Two dedicated cheerleaders from the island are set to travel to Orlando, Florida - to compete in the ICU Cheerleading World Championships.

Abby Vance, 20, and Caitlyn Hampton, 17, will travel to the States in April.

‘This is an incredible and rare opportunity for us to represent our island on a world stage, competing against teams from across the globe at one of the most prestigious events in the cheerleading calendar,’ Abby said.

‘Qualifying for the World Championships has taken years of commitment, training, and passion, and we are extremely proud to be carrying the Isle of Man with us to this international competition.’

Both girls have been cheerleading since they were young, with Abby starting at age 10 and Caitlyn at 11.

Another valuable member of the team is Aeryn Breed (18) who is acting as the reserve for the team.

Caitlyn said, ‘To get to this level of competition has always been something I wanted to achieve and I have been training and working hard to be able to make this dream a reality.’

The girls will be competing in the ‘Pom Doubles’ - which is what they both describe as ‘the best of the best’ teams from all over the world come together.

Abby said: ‘The standard is extremely high, and it’s an amazing opportunity to be part of such an elite competition.’

This is only the second time the Isle of Man has ever competed at this level, making it even more special for the girls.

Together the girls train once a month for three hours, independently the girls work consistently at home to maintain fitness, technique and performance quality.

The financial side of competing at such a competitive level comes at a high cost.

Alongside training, fundraising has become a massive part of the girls journey towards their dream.

Caitlyn said: ‘We’re especially thankful to our parents - for putting us into dance in the first place and for supporting us financially, physically, and mentally throughout our entire dancing journey.’

Abby added: ‘Representing the Isle of Man on a world stage is both exciting and scary.’

‘It’s a massive opportunity, and we’re determined to do the Isle of Man proud. We’ve been incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received so far from local businesses including Isle Heat, Katz & Co, Dream Castle Nursery, and Safety Management Services, as well as our friends and family.’

In an online fundraiser organised by their club Sport Cheer Isle of Man the girls have currently raised £1,215 of their £6,000 target.

A representative from Sport Cheer said: ‘Despite their young ages, these athletes train with exceptional commitment, balancing education, work, and personal responsibilities alongside intense training schedules.

‘Competing on the world stage is a huge honour, but it comes with significant costs, including travel, accommodation, uniforms, and competition fees.’