Geelong Arena to become Victoria's home of gymnastics

Gymnastics Victoria have announced their new home for the next three years with all major Victorian Gymnastics events to be held at the Geelong Arena from 2020 to 2023.

In a partnership supported by the City of Greater Geelong, events to be held at the new 'home of gymnastics' includes Gymnastics Victoria’s three major State Championship and National Qualification events; the Senior Victorian Championships, the Junior Victorian Championships and a Gymnastics Showcase event.

With Gymnastics Victoria having an existing relationship with Geelong Arena after staging multiple events at the venue over the last decade, Gymnastics Victoria Chief Executive, Jamie Parsons is thrilled to formalise an agreement to remain in Geelong for the next three years, commenting "our Victorian Gymnastics community love coming to Geelong for Gymnastics competitions and Geelong Arena has always been a fantastic venue for our major events."

Chair of Geelong Major Events Committee Councillor Peter Murrihy added “Greater Geelong is excited to welcome back gymnasts from Victoria and across Australia for competitions at Geelong Arena over the next three years.

"The City is proud to support this strong partnership between Gymnastics Victoria and Geelong Arena, which will cement our region as the ‘Home of Gymnastics."

Athletes in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Acrobatic Gymnastics and Trampoline Gymnastics will participate in the Senior Victorian Gymnastics Championships which is a pathway event for National representation.

Athletes aged between seven and 15 years old will take part in the Junior Victorian Gymnastics Championships, one of the largest events on the Gymnastics Victoria calendar which attracted over 1000 gymnasts in 2019.

Recreational gymnasts will be able to showcase their skills at the Victorian Gymnastics Showcase Event. These gymnasts participate in the TeamGym Victorian Championships, a GymStar showcase competition and the display gymnastics spectacular FusionFX. The Showcase Event will also welcome gymnasts from the competitive Rhythmic and Acrobatic Gymnastics disciplines.

Geelong Arena’s Venue Manager Mark Giles added “Geelong Arena is thrilled about partnering with Gymnastics Victoria to host a diverse range of gymnastics events which will help to grow a healthy community in Geelong.”

Welcoming the venue agreement and the benefits to the broader Geelong economy, Geelong YMCA Chief Executive, Shona Eland concluded “it is fabulous to see all three events of the Victorian Gymnastics Championship Series will be based here in Geelong for the next few years. It’s great for not only our club but also economically for the Geelong community with the benefits that will be seen across tourism, accommodation and restaurants.”

The next event that Gymnastics Victoria will hold at Geelong Arena is the Senior Victorian Gymnastics Championships which will take place on 17th to 19th April 2020.

Images: Gymnastics Victoria’s Jamie Parsons (left) and Geelong Councillor Peter Murrihy (right) with young gymnasts (top, courtesy of Gen Simmons, Gymnastics Victoria and Pam Hutchinson Photography) and the interior of the Geelong Arena (below).