04. Oktober 2009  
Vila do Conte, Portugal  
Sports Acrobatics

2009 24th European Championships Acrobatic Gymnastics

From 2009 September 28 to October 04 took place the 24 anniversary of European Championships of Acrobatic Gymnastics.
Host were the PORTUGUESE TRAMPOLINE & SPORTS ACROBATICS FEDERATION.

* ueg reports --: Last Final day:
Russia (womens trio and mens four), Belgium (mixed pair), Belarus (womens pair) and Bulgaria (men's 4) are the new title holder 2009.
The last competitions in Vila do Conde will attribute the all-around European titles for 2009.
A very large audience attent the competition venue for the senior programme.


** All results you will find at the >> UEG ECh Results Service


** UEC Coverages
24th European Championships Acrobatic Gymnastics
    - Vila do Conde (POR), Sep 28 - Oct 04 -
_________________________________
UEG Coverages- by Daniel Duchoud, UEG press chief

* Mixed pairs
It is a pleasure seeing the five pairs once again and to wait for the final verdict who of the pairs - the Belgians or the Russians - will win the title.
Thanks to a great and new choreography, Julie von der Gelder and Menno van der Gothe, the favourites of the local spectators, obtain the very high score of 28.655.
The Russian pair Tatiana Okulova & Revaz Gurgenidze seems not to be too satisfied with their routine (28.250).
The British gymnasts Katie Axten & Nicholas Illingworth get this time the second best note of 28.351.
* Ranking of the all-around competition:
1. Belgium 86.064
2. Russia 85.253
3.Great Britain 84.908
4. Ukraine 83.250. 5. Lithuania 82.100.

* Women’s Pairs
7 pairs compete. The gymnasts from Belgium Florence Henrist  & Tatjana De Vos present a good exercise and get 28.112, to their entire satisfaction. They are closely followed by the pair from Azerbaijan, Ayla Ahmadova & Dilara Sultanova; one would like to see them a bit more graceful, apart their technical qualities (28.070).
The beautiful pair from Belarus Alina Yushko and Katsiaryna Murashko obtain 27940.
This is the only category where no Russian gymnasts are on the podium.
Ranking of the all-around competition:
1.Belarus 84.55
2. Grande-Bretagne 84.106
3.Azerbaijan 83.981
4. Belgium 82.925 ; 5. Germany 82.261 ; 6. Ukraine 81.947 ; 7. Russia 81.403

* Men’s Pair
8 Men’s Pair compete. Immense applause for the Pair Tiago Figueiredo & Joao Maia. Supported by their public, the two gymnasts from Porto (POR) realise a great routine rewarded with a score of 28.455 which can’t be beaten – the hall explodes! They can go home with a third medal, a bronze one.
For their combined routine, the Russians get 28.406 and the British 28.262
- Ranking of the all-around competition:
1. Russia 85.356
2. Great Britain 84.526
3. Portugal 84.418
4. Ukraine 83.404 ; 5. Belarus 83.305 ; 6. Poland 81.807

* Women’s Trios
10 trios will compete. The trio from Portugal has a gymnast who was injured during a recent national championship and could only present the balance exercise ; therefore, this trio had to withdraw for the combined.
Without surprise, the Russian trio wins easily and one can once again appreciate their brio. Their exercise receives once again the best note of the day: 28.800. The 2008 World Vice Championships leave behind them the Ukrainians (28.450) and the Belarussians (28.150).
- Ranking of the all-around competition:
1. Russia 86.187, the best total
2. Ukraine 85.252
3. Belarus 84.658
4. Great Britain 84.540 ; 5. Belgium 84.009 ; 6. Poland 80.520
*Mens’s Four
The Ukrainians came to Vila do Conde to defend their title, but their hopes fell with the first series of the pyramid. The rest of the exercise showed also smaller faults. Score 25.770 and not much chance to finish on the podium.
The Russians (28.207), the Belarus (28.101) and the British (28.010) were much better. As the FIG had forbidden the quadruple salto as it is considered too risky, it needed courage to realise the triple salto backwards. The most regular of the three competitions goes home with the title, Belarus.
- Ranking of the all-around competition:
1. Belarus 83.693
2. Bulgaria 83.489
3. Poland 82.630
4. Great Britain, 82.332; 5. Ukraine 81.859; 6. Russia 81.394
   >> Detailed Results  (Source: UEG)
October 3, Vila do Conte

