19. Februar 2007  
Vienna / Austria  
Rhythmic Gymnastics

Grand Prix Circuit 2007 of Rhythmic Gymnastics fixed

Heide Bruneder (AUT)

The Managing Director of the office of the INTERNATIONAL GRAND PRIX Committee of Rhythmic Gymnastics, the Austrian Heide Bruneder (Vienna), confirmed today the 2007 circuit of nine Grand Prix events in total, which will be completed with the number ten, the 2007 GRAND PRIX FINAL, hosted by the Austrian City Innsbruck in November....
A few days before the first competition, to be held in Moscow on the first weekend in March, Heide Brunneder - also the UEG's President of the Technical Committee of Rhythmic Gymnastics - gave this interview to GYMmedia INTERNATIONAL...:

Vera Sessina (RUS), totaler Triumph mit 4 Siegen beim letzten Grand Prix-Finale 2006 in Berlin

GYMMEDIA -Exclusive:

GYMmedia: " Ms Bruneder, what are the special features of the 2007 Grand Prix series?"

Heide Bruneder: "In 2007, the year leading up to the Olympic games, there is practically no better way to find out where you stand before European and World Championships than to participate in our Grand Prix competitions. This is because the very best athletes meet at our events!"

GYMmedia: "All the dates of the series have been fixed now. Where there any clashes in the competition schedule?"

H. Bruneder: "No, not really, only one event had to be moved in August/September, but the Dutch hosts have now managed to arrange that. A year of competitions like this one always has a tight schedule. This is why the Grand Prix Committee has fixed the maximum number of events at 12 per year. This year we already have ten and there are further interesting venues which would like to host events."

GYMmedia: "Are there changes in the rules compared to last year?"                                                                                                        
H. Bruneder: "Yes, but only concerning the right of the countries to compete: From the position table of 12 for each hand apparatus, no more than two gymnasts per country are now permitted to compete, even if more are placed. If one of the best two is injured or sick, then a third athlete can participate instead, otherwise only one athlete could take part for this country. In this way more countries have a chance of a place in the finals."

GYMmedia: "... what is new this year concerning the rather complex judging rules in Rhythmic Gymnastics?

H. Bruneder: "Basically there is nothing new, with one exception, concerning the acrobatic score: An extra bonus (2/10) is only awarded if special contents are presented in combination with the so-called 'obligatory difficulty' for each hand apparatus. "

GRAND PRIX SERIES 2007
(1) GRAND PRIX: >>  March 2-4, Moscow (RUS)
(2) GRAND PRIX: >>  March 23-25 Thiais (FRA)
(3) GRAND PRIX: >>  April 20-22, Marbella (ESP)
(4) GRAND PRIX: >>  May 4-6, Burgas (BUL)
(5) GRAND PRIX: >>  May 17-21, Minsk (BLR)
(6) GRAND PRIX: >>  May 25-27, Brno (CZE)
(7) GRAND PRIX: >>  June 7-9, Holon (ISR)
(8) GRAND PRIX: >>  Aug. 31 - Sept. 3, Deventer (NED)
(9) GRAND PRIX: >>  October 13-14, Berlin (GER)
(10) FINALS:         >>   November 16-18, Innsbruck (AUT)

>> see GYMmedia WORLD CALENDAR SYSTEM 2007

GRAND PRIX = GYMfamily-Events
GYMmedia INTERNATIONAL is planning to report extensively on a separate GRAND PRIX-Website and is seeking to cooperate in this with the hosts and partner.