Skipping for joy: Canberra’s Jazzy Jumpers head to the Australian Rope Skipping Championships
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Coinciding with World Heart Day on Tuesday 29 September, 40 local athletes will be travelling to Darwin to represent Canberra at the 2026 Australian Rope Skipping Championships.
It might sound like a scene from the 2007 Disney Channel movie Jump In! but for the Jazzy Jumpers, attending the championships represents countless hours of training, perseverance, and commitment.
“The journey to get here has included challenges, triumphs, and moments of growth, and provides the opportunity to come together with the athletes from across Australia to celebrate our shared passion for jump rope,” says Jazzy Committee member Trudy Tetu.
“Our athletes are focused on qualifying for the 2027 World Jump Rope Championships in Norway next June, which would be an incredible experience. It follows several Jazzy Jumpers athletes representing Team Australia at the World Jump Rope Championships in Japan last year.”
First founded in 2010 by sisters Lisa and Nicole at Amaroo School, the Jazzy Jumpers began as lunchtime lessons. Now – 16 years later – the team has over 55 athletes aged seven to 20-years-old, all still supervised by Lisa as head coach.
Promoting physical fitness, confidence, teamwork, and discipline, Trudy says that community is at the heart of the not-for-profit organisation which is funded entirely through parent contributions and internal fundraising.
“We have built a jump rope community where many of the skippers and their families already know each other from school, work or other sports,” she explains.
“We foster friendships and create leadership opportunities for senior athletes to mentor younger members leading to many positive outcomes.”
While Canberrans of all ages have fond memories of jumping rope in the schoolyard, Trudy says that not many know that skipping is also an elite, high-performance sport.
“Following a comprehensive assessment process, the Australian Sports Commission has officially confirmed Skipping Australia’s recognition as a National Sporting Organisation through to 30 June 2036,” she explains. “This is a major milestone for the sport and community of jump rope!”
“The sport is growing fast. With a mix of individual and team speed and freestyle events, such as continuous fast- paced skipping for 30 seconds or three minutes, plus freestyle events that are choreographed to music, it makes for very exciting and challenging training sessions and competitions.”
Many Jazzy Jumper athletes also hold Australian Records. And with 20 minutes of skipping equivalent to approximately 60 minutes of jogging, the Jazzy Jumpers represents a unique sporting opportunity that promotes lifelong healthy habits in children and young people.
Offering classes for all skill levels – as well as free come-and-try sessions – the club is passionate about promoting healthy living and wants to remind locals the importance of cardiovascular health on World Heart Day.
Taking place annually on 29 September, the day aims to raise global awareness about cardiovascular disease and promote heart-healthy living.
“Skipping is used widely for cardio benefits for sports like boxing and combat sports. Having a healthy heart improves your overall energy, protects your brain, and lowers your risk of serious chronic illness,” says Trudy.
As they prepare to take on other elite jump rope athletes from across Australia in routines that combine speed skipping, gymnastics, power skills, and music-synchronised freestyle, the Jazzy Jumpers are literally skipping for joy. And as one of Canberra’s quiet sporting success stories, they hope to inspire others to jump in and try something new.
“Canberra is growing as a skipping community with a second club formed this year and another one on the way shortly,” says Trudy.
“Governed by a dedicated committee of parents and coaches, we are committed to providing a fun, inclusive, and nurturing environment that allows our members to thrive, reach their full potential, get fit and make lifelong friends.”
For more information, visit jazzyjumpers.org.au
