Skipping
Sports Awards glory for globe-trotting Jump Rope UK stars

Buy photos » The Jump Rope UK girls are pictured at the awards, left to right - Gemma McGhee, Rachael Dale, Beci Dale and Laura Summers. (s)

THE JUMP ROPE UK senior girls quartet added to an already highly impressive string of accolades when they were crowned Senior Team of the Year at the 2012 Stratford-on-Avon District Sports Awards.

This latest honour for the Studley-based team is all the more sweeter as 2011 threw up several obstacles, but none of them could prevent 2011 being another remarkable year for Rachael and Beci Dale, Gemma McGhee and Laura Summers.

Beci recovered from a broken leg and Gemma from a knee operation to ensure 2011 continued with great success, from commercial ventures to competition across the world representing the UK.

Rachael travelled to Washington DC in July last year where she returned with three gold and two silver trophies and the team then went on to represent the UK at the European Championships later in July in Hungary where they claimed gold and silver in the Speed events.

In October the British Rope Skipping Association ran its annual British Masters Championships where Rachael was crowned British Senior Champion, Beci took silver, Laura bronze and Gemma fourth place.

Rachael also travelled to Paris where she competed in their Fusion Competition with five top Belgian skippers and they finished in third place.

In between all of these competitions the girls were involved in countless other exciting events as Beci appeared alongside Dr Hilary Jones on Daybreak as part of his fitness series, whilst Gemma, Rachael and Beci travelled to the Isle of Man to teach and perform for a week and Gemma, Laura and Beci featured in Olly Murs' hit music video 'Heart Skips a Beat'.

Beci, Rachael and Gemma also joined James Corden to entertain SKY bosses at their Annual Corporate Weekend and the team featured on Daybreak in the run-up to the European Championships.

The list of achievements went on as Rachael and Beci teamed up with two top French skippers to entertain at a New York Block-style party for a corporate event in London, whilst all four girls travelled to Dublin for a week to entertain the students there for a fourth year running.

Beci was then chosen to appear in an Ian Wright film project for the Thinkers Index, sponsored by Hyundai, and the sisters were commissioned to create and perform a short routine for the British Heart Foundation's 25th anniversary celebrations.

Rachael was also invited to travel to America to join top staff to teach and perform in North Carolina, Seattle and Ohio, where Beci joined her on the staff.

However, the most exciting thing the girls did last year was being invited to perform at the London Prepares Event at the Olympic Park.

Sue Dale, Great Britain and Jump Rope UK head coach, was approached to create a team to wow the audience and the girls were joined by top skippers from the USA, Belgium and Hungary in what proved to be a great success.

The strength and support the girls have given each other to overcome difficult injuries and go on to achieve what they have in the last 12 months is a credit to them as they continue to strive in promoting the sport they love.

For more information on Jump Rope UK please contact Sue Dale on 01527 854194, e-mail info@jumpruk.com or visit the website at www.jumpruk.com.