Vancouver-held Sea to Sky Cheerleading Championships attracts more than 2,500 entrants

The Vancouver Convention Centre is awash in glitter this weekend.

More than 2,500 cheerleaders are expected to compete as part of the 2013 Sea to Sky Cheerleading Championships, with up to eight bids for the 2013 world championships up for grabs.

During the competition Saturday, girls in sparkly outfits and high ponytails tossed each other into the air as parents and coaches watched from the floor beneath the stage.

“I think we nailed it,” said Brooklyn Nielsen, 13, a member of the Coquitlam Minor Football cheer team.

The spotter said she enjoys cheerleading because “it’s fun to meet new people.”

The team trains twice a week and leads cheers for Coquitlam Minor Football games from summer to early December. In the spring, the team competes in all-star competitions.

Nielsen’s nine-year-old sister, Terra, is one of the team’s flyers.

“It’s not scary,” she said, adding the extension lift is probably the hardest stunt she must perform. To be a flyer, an athlete must be light, but also have enough strength to remain stiff while being pushed into the air.

Fifteen-year-old Alesha LaCelle has been cheerleading since she was six. The base said lifting can be hard work, but she trains by doing push ups.

Jenny Parker, 10, is also a base.

“I like the challenge,” she said.