Top G-Tramp teens getting the jump on international freestyle community
VIRGINIA WOOLF/STUFF
Fin Shannon recently achieved a rare quint flip - a single back somersault with five twists.
Fearless in the air, relentless on social media – the world of Garden Trampoline is coming on in leaps and bounds for a pair of soaring young Kiwis.
Jack Langdon of Nelson and Auckland's Fin Shannon are two of NZ's top freestyle trampolinists at the forefront of a sport that relies as much on social media savvy as acrobatic ability.
Placing more emphasis on power than style, G-Tramp is a combination of gymnastics, martial arts tricking and snowboarding techniques.
A freestyle version of Olympic trampolining performed on backyard trampolines, it draws competitors from Europe, Australia, the Americas, and New Zealand.
Instagram fuels the competitive streak of the worldwide G-Tramp community, with exponents sharing tricks online to boost their profile as well as meeting for organized events in NZ and overseas.
Even at competition level, the boys are known by their Instagram names @Fin.shannon & @gtramp.jack.
Thanks to their own mad skills and the online reach the pair were selected to be part of the 30-strong worldwide crew of Greg Roe Trampolining.
GRT Inc is the brainchild of Roe, a former Canadian Olympic gymnast who has appeared on America's Got Talent and has toured with Nitro Circus.
Through his involvement with the freestyle trampoline organization, he is known as a key player in bridging the gap between freestyle and traditional trampoline, providing education to athletes and tramp parks worldwide.
For 13-year-old Langdon, the interest in freestyle trampolining started two years ago when a friend showed him how to do a back flip from a standing start on the ground.
Having practiced until he could master the trick himself with the help of a spring mattress, Langdon then made further inroads on the trampoline.
Fast forward to 2019 and Langdon now finds himself with thousands of online followers while competing at numerous elite events.
This year, he has his sights set on potential competitions in Denmark and California.
As well as perfecting his moves on the 4.27-meter by 4.88-meter trampoline in his Brightwater family home provided by his sponsor Geetramp, Langdon also spends Tuesday evenings at Nelson's Flip Out indoor trampoline park with like-minded bounce enthusiasts.
VIRGINIA WOOLF/STUFF
Jack Langdon's interest in freestyle trampolining started two years ago when a friend showed him how to do a back flip from a standing start on the ground.
Shannon said he relished the "do-want-you-want" aspect of the sport which encouraged pushing the limits of creative skill.
Recently, he managed to achieve a rare quint flip - a single back somersault with five twists - at January's GT Games in Auckland which was attended by 50 athletes selected through video submissions.
"You don't have to be a certain skill level to join in ... some trampolines are bouncier than others and you can go pretty high, but the adrenaline and all that, it just feels great being up there," Shannon said.
Shannon in action practicing flips during a freestyle trampolining training session at in Brightwater.
