Hamilton jump rope athletes hit world stage in Japan

Hamilton Spectator

5 days ago

Double Dutch. Speed. Endurance. Sprint. Freestyle.
Athletes from Hamilton's Jumpsations Rope Skipping do it all and more — and nearly two dozen members of the east Mountain club are representing Team Canada at the 2025 World Jump Rope Championships in Japan.
Shannon Fox, head coach of Jumpsations Rope Skipping, told The Spectator that 23 athletes from the Rymal Road East club — ranging from preteens to folks in their late 40s — are part of the Steeltown contingent for the national team.
While it's not the first time the club, which has grown to more than 150 active members, has seen its athletes qualify for Team Canada, it's the largest delegation Jumpsations has ever sent for an international competition.
'We're really excited,' said Fox, who is also the assistant coach for Team Canada. 'They've all been working so hard.'
The World Jump Rope Championships, hosted in Kawasaki, Japan, by the International Jump Rope Union, will see roughly 1,500 competitors from more than 30 countries, with categories spanning from high-speed single rope to double Dutch freestyle.
The event, which runs from July 7 to Aug. 3, is broken down into three tournaments — the Junior World Jump Rope Championships, the World Jump Rope Championships and the International Open Tournament.
Athletes from Jumpsations are set to compete in both individual and team events in all three tournaments, noted Fox.
Jumpsations athlete Aylla Peters is competing for Team Canada at the 2025 World Jump Rope Championships in Japan.
Junior jump rope athlete Aylla Peters is competing in a dozen categories across the event, including the double Dutch speed relay, double Dutch pairs freestyle and single rope speed endurance.
Peters told The Spectator that she started skipping in a class when she was five years old — and it just stuck.
'I tried all of the other sports and I didn't really like them,' said Peters. 'When I found jump rope, I just loved it.'
Japan will mark Peters' third time competing in the international competition for Team Canada. The 14-year-old previously competed in the worlds in Norway as well as the United States.
Peters is also a part of the crew that will be representing Canada in the Team Show competition, which will see 12 skippers take part in a five-minute routine against seven other countries.
Peters said her favourite part of the sport has been travelling with her teammates, who have turned into her close friends.
Jumpsations athlete Sydney Nicholls, pictured in this supplied photo, will represent Team Canada at the 2025 World Jump Rope Championships in Japan.
'We get to travel to these different countries that we likely wouldn't get to go to without jump rope,' said Peters. 'It's exciting and the sport is really growing. It's going to be a lot of fun.'
That jump rope-fuelled joy was echoed by fellow Jumpsations athlete Sydney Nicholls, who will be competing in eight categories at the event, including individual single rope freestyle and double Dutch speed sprint.
Jumpsations athlete Sydney Nicholls, pictured in this supplied photo, will represent Team Canada at the 2025 World Jump Rope Championships in Japan.
Nicholls, 19, has been skipping competitively for more than a decade — this year's worlds will mark her fifth time representing Canada at the international competition.
'The opportunities this sport has given me have been incredible, to say the least,' said Nicholls. 'I feel really proud to wear Canada on my shirt.'
Nicholls previously did both gymnastics and jump rope, but when the time came to pick one or the other, she went with the latter because of the creative freedom that comes with the sport.
'It's not rigid, unlike other sports,' said Nicholls. 'We're able to make our routines and work on skills we enjoy.'
That aspect of the sport is what sets it apart for many athletes, said Fox, pointing to the 'infinite number of skills' athletes can learn, as well as the ability for folks to find jump rope later on in life.
One of the oldest members of Team Canada is in their late 40s, Fox added.
'Skipping is for anybody,' said Fox. 'We truly are a community.'