GymStars Gymnastics Club ended 2009 on a high note after successfully hosting another international competition, the ninth since the club's foundation in 2003.

The perfect organisation earned GymStars praise from the delegates and officials of the participating clubs which hailed from England, Italy, Isle of Man, Slovenia and Monaco.

Another positive aspect of the competition was the success achieved by the club's gymnasts.

Slovenian club Siska, the English clubs and Manx, of the Isle of Man, collected a bagful of medals. For GymStars, the athletes who clinched an historic bronze medal at the last Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE), again underlined their potential.

Kirsty Caruana and Nicole Pace were prominent in all routines, with the former winning overall gold in her category. Tara Dalli and Suzanne Buttigieg also claimed a gold medal in other categories.

Other local performers who did well in the competition were Claire Azzopardi, Mia Vickery and the up-and-coming Sana Grillo. She obtained encouraging results in what was her first international competition.

The 2009 festival only featured events for girls but the GymStars' boys team still caught the eye with a perfectly-executed synchronised performance during the opening ceremony.

In a statement, GymStars thanked its coaches for their sterling contribution and said 2010 promises to be another eventful year for the club.

At present, seven young male gymnasts are training hard for a competition in Belgium on January 24 and preparations are well under way for the Gym Festival scheduled for next March.

Besides focusing on local commitments, GymStars have also been invited to take part in a competition in Scotland in April and other international tournaments, in Palma de Mallorca and the Netherlands, are also in the club's schedule for 2010.