Hartlepool Hawks aiming for victory at World Cheerleading Championships in Japan

Twenty one talented Hartlepool youngsters are off to Japan – and they are hoping to return as world champions.
By Chris Cordner
Published 15th Nov 2019, 06:00 BST
Updated 15th Nov 2019, 10:10 BST
The Hawks who are off to Japan.The Hawks who are off to Japan.
The Hawks who are off to Japan.

Members of the Hartlepool Hawks academy will make up a quarter of the Team UK team which is competing at the World Cheerleading Championships next week.

They are off to Takasaki in Japan where they will face the best that 33 other countries have to offer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rebecca Taylor is the founder of the Hawks and is also one of the Team UK coaches.

The Team UK Junior Cheerdance Team.The Team UK Junior Cheerdance Team.
The Team UK Junior Cheerdance Team.

She said: “Twenty one Hawks were chosen to be a part of these amazing teams as well as myself as coach, and it is such a honour. We are all very excited.”

The Hawks will provide competitors in seven of the events which are junior cheer dance, senior cheerleading, junior cheerleading, senior urban, junior urban, and the junior and senior duets.

Rebecca said: “The whole of the UK Junior Cheer dance team is made up of Hartlepool Hawks athletes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The UK teams will be up against 33 other countries including Russia, Japan, China and USA.

The Team UK Junior Cheer dance Duo; Liberty Jewson and Daisy Moran.The Team UK Junior Cheer dance Duo; Liberty Jewson and Daisy Moran.
The Team UK Junior Cheer dance Duo; Liberty Jewson and Daisy Moran.

“This will be the second time we have athletes attending this prestigious event. Back in 2017 we had five Hawks compete in the championships which were also held in Takasaki.

“These girls have been training monthly in Manchester, Macclesfield and Hartlepool for the past two years and have worked very hard towards this event and they are all very excited to visit Japan.

“It is amazing for these young people to experience the different culture, and they are honoured to represent the United Kingdom.”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The full line-up of Hawks is Katie Storey, Katie Wise, Sarah Francis, Nicole Kenny, Sophie Wintersgill, Grace Cooper, Lauren May, Ellie Lewis, Caitlyn Groves, Ellie Mae Rennie, Daisy Moran, Chloe Eagle, Isabelle Jewson, Phoebe Hutchinson, Emily Carney, Sydney Sotheran, Liberty Jewson, Gracie McDonald, Lucy Judson, Millie Robinson, and Hollie Mudd.

The Team UK Senior Cheerdance Duo, Sophie Wintersgill and Katie Wise.The Team UK Senior Cheerdance Duo, Sophie Wintersgill and Katie Wise.
The Team UK Senior Cheerdance Duo, Sophie Wintersgill and Katie Wise.

Rebecca added: “Team UK is run by the United Kingdom Cheerleading Association who selected all 60 athletes two years ago from a long, hard audition process.”

The girls compete on Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 and the event is streamed live from Japan.

Related topics:JapanHartlepoolUSAChina