Posted in Uncategorized on March 28, 2009 by mostepanovafan
The official website of the 2009 European Gymnastics Championships is reporting that defending all-around champion Vanessa Ferrari of Italy will be competing with the Italian team. First-year Senior Serena Liccheta has been removed from the team to make way for Ferrari. Ferrari’s teammates will be Lia Parolari, Emily Armi and Paola Galante.
Vanessa Ferrari at the 2008 Olympics
It is not clear if Vanessa expects to medal at these Euros, it seems unlikely given that her fitness was still in question so close to the championships, I doubt she will be able to defend her all-around title with her lack of training time since the Olympics.
Posted in Uncategorized on March 24, 2009 by mostepanovafan
Vault Final
Olympic vault finalist Ariella Kaeslin of Switzerland easily won the gold on vault, performing a handspring layout rudi (6.3) and the newly downgraded Yurchenko 1.5 (5.3). Aagje van Walleghm (Belgium) received the silver medal with a Yurchenko 1.5 and a Podkopayeva (5.2), and Kaelsin’s teammate Yasmin Zimmermann received the bronze, performing a Tsukahara 1.5 and a handspring pike-front half (5.0).
Bars Final
Gold on bars went to Germany’s Anja Brinker (start value of 6.2) with a score of 14.825, which seems to be a pretty good score in the new code. She showed a nice Ray to Pak combination and a Maloney to stalder uprise. She performed the whole routine with nice form, and is looking good for Europeans in a just under a fortnight.
Aagje Vanwalleghem picked up her second silver of the meet here, but finished over a point behind Brinker. She showed a well-constructed routine with a Maloney, Markelov and double layout dismount, but lost too many marks on missed handstands and late pirouettes to challenge Brinker.
Bronze went to Brazil’s Ethiene Franco who showed beautiful lines and form, but had the second lowest start value of the final (5.1).
Beam Final
Balance Beam was won by newly-married Polish Olympian Marta Pihan-Kulesza, with a 14.075 (D-Score of 5.8, the highest in the final). The silver went to Lieke Wevers of the Netherlands, and bronze to China’s Yuhong Hu.
Floor Final
Floor exercise was won by China’s Sui Lu, who showed a nice blend of tumbling and choreography set to Spanish music with beautiful form throughout giving her the highest execution score of the final.
Silver went to Kim Bui of Germany whose form still needs a little more cleaning up, but I love her second pass of double twisting front to immediate split jump. Judging from this meet and the American Cup she has really improved this year.
Bronze went to Slovenia’s Adela Sajn, whose tall lines look lovely during her choreography, but she doesn’t really have the difficulty to challenge
Posted in Uncategorized on March 20, 2009 by mostepanovafan
The roster for the 2009 European Championships in Milan can be downloaded here
Defending all-around champion Vanessa Ferrari (Italy) has not been named to the team, most likely due to her lack of training time after her ankle injuries. Defending vault champion Oksana Chusovitina (Germany) will also not be attending due to the injury she acquired late last year. Aside from Chusovitina, neither the bronze or silver medallists on vault from 2008 (Carlotta Giovannini and Francesca Benolli of Italy) will be attending, making Ariella Kaelsin of Switzerland firm favourite to take her first European title.
Defending bars and beam champion Ksenia Semenova of Russia will be hoping to defend her titles, and as the highest placing European in the all-around at Beijing, will have her sights on the all-around title as well. At Russian Nationals she received a 15.800 on bars, a great score in the new code. Silver and bronze medallists from 2008 Steliana Nistor and Daria Zgoba are not attending (Nistor has retired, and Zgoba appears to have as well), so Beth Tweddle of Great Britain should have a great chance at a medal. Other potential bars medallists could include Olympic bars finalist Anastasia Koval and 2008 European bars finalists Becky Downie and Lia Parolari.
The only reigning beam medallist not attending is Alina Kozich, who is now competing for Uzbekistan. Sandra Izbasa, Gabriela Dragoi and Ksenia Afanasyeva could all prevent Semonova defending her title on this event, and Lia Parolari could also factor in to the medals. Unfortunately, the Netherlands’ Sanne Wevers is not attending, so there will be no chance of seeing her compete her new triple turn on the beam these Euros.
Olympic and European floor champion Sandra Izbasa will be hoping to defend her title here, and will be a strong threat in the all-around with 3 strong events. Beth Tweddle is now competing as a bars and floor specialist, and will no doubt be hoping to go one better than the silver medals she has one at the last 2 Europeans. Bronze medallist from last year, Anamaria Tamarjan will also be competing and could medal again. Other potential medallists could include Ksenia Afanasyeva and Kristina Goryunova of Russia.
Podium Training begins at the end of this March, and the competition itself will take place between the 2-5 April.
