'It was just exhilarating': Regina baton duo qualifies for World Championships

Plenty of Regina baton twirlers dazzled at the Canadian Team Trials in Regina this past weekend to earn a spot at the World Championships later this year, including duo Jules Yee and Annie Craig.

The pair placed first in their category for Senior A Freestyle Pair.

“Oh my gosh, we were all so excited. Everyone in the stands was tearing up or cheering for us. It was just exhilarating,” Craig exclaimed when describing the winning moment.

“I’m super proud and I’m super excited and really excited to see what we can do when we go to Sweden,” added Yee.

Both have been baton twirling for over 10 years but began working together as a pair just three years ago.

“We had a large group and my coach separated us up and just kind of paired us together. She paired us with who she thought she would work well together. And from that we’ve just stuck with each other as partners,” Craig explained.

The two have previously competed in artistic pair and even qualified for Nations Cup in Liverpool, England last year. This year they took on ‘Freestyle Pair’ in hopes of earning a spot on Team Canada for the World Championships, and accomplished that goal when they received gold for their performance this past weekend.

“I have been twirling for 12 years now and it’s always been my goal to go to Worlds. I didn’t think I’d ever get there. It’s just surreal that I’ve achieved that goal that I’ve wanted to do for so long,” Craig said.

“I’m pumped. It’s a completely different competition and it’s more elite athletes. So we’re really excited to see where we’re going to place against those elite athletes from all across the world,” Yee said.

Artistic pair is different in the sense that all the athletes use the same music, and there’s multiple pairs on the floor at once. In Freestyle, the athletes choose their own song, choreograph it to their liking, and are the only athletes on the floor at a time.

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Craig, 18, is in her final year of high school and Yee, 19, is enrolled in her first year of University. The two have built a special bond as a duo and that reflects on the floor during their routines.

“We kind of calm each other down. Even on the floor, we’ll be like, ‘You got it! You can do it!’ If someone’s kind of having a rough time, we give each other a little look,” Yee shared. “We always have an understanding on the floor. If someone’s struggling, we know how to fix it. We’re very dependent on each other and rely on each other a lot.”

“I love doing duet and pair because someone else is there to have your back, keep you motivated and you work just as hard as them. They push you to be better and you’re never doing it alone. You are relying on someone else so you don’t want to let them down but we don’t have an issue with that. We just both try our best and we’ll be happy with whatever happens,” Craig added.

Other Regina Baton Twirlers that placed at the qualifying event include:

• Elise Miller- Gold in JR A Freestyle Solo, Gold in JR A Freestyle Pair, Gold in A Freestyle Team
• Annabelle Porter- Bronze in JR A Freestyle Solo, Gold in JR A Freestyle Pair, Gold A Freestyle Team
• Julee Stewart-Gold in SR A Freestyle Solo, Gold in A Freestyle Team
• Danielle Skinner-Silver in SR A Freestyle Solo
• Sophie Lightheart- Gold in A Freestyle Team

The twirlers will represent as Team Canada in Helsingborg, Sweden in August at the World Baton Twirling Championships.