sport locally.
For more information on the club, visit skippingsensations.com.
