SWISS CUP in Zurich

SWISS CUP 2003
On Sunday, one of the most popular competitions in Artistic Gymnastics will take place in Zurich (SUI). The SWISS CUP is getting more and more popular. This year already for the 4th time it takes place in its' original form as pair competition and the venue was sold-out already 5 weeks before the event takes place.
The entry field is also of World-class.
The 20 participating gymnasts together have won 47 medals in previous World- and European Championships as well as Olympic Games...

R E V I E W : Winners All from 1970 on

Chusovitina - Ivankov

World Class at the SWISS CUP 2003
The already 28-year old 'gymnastics grandma“ Oksana Chusovitina from Uzbekistan incredibly managed at the last World Championships in Anaheim/USA to win the World Championship title on vault once again in her career. Upon her personal request she will take part in this years' SWISS CUP. Her partner during the competition will be 28-year old Ivan Ivankov from Belarus. The two of them certainly will have good chances to end up high in the ranks at the SWISS CUP 2003.

>> PARTICIPANTS, ALL

Marian Dragulescu (ROM)
Philippe Rizzo (AUS)

The winners of the last two years Philippe Rizzo from Australia and several time World- and European Champion Marian Dragulescu from Romania again will take part in Zurich.

During the last three years the Bulgarian pair Jordan Jovchev and Evgenia Kuznetsova always only reached the second place. However, at the last World Championships Jovchev proved that he is also able to win with victories on floor and rings.

Now he finally also wants to win the SWISS CUP once where he this year will take part together with long-year World-class gymnast Victoria Karpenko. For the first time also a team from Canada will participate. However, teams from Japan and China will not be there this year.

Niki Boeschenstein (SUI)

The hosts look into the future
The youngest Swiss all-around champion of all times, 18-year old Niki Böschenstein from Neuenhof will compete together with 17-year old Melanie Marti from Glarn. Melanie Marti secured herself a spot for the Olympic Games in Athens at this years' World Championships in Anaheim.
The second female Swiss competitor Danielle Englert (17) from Horgen will compete together with the French World-class gymnast Dimitri Karbanenko. Karbanenko has been third at the SWISS CUP 2001.
The second Swiss male gymnast Andreas Schweizer from Wetzikon has a realistic chance to reach the final as he competes together with Romania's star Catalina Ponor. She had won the Silver medal with her team and on beam and floor in Anaheim.

The SWISS CUP would need a larger venue!
The SWISS CUP is getting more and more popular. This year already for the 4th time it takes place in its' original form as pair competition and the venue is sold-out already 5 weeks before the event takes place.
Advertising with posters in the area of Zurich started six weeks before the event, never before it had been started so early, but still it was useless this year. Everyone who was interested to buy tickets could only be told to try it again next year.

The question comes up if the SWISS CUP would need a larger venue. However, this can't be found in Zurich and the event then would have to move to Basel.
The stadium venue there with about 10,000 seats would be a bit too large. But long-time gymnastics fans would certainly be pleased to see an event in this venuue again, where already during the sixties sold-out gymnastics competitions took place. The organisers of the SWISS CUP think about the future of the event as well as about the future of elite gymnastics in Switzerland.

THE SWISS CUP 2003
takes place on Sunday, November 23rd at 2.00 p.m. local time in the venue Saalsporthalle
in Zurich. >> ... more information, logos and pictures at www.swiss-cup.ch

Traditional 4-country meet for younger gymnasts
On Saturday, 22nd November, a four-country competition in men's gymnastics for gymnasts up to 16 years will take place with the countries
SWIITZERLAND- FRANCE- GREAT BRITAIN-GERMANY
(free entry).

The date for the SWISS CUP 2004 has been set for Sunday, November 21st, 2004.