Oh boy, where do I even begin? Italy was never on my radar as a place to compete—it was more like a pizza-and-pasta paradise! I always thought of Rome as a tourist trap, but it turns out my TV and imagination are as useful as a chocolate teapot. So, what's the scoop? Italy is fab for travel and making memories with your squad. But here's the kicker: it's a challenge for us aerialists who think we can conquer the universe. We compete everywhere, and this time we landed in Italy. For a South African like me, that's a humongous deal!
It all kicked off with Sacopa, the championship of performing arts. This epic competition was buzzing with the brightest stars and a bunch of daredevil aerialists swinging around like it's nobody's business.
When the results rolled in, I was over the moon! Seven of our aerialists made the cut. They performed their hearts out, and it was spectacular!
But hold your horses, this was just the start of a wild adventure. I gathered the team for a group hug, and it was like a tear-filled stampede of aerialists shouting, "I made it!" in their twisted outfits and evening gowns. They earned their new gear—the Team SA outfit—and my heart couldn't be prouder!
As the head coach of Twisted Cirque and Tiny Twists, I knew we'd take on the world, but I never imagined being surrounded by the country's best and boldest. It was a dream come true. We were all doing happy dances, but I knew the real grind was just beginning.
Fast forward through some grueling training months, and it's packing time.
In classic Gerard fashion, I left everything to the last minute. Thankfully, my wife is a planning ninja. Her nagging finally got me moving.
Clothes, check.
Silks, outfits, and hardware, check.
Chains set... uh-oh, not checked. Those things weigh a ton, like a suitcase full of bricks. Bummer.
Eventually, we crammed everything into a bunch of wheely bags. Now we sound like a traveling circus *cue the sound of bags clattering over cobblestones*
The journey was epic. It took multiple flights and a long layover to finally touch down in Rome. Then we hopped a train to Bari, down in Italy's boot.
We checked into our hotel, Seriminade, about 2 km from the competition. First things first, it was 35 degrees and humid, so we jumped into the pool with some local Italian beer. Life was sweet.
Everyone arrived in bits and pieces after 24 hours of flying, with exhausted parents and jittery athletes. It took a while for everyone to catch up and sneak in a nap. I was just relieved everyone made it—until disaster struck. Two Lyra hoops didn't make it to Italy. OMG!!!
We spent the night on the phone with folks at OR Tambo airport in SA. No luck, surprise surprise.
The hoops vanished en route to the plane. How does that even happen? Really!
The next few days were all about training and much-needed downtime, especially for the parents and supporters. They were amazing, getting all the aerialists ready on time. We couldn't resist exploring the city, though. Off we went, attracting stares like magnets. Why? More on that later.
After a few days, the hoops finally made it into the girls' hands. Some hero found them at the Bari airport (while SA airport was still clueless, lol). Prayers answered, spirits lifted. We celebrated with a night on the town, right in time for the annual beerfest. I was in my element but maybe overdid it a bit. I woke up with a light hangover. Athletes, do as I say, not as I do.
As the competition approached, I was double-checking everyone's gear. The girls attended workshops by WDM, which were incredible. They learned tons, but coaches were on edge, worried about accidents right before the big day. Thankfully, everyone was fine and loved the sessions.
Finally, the day arrived to practice and get a "feel" for the stage—crucial for any aerial competition. But it wasn't without its hiccups.
Run 1? Nope, not happening. The wind was having a field day, sending silks flying around like kites. We battled the heat and the cheeky wind.
Our practice runs were a mess. silks were flapping in the wind like Superman's cape... we were promised the wind would chill out later, and it did... sort of.
Panic. That's all I can say. Suddenly, my athletes were in tears, genuinely worried. We spent the afternoon reassuring them they were the best and the wind would calm down. It's hard to believe a coach saying, "Don't worry, you'll be fine," especially on foreign soil after a disastrous practice. I don't blame them for feeling defeated, but after some pep talks, they were in better spirits.
Finally, showtime.
The competition kicked off around 7 pm, which is late for South Africans, but in Bari, the sun sets around 9 pm, so it made sense.
Everyone was dolled up with hair and makeup, munching on snacks, hydrating, and double-checking props and gear before loading into the van.
We arrived and sat on the pavement like SA hobos, but we were cool with it. No one knew who we were. I overheard athletes asking, "Who is Reesa?" "Where's Reesa from?" I turned around and said, "It's RSA, Republic of South Africa."
The other countries' eyes were so wide they could roll them and see their own butts. A small voice piped up, "Oh cool, I didn't know you qualified."
That hit me like a ton of bricks. I rallied the team and told them we were the underdogs, and it was our time to shine. And shine they did.
The categories were split, and the competition was intense, especially for my team. It was their first time in Italy and facing the world's top aerialists. I'm so proud of them; they stole the show! One by one, an SA aerialist left the holding room, surrounded by teammates, coaches, and family. We gave them a final war-cry of twisted luck.
We kept a close eye on the standings, and when they were done, my heart swelled with pride as all my athletes became Springboks. Congrats to you!
Then it was my turn to compete in the Silks Master category.
I practiced my routine like a maniac, nailed the conditioning, timing, and practice runs. But on competition day? Ouch.
Wind blowing, silk bouncing, all the not-so- fun stuff.
It didn't go as planned. I struggled with my routine, and things I had mastered failed, like roll-ups. I broke twice, lost points, and placed second when I should've nailed it. It just shows anything can happen on the day. Lesson learned.
But it wasn't all doom and gloom. I was the last to perform in the Masters Open category at 2 am. Frustrated with my earlier routine, I decided to go all out for my open routine. Performing on dual chains, I thought, "Screw it, I'm going all out. My medical aid details are on my phone." The music started, and it was all me. Hard toss of the chains, boom, 1080 executed, handstands solid as a rock, straddle, spin, drop—all the thrilling elements. And just like that, it was over.
I quickly donned my team tracksuit and rushed to the stage. The award ceremony was underway, and out of seven aerialists, we dominated the podiums. A student-turned-coach even snagged a special category award. Well done!
I was shocked but hopeful as the awards were handed out for Twisted... Now they knew who "Reesa" was. The underdogs who set the stage ablaze. My silk routine got second, and my chains routine snagged gold, first place, category win, and a new world champion.
But to the students, now athletes, congratulations, you were amazing! The rest of the trip was all about relaxation. We spent the next week exploring Italy, indulging in delicious food, and walking everywhere.
Italy is awesome, with free water fountains everywhere, but there's a catch—
it's 1 euro to use the loo.
This year, right after the trip, we've qualified 14 aerialists. Watch out, Italy, we're Twisted, and we're coming for you. Twice as strong, Twice as Twisted.
with love Gerard Hung
Head Coach- Twisted Cirque Aerial Academy
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