Trampoline: Pamela’s 76-hour round trip in bid for Euro glory

Apr 21 2010 by Paul Thomson, East Kilbride News

TRAMPOLINIST Pamela Clark will endure a 76-hour round trip in a bid to be crowned European Champion.

The 13-year-old from St Leonards is going for gold in the European Trampoline Championships in Bulgaria this weekend but her preparations were thrown into chaos when her flight was cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud.

The British team were then forced to board a coach and make the mammoth journey to south-east Europe – or else see their dreams go up in smoke.

And when their Sunday morning flight was cancelled, the British team made arrangements to make the 38-hour, 2000 mile trip from Liverpool – where they had been based for their training camp – to Varna.

Pamela, who will compete in the junior individual category, arrived safely yesterday morning (Tuesday) and her dad, Robert is hoping her performance won’t be affected.

He told the News: “Pamela is the only one from the town going and I hope it doesn’t affect her too much. She won silver at the World Championships last year and she is hoping she can go one better at the Europeans.

“They all left at midnight on Sunday and got the ferry to Calais before arriving in Germany on Monday morning. It’s such a long trip but they eventually got there on Tuesday.

“It will be some experience for her, that’s for sure, but I’m sure she can handle it.

“The competition has been delayed by a day to allow everyone to get there and this is a huge event for the seniors because it’s part of the qualifiers for the Olympic Games in London in 2012.”

And, as Robert explained, Pamela – who was crowned the Junior Female Sports Personality of the Year at the town’s awards ceremony last month – will have to go through it all again on the way back.

“Even if the airspace is clear for them on the way back, they won’t be flying home,” said Robert. “British Gymnastics have made the decision to come home by coach because they won’t get their money refunded for the flights if they use half of the ticket so she’ll have another 38 hours on a bus.

“It’s a lot of carry on over a bit of ash – but if planes can fall out of the sky then it’s fair enough that all these restrictions have been put in place.”