Family teams race in hula hoop relay challenge

A spirited hula hoop relay pitted Casey’s team against the James family in a lighthearted challenge built around speed, coordination and teamwork.

The contest was not a racket sport but a string of hula hoop runs. Competitors had to race down the course, set each hoop in place, return for the next one, and keep going until every hoop was done. Casey demonstrated the pattern before the starting call — on your marks, get set, go — and then joined the scramble as both sides surged into action.

Cheers and instructions flew as runners were told to take the hoops one at a time, move faster, and stay clear of collisions. Spectators and teammates shouted encouragement, with Alysa among those calling out as the James side pressed the pace. At one point someone claimed home-court advantage as the scramble tightened and players urged each other to pick up the remaining hoops.

There were moments of confusion — people asking who would switch next, warning others to watch out, and scrambling when a hoop was left behind — but the race stayed good-natured. When it wrapped, both camps traded thanks and praise. “We tried. We tried. We tried,” one side said, while others answered with “Well done” and “Good job,” including a warm “Good job, Dada” as the competitors caught their breath.

The relay left the teams laughing, a little winded, and still teasing each other after the final hoop was down — a family-style contest decided as much by hustle and humour as by who finished first.