In an effort to provide a more consistent approach to offering coverage for the wide variety of sports that are highlighted on SudburySports.com, we've decided to include a new feature. Weekly, bi-weekly and/or monthly divisional or league updates will offer a wide array of statistical tidbits, roster updates, tournament results for participating teams. Gymnastics will be featured monthly - next update is July 20th

On June 17th, the Sampo Rhythmic Gymnastics Club sent three teams to Markham, joining teams from across Ontario for the Red Ribbon Aesthetic Group Gymnastics Provincial Competition. With athletes ranging in age from 7 to 17 years of age, the Sampo crew, under coaches Christina Roque and Jessica Crowe, returned with solid results in hand.

The Sampo Senior Elites lead the local contingent with a second place overall finish among a field of five teams, including a first place finish in the creative segment. Team members included: Chloe Babin, Liija Cassidy Eskola, Lacey Crowe, Jessica Wallingford, Charlotte Tisdale, Christine Starbuck and Cheryl Diakow.

The Sampo Junior Elites used a fourth place finish in the Freestyle competition towards an overall 4th place finish, attaining a better than average placement in the nine team grouping. The Junior squad consisted of: Bailey Narasnek, Alex Tonelli, Jessica Lopatka, Aliisa Peura, Daria Gorski and Gabrielle Schwabe.

Finally, the Intermediates also found themselves among a group of nine competing entries, with the locals managing a sweep of the fifth place slots, earning a rating of 5th in both the Freestyle and Creative events. Athletes displaying their talents at the Intermediate level were: Maija Tonelli, Katrina Tisdale, Jessica Lopatka, Aliisa Peura, Samantha Bushey and Courtney Wallingford.

While the Provincial event winds down the competitive season for the young ladies, they can still look forward to Gymnaestrada 2006 being hosted in Ottawa over the July 1st weekend. Gymnaestrada is a national event gathering athletes from across the country to participate and perform together.

More a forum for performance opportunities and learning workshops than a pure competition, the event is a pre-requisite for clubs that are interested in taking part in the World Gymnaestrada in Austria in 2007. Sampo will have the opportunity to perform five or six times during the four days of festivities in the Nation's capital and the local club has indicated a interest in attending the overseas festival next year.

In addition to the athletes who competed at Provincials, Jessica Harrison, Jessica Laurin, Karen Lukkarila, Laurie Lukkarila, Marielle Trudel, Christine Osmond and Maria Porycki will also be joining the Sampo team in Ottawa, along with additional coaches Liisa Kovala and Jeanne Jakubo.

Fresh off a Provincial championship, power tumbler Sylvain Bastien is being featured on an upcoming edition of PlayMakers, a weekly feature of Channel 10 Sports. The 2 1/2 minute feature will air on Thursday, June 29th and can also be seen in the week following the airing on the Channel 10 website at "www.channel10news.ca".