Rye has more Australian Ninja Warrior contestants this season than another other postcode
The beachside village that produced last year’s Australian Ninja Warrior champion has notched up a record number of qualifiers for this season’s competition. So what’s the secret to their success?
South East
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A group of gym buddies have been honing their skills on a homemade obstacle course in Rye in a bid to cement the Mornington Peninsula’s claim as the nation’s ninja capital.
The five friends have all qualified for the next season of Australian Ninja Warrior, which will soon screen on Channel 9.
The team includes last year’s winner Charlie Robbins, 22, and Ashlin “Flashlin” Herbert, 26, who will become one of only 17 ninjas to take on the course for the fourth time.
Other members include Zak Stolz, 21, who made the grand final in his debut season in 2019 and Troy “Dirt” Cullen, 26 who also competed last year.
Team coach Sarah Blackmore, 24, will turn competitor to make her first attempt at conquering the gruelling and high intensity obstacle course.
She is hoping that her background as a gymnast and a junior gymnastics coach will give her the competitive edge she needs to give the boys a run for their money.
“I’m really excited about taking on the warped wall,” she said.
Lockdown restrictions have limited the teams ability to train at their home club – Peninsula Gymnastics at Rosebud.
But an obstacle course in Zak’s backyard, which includes an in-ground trampoline, rope swing and salmon ladder, allowed them to return to training as soon as the restrictions eased.
“I’ve been working on the obstacle course for a while,” Zak said.
“It’s good to have the different elements to train on.”
The mates met up there on Tuesday for a final session before the latest lockdown kicked in.
“It’s not like the training an elite athlete would do,” Troy said.
“We don’t do 30 reps of this and 20 reps of that.
“It’s more like playing, trying to pull off tricks and obstacles and laughing when we don’t quite make it.”
All five agreed that their gymnastics background was the secret to their success.
“Unless you count Charlie’s golf,” Ash said.
The defending ninja champ has a handicap of zero and was the 2019 Portsea Golf Club champion.
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