Trampolining teen jumps into record books

A teenager with a passion for trampolines has leapt into the Guinness Book of World Records for a unique* skill.

Tasmanian James Harvey, 15, now holds the record for the most consecutive* cat twists on a trampoline, after beating the score of 200. James managed to do 402 within eight minutes.

“The skill is easy to do, but to do multiple in a row is not as easy,” James said. “It’s pretty exciting.”

To complete a cat twist on a trampoline, one must land on their back, complete a 360-degree rotation and land on their back again.

“The only thing that touches the trampoline is your back, no arms or legs are allowed to touch,” said James’ mum Felicity Harvey.

“I can do one, I can’t even do two consecutively.”

Ms Harvey said setting up for the attempt was a big effort.

“They have to be completed on a competition trampoline, there has to be two expert witnesses*, two timers – it was quite a big team to put together to do the attempt,” she said.

“We had to supply evidence the experts were experienced judges and coaches.”

GLOSSARY

• unique: the only one of its kind, special, distinctive
• consecutive: following one after the other, successive, in a row
• witnesses: observer, onlooker, spectator

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What score did James have to beat?
2. How many consecutive cat twists did he complete?
3. How long did it take?
4. What degree of rotation is required?
5. What is the only part of the body allowed to hit the trampoline?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
1. Visual instructions
Can you give clear instructions for doing a “cat twist” using only pictures? Draw a series of diagrams that can be followed to correctly complete the trick. Think about keeping your pictures simple and how to show which direction the body should move in.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; the Arts

2. Extension
Choose one of the animal names below and think of a trampoline manoeuvre to match it. Name the move and draw visual instructions for the move.

• donkey
• butterfly
• giraffe
• kangaroo
• whale

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

VCOP ACTIVITY
What happens next?
Imagine this story becomes part of an animated series made up of three cartoons. The three cartoons tell the complete story and this article is only Part 1. Think about what the rest of the story could be and draw the next two cartoons that tell the story.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Visual Arts; Visual Communication Design; Critical and Creative Thinking