Laindon Grading - 18th January 2005
With some of our regular performers having moved to grades 2 & 1 in the past year we seemed positively thin on the ground at this local competition with just 3 competitors, all competing for the first time in a new grade and, in one case, a new age group as well.
Competing first was Juliette Raison, moving up to grade 3 in the under-15 age group she started with a modest set round, scoring 23.3, but performed better in the voluntary with 24.0 + 3.0 winning herself a place in the final where she scored 23.7 + 3.0 to finish in 10th place from 18 entered.
Next to compete were Harriet Gill and Laura Cornish in the under-11 grade 4 - Harriet at this age group for the first time and both new to grade 4. Harriet surprised herself with scores improving throughout the competition, 2 x personal bests and a place in the final with scores of 23.4, 23.5 + 2.0 (48.9 - PB) and 23.8+2.0 (74.7 - PB). Harriet ended in 7th place of 9 and narrowly missed qualification to grade 3 by 0.6. Laura, not expecting much having missed a week's training with high temperatures, also saw her scores improving throughout the competition scoring 24.0, 24.1+2.0 (50.1 - qualifying to grade 3 by 0.6) and 24.3+2.0 (76.4 - PB) ending in 5th place.
All in all, an excellent all-round result from our performers and thanks also to our judge for the day Adrian Raison.