Cobra Gymnastics, in Rutland, is off to a fantastic start for its 13th season as a competitive program. It was voted the 2024 Xcel Vermont Club of the Year under USA Gymnastics for the third year in a row and continues to promote a healthy and quality competitive program for athletes age 6-18 in the Rutland area. The 48-member team has traveled to Massachusetts, New York and Essex, Vermont for the start of their regular competitive season.
Jan. 10-11 proved successful at the Royal Regal Classic in Essex as both the Bronze and Silver teams captured first place team finishes over their friendly long-term rivals, Regal Gymnastics Academy.
Head coach and owner, Shelby Barsalou reported, “This team is full of talent and excitement for the sport. I look forward to the unfolding of the season to truly see how much they can accomplish.”
Over 460 athletes competed in a variety of levels; Cobra participating in the Xcel Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum meets in addition to a lone Level 8 athlete.
Bronze team
The Bronze team, including four veterans and 12 first-year athletes, demonstrated their depth of talent by capturing a close victory over Regal Gymnastics 113.35 to 113.30 in the team competition. Individual gold medalist include: Julia McGuire: AA- 37.350, Vault- 9.500, Brooke Laramie: Floor: 9.625, Lydia Carpentier: Beam- 9.300,Olivia Sheehan: Beam- 9.300, Mya Bixby: Vault- 9.600, Ella Cortina: Floor- 9.525 and Ivy Graham: Bars- 9.375.
Silver team
Catherine Welch (left) and Bailey Wilbur (right), both on the Silver Team, posed after successful events in Essex earlier this month.
The Silver team outshone 61 other posted team scores to capture the highest team total of the entire meet weekend with a 115.625. This talented 16-member team demonstrated their depth of artistry on floor with four athletes claiming top 100 scores in the nation for 2025- Bailey Wilbur, Catherine Welch, Lily Cassineri and Emelia Ribeiro. Individual Silver team gold medalists include: Wilbur: Floor- 9.875, Welch: AA- 37.925, Floor- 9.825, Domenica Gagliardi: AA- 37.650, Vault- 9.600, Beam- 9.250, Beatrix Hagge: Beam- 9.700, Ribeiro: Bars- 9.550, Floor- 9.750, Lorelei Shackett: Bars- 9.600.
Gold team
Cobra’s veteran 10-member Gold team captured second place in a competitive field of eight teams. Bay Sparks entered the top 100 scores of the nation on balance beam. Individual gold medalists include: Bay Sparks: AA- 37.55, Bars- 9.450, Beam- 9.725 and Alexa Kojak: Vault- 9.00.
Platinum team
The five-member Platinum team, the highest level of the Xcel program this season at Cobra, showed talent and promise with a third place finish in the team awards. Individual Gold medalist included Amelia Gibbs on vault with a 9.275.
Mia Harrington, Cobra’s senior athlete and lone level 8 competitor went home with two silver medals on bars and balance beam and one bronze medal for AA. Harrington is a senior at Burr and Burton Academy and participates in the high school gymnastics circuit in addition to being a nine year member of the Cobra team.
The team has six more travel meets in front of them including, Saratoga, New York, Charleston, South Carolina and Derry, New Hampshire and local Vermont meets.
Cobra hosts a drop-in open gym on Saturdays at 1 p.m. for ages 4 and up.
For more information, visit cobravt.com.
