A team from Toulouse competes in the world cheerleading championships in the United States
By Quentin Marais
Published on
The wait is over. Toulouse wolves cheerleading from Paul-Sabatier University headed for Orlando, in the United States, to compete in the world championships in the discipline on April 23 and 24, 2022.
An unfinished dream because of covid
If the pride of participating in this queen competition is immense, it is accompanied by a slowdown: that of being able to taste a test in which the Wolves should have taken part two years ago.
Lucie Richard, who oversees the club’s communication department, recalls: “we were very happy to go to the world championships, we found out in June 2019. Unfortunately, the covid one month before the championships, we canceled the trip”.
And the memories of March 2020 are not so distant. “We weren’t supposed to be confined for just two weeks, in the end it lasted a little longer… We didn’t know if we were going to have whether to go back or not…”
This time it’s the right one
It was during 2021 that the Wolves knew that they would finally be able to take part in the world championships. But since Tuesday April 19, the Toulousains live a waking dream : they are in Orlando.
“In all, we are 24 to have left: there are the athletes, the substitutes, the organizers, and the photographer. We do not realize at all for the moment … It’s a dream. We are at the place where we dream of being for three years, even for more for some of us, who watch the world championships every year live.
Lucie Richard a thought for those who couldn’t continue the adventure. “There are quite a few athletes who, because of covid or for personal reasons, changed their lives in three years, and quit cheerleading. When discussing the workforce of Wolves, she also speaks of a “virtually completely renewed team” compared to 2019.
Name: Octagon
The Wolves club has four teams, and no less than 130 athletes. An extended leisure team, and the other three make the French championships : “one in level 2, one in level 3, and one in level 5. The one who is in level 5, Octagon, also does the world championships”.
Octagon grouping 21 athletes (12 girls and 9 boys), substitutes included. They will participate on Saturday in the qualifications of the competition by clubs, where 13 other teams will be in the game. If all goes well, they will take part in the grand finale, which will be held on Sunday April 24, 2022.
“We have 2.5 minutes of routine, and 30 seconds of scand, which happens at the very beginning. It’s when we sing our ‘anthem’, which is ‘Who let the Wolves out’. And so then, we presents our routine that we worked on, with lifts, pyramids…”
During these world championships, there is also a competition which, this time, sees countries clash. The qualifications and the final take place on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 April 2022. Symbol of the talent pool available to Wolves, “six of our athletes are in Team France”, greets Lucie Richard.
A final in Vichy
After having had a dream experience at the Walt Disney World Resort park, host of these world championships, the Wolves will quickly refocus for a national deadline. ” We will play the final of the French championships, in Vichy, on June 5”, continues Lucie Richard. With a world title in your hands?
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