If trampolining was football the Premier League championship was decided over the weekend of July 10 and 11 in Newcastle.

Each year, thousands of competitors around the country aim to reach higher levels of skill by progressing through the British Trampoline Federation grading system.

The highest grade is A and each year only the elite grade A performers achieve scores high enough to reach the grade A national finals.

This year just 37 girls qualified for the Under 15 age group final and two of them were from Brentwood based Cloud Nine Trampoline Club - the first time ever the Club has had a competitor at this level.

Sarah Ainsworth and Kirsty Peacock were in Newcastle on Friday for the practice session with the competition starting in earnest on Saturday.

The competition followed a familiar structure with the Set Routine first followed by individual Voluntary routines.

These firstrounds were concluded on Saturday with Kirsty in 20th place, having pulled up over ten places from the Set round, and Sarah in tenth place.

Kirsty's competition ended here since only the first ten places progressto the final round.

On Sunday, Sarah competed her Voluntary round again and this time managed to not only consolidate her position but move up to take ninth place overall - just three places short of reaching the National Youth Squad.

The girls' coach, Caroline Arno, said afterwards: "The girls excelled themselves. Kirsty only qualified to compete at A grade thisyear and to reach the finals and overtake many with more experience is an incredible achievement.

''As for Sarah, I was just so pleased for her reaching the final round, but when she bounced you could hear a pin drop and the tension was overwhelming but not only did she hold her position but she improved on it!

''Now that trampolining has been recognised as an Olympic sport, both girls are well placed to be challenging for a place in the first ever Olympics to have trampolining which is likely to be in 2004."

Cloud Nine is based in Brentwood at the Courage Hall where they train every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Enquiries about joining the club should be directed to Courage Hall who can be contacted on 01277 227522.

The club also runs casual sessions for those who just wish to turn up for a fun (aerobic) bounce on Tuesday evenings - these sessions are suitable for any level from complete beginner upwards.

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