Worlds! - The Arrival

The journey to Worlds was a stressful one. Not because of anything specific (well, I did almost miss the train) but mostly because I am stressed. I mean, what the heck am I getting myself into? This is going to be one of the biggest events of my life and I have no one by my side. Team Canada, in its entirety, consists of me. I am the delegation. I wrote to the Canadian Gymnastics Federation before leaving because I realized that no one back home even knows they’re being represented.

Upon arriving in Zurich, I must admit I had a moment of “What the hell am I doing here? Get out, and get out now!” but somehow I managed to get a ticket for the train into Baar. I wasn’t excited. I wasn’t much of anything. That all changed when the train pulled into the station.

Decked out in the competition garb was an event volunteer waiting to meet me. The city has banners and posters announcing the competition. The hostel we’re staying at literally has a German wheel in front of it with a banner hung up inside it.

For some strange reason, they didn’t want to mix countries in the hostel, so I have my own room with a private bathroom and shower! And the breakfast here? Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, juice, fresh fruit and bread, yoghurt, granola, meat, cheese… We don’t get that much to eat for breakfast at the circus!

After settling in, I went directly to the gym hall to train. Walking in, one of the first things I saw was the Canadian flag hanging from rafters, right next to the World Championships banner! I think my heart may well have burst out of my chest and the biggest smile has permanently plastered itself to my face. I am so proud to be here, so honoured to be a part of something like this. I qualify for the World Championships! Do you understand how awesome that is? And to be here as a representative of my country? That’s just the icing on the cake.

Seriously, this place? It’s heaven. Its like one of those movies where the main character dies or almost dies and gets a glimpse of paradise and it turns out to be this one thing that they loved and now get to do all the time, like that magical night in nineteen-dickety-two where they danced in the moonlight with Sally Jean at the Summer Festival dance, down by the boardwalk…

Okay, maybe my idea of paradise isn’t a smelly gym full of people doing German wheel, but there certainly would be a gym full of people doing German wheel just down the street. And I would totally be able to go whenever I wanted and learn to do all the biggest, most bad ass moves there are…

sigh…

Back to the competition, there are maybe 120 competitors and I could spend the entire day just watching each and every one of them. Except I can’t because I need to train! But, oh! My jaw is permanently agape and I am so impressed and in awe of what I’m seeing. Technically, these athletes are outstanding. But I suppose that’s normal, what with this being Worlds and all. But I must admit I’m very surprised by the level of artistic. So fluid, so graceful and seamless. Even the boys!

How do I fit in? Well, let’s just say that I have full marks (four) for difficulty, assuming I make all the tricks. That leaves four points for execution and two for music. So in that respect, I’m not too shabby. One of the junior girls from the US team seems to think I’m really good. A young Austrian lad said the same. And the Israeli girl who has dual citizenship with Canada? She really digs my last line. So while I may not be in any position to make it to finals, at least I’ve gotten the nod of approval from those in the know.

* All of the posts from Worlds are off by about a week. Just so you know.