Sport
17 August, 2026
Sisters soar to national finals in January 2027
TWO young Stratford aerialists have secured places at the 2027 Bend the Air National Finals after strong performances at the Melbourne regional competition earlier this month.
Isla Hodgkinson, 11, and her sister Yara Hodgkinson, eight, competed at the Bend the Air event, hosted at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) from 2-5 July, with both earning top-three finishes to qualify for the national finals on the Sunshine Coast in January 2027.
Isla placed second in the 12 and under advanced silks category and first in the 12 and under open apparatus category, performing on corde lisse. Yara won the 7-9 silks minis category at her first Bend the Air competition.
Their father, Daniel Hodgkinson, said both girls were delighted with their results.
“The girls were thrilled with their results, knowing they both had a ticket to the national finals was amazing,” he said.
“This was Yara’s first time at Bend the Air, so placing first was surprising.
“This competition directly followed their local Cairns competition ‘Boundless’, where both girls placed first in all their routines.”
Bend the Air is a national circus competition featuring aerial silks, lyra, open apparatus and circus floor acts, with competitors ranging from seven years to adults. The top three competitors in each category qualify for the national finals.
The upcoming event will mark Isla’s third appearance at the national finals and Yara’s first appearance.
The Bend the Air National Finals will be held on the Sunshine Coast over five days in January 2027, with Isla and Yara competing against the country’s leading young aerial athletes.
