Thursday 11-08-2016 - 14:24

A member of our Pole Fitness Society was the winner of a national title at a recent competition.

Recent graduate Charlotte Tait was the winner of the instructor category in the Miss Pole Dance UK Semi Pro finals in Bognor Regis last month.

Charlotte took up the sport while at university, joining LU Pole Fitness at the start of her second year.

Since then she has competed on numerous occasions, including representing Lancaster in this year’s Roses tournament, where pole fitness was a point-scoring event for the first time.

She submitted a video of her Roses performance as her entry to the Miss Pole Dance UK competition and was shocked and delighted to be invited to the live final.

Charlotte said: “I spent the next two months training hard and getting ready for the final. Our equipment is very heavy and pole can be dangerous so my teammates would meet with me on campus, or at our class venue to help me with my routine. They supported me through many an emotional breakdown too!

“I certainly couldn't have done it without the help of my teammates, some of whom I know cancelled plans to help me train. It was all we talked about for weeks. I was really nervous because I wanted to do well and make them proud.”

Other commitments mean Charlotte won’t be able to take up an invitation to compete in the professional final later this year, but she plans to re-enter the competition next year.

She said: “I know that my LU Pole teammates will still support me, even if it is from afar because that is what our society is like. We are always there for each other, both in training and in other ways. My university experience wouldn't have been the same without this beautiful, amazing society.”