Stick twirling is a mix of dance and artistic gymnastics in which athletes twirl sticks. This weekend, Boulogne-sur-Mer is organizing the French solo, duo or team championship for the second year.
“It’s going to come down to penalties to go to the final. Really the details, it’s going to be important.” A few days from French baton twirling championshipMickaël Develter gives his last instructions to the athletes: “Pay attention to your attitude. Look up!”
Mickaël Develter is the vice-president of the Shooting Stars, the Boulogne-sur-Mer stick twirling club which was founded forty years ago. From May 27 to 29, his club is hosting the French stick twirling championship.
Nearly 1,000 athletes are expected for three days at the Palais des Sports Damrémont. Fourteen teams, including that of Boulogne-sur-Mer, will compete to win the title of Champion of France. “It’s a great pride for us to organize this competition. It requires agility, flexibility, technique and mentally you have to be strong too.” The man knows what he’s talking about: in 2019 his club was European champion in Italy, four years earlier, he even won a third place in the world championship. So this weekend, he hopes that the Shooting stars will shine on the discipline, by winning a title.
Every evening, it’s training in the club room. The athletes follow the choreographies on the floor by twirling their sticks. There are still a few small falls but Julie, the club’s trainer wants to be reassuring. Above all, don’t put pressure a few days before the deadlines and don’t get hurt!
This year, the Shooting Stars club finished vice-champion of Europe in group and leaves in two months in Liverpool for the world championships. But if you want to see them, this weekend before they leave, ticketing is online only.
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