Strictly Wheels take Gold

Manchester couple take home Gold for GB

Paula Moulton and Gary Lyness from Manchester shocked themselves on Easter Sunday when they took home a Gold Medal for Great Britain at the Dutch Open Wheelchair Dancesport competition having only started dancing a year ago.

Gary and Paula were hoping to gain some valuable experience and to be able to benchmark their dancing against others in their class at international level having taken part in the first UK Championships in Birmingham last November where they were extremely proud to be crowned UK Beginners Champions, after which they began to work hard towards the competition in Holland at Easter, one of the biggest competitions in Europe with over 150 couples in different sections.

They were, however, amazed and ecstatic to actually WIN the Amateur Latin competition, beating off the likes of Russia, Slovakia, Holland, Brazil and Poland.  They also made the semi-final in the ballroom section but didn’t quite make the top 6 for the final.  A fantastic achievement for a first time outing at a major competition!

Paula and Gary have only been dancing since March last year after taking up classes in Manchester with Ray Bulpitt, who is determined to raise the profile of wheelchair dancesport in the UK as a sport but also as an alternative means of rehabilitation for wheelchair users where partners or friends can interact on a more personal level unlike some other wheelchair sports or rehabilitation methods.

Wheelchair Dancesport is simply Ballroom dancing with either 1 or both partners in a wheelchair (manual or electric) and is an extremely popular sport across Europe and in other countries throughout the world but has not made a big impact in the UK as yet.

That is soon to change as Manchester will play host to the first ever international wheelchair Dancesport competition to be held on UK soil in June which will firmly put the UK on the map for international competitions.  We will play host to over 100 competitors from all over Europe and be able to see the some of the world’s best wheelchair Dancesport champions display their abilities.

Contacts for further information:

www.facebook.com/strictlywheels - Gary & Paula’s Facebook page

www.facebook.com/strictlywheelchairdancing - Manchester Wheelchair Ballroom

www.dancewiz.co.uk – Ray Bulpitt Dancentre

Published: 4-May-2011: (543)