* Mixed Pairs (balance)
This time, Julie Van Gelder had dried her tears and showed once again her dazzling smile. With Menno Van der Ghote, she won the first title in the senior category (28.804). Scores of 9.40 for execution and artistry made the difference.
The beautiful Russian pair Tatiana Okulova a&Revaz Gurgenidze did not seem to be too disappointed with the second rank (28.600).
The British gymnasts Katie Axten & Nicholas Illingworth ended on the third step of the podium, as already this morning. We are looking forward to seeing the three pairs tomorrow for the finale of the all-around exercise.
4. Ukraine 27.617 (A. Burlachenko/S. Zabiyaka)
5. Lithuania 27.500 (A.Koklejeva/D. Shumilo..

* Women’s pairs (dynamic)
Surprise victory of the pair from Azerbaijan, Ayla Ahmadova/ Dilara Sultanova; they showed already this morning that they have to be reckoned with by winning the silver medal for the balance exercise. At the qualifications, these two girls were ranked 5th.
The ranking of the qualifications was quite changed:
the British pair Maiken Thorne and Mollie Grehan, who were in the lead in the qualifications ended in the finals only on the 7th and last rank with (27.102). What a disappointment!
The Ukrainians Kateryna Sytnikova and Anastasiya Melnychenko (28.150) missed gold by a 10th.
Change of positions between the Belarusians Alina Yushko/Katsiaryna Murashko (28.060) and the pair from Belgium Florence Henrist and Tatjana De Vost, the first winning bronze (4th in the qualifications) the second ones ended only on the fourth rank.
4. Belgium 27.859 ;
5. Russia 27.450 (Tatiana Alexeeva /Natalia Platoniva)
6. Germany 27.230 (Janina Hiller/Sophia Müller)
7. Great Britain 27.102.

* Men’s Pairs (dynamic)
Even the boys can cry a bit (out of happiness). This was the case for Edward Upcott from the British Pair while his friend, Douglas Fordyce was doing a somersault!
With 28.300 they won gold and the title. Second medal for the team from Portugal Tiago Figueiredo/Joao Maia (28.154) who were greeted with wild applause from their public.
Third rank for the Russians Alexey Dudchenko et Konstantin Pilipchuk (28.150.)
4. Bulgaria (A. Andonov/Y.Georgiev) &
4. Ukraine (I.Pulin/D.Tarasenko), 28.101
6. Belarus 27.753 (R.Fedchanka/Y.Kalachou)
7.Poland 27.740 (J.Al-AHAd/K.Fieniuk)
8. Israel 26.901 (A. Mozes/S.Shoshana).

* Women’s Trios (balance)
We take the same and start all over again: the three best groups of the qualifications are in the same order on the podium.
The title could not escape the terrific Russian group (Aygul Shaykhutdinova/Ekaterina Stroynova/Ekaterina Loginova) who win the best total of the day: 28.854.
The second rank went Belarus (Hanna Dudkouskaya/Yuliy Khrypach/Alisa Usmanova) with 28.454, followed by Ukraine 28.450 with Iuliia Odintsova/Kateryna Kalyta /Natsaliya Vinnik.
4. Belgium 28.400 (E.Vanstaen/M.Croket/C. Van Hombeeck) ;
5. Great Britain 28.200 (J.Miller/E.Walters/K.Smyth);
6. Poland 78.830 (A. Filipowska, A. Nawrocka, B. Chlebisz);
7. Portugal 27.654 (A.Martins/C.Barebosa/I.Luz);
8. Netherlands 27.170 (H.Koopman/M.Dijkstra/J. De Vegt).

* Men’s Four (dynamic)
Small problem for the Ukrainians (A.Bilozor/A.Lytvak/D.Kriuchkov / R.Urazbakiev) due to a problem with the music. They had to wait for a long time and the technicians excused themselves. However, this does not hinder them to take the lead with 28.365.
Only the British group (A.Macassey/A.Buckingham/A.Uttley/J.Stranks) was able to beat them with 28.542.
The bronze medal goes to the team from Belarus 27.902 (K. Shatau, A. Khvalko, V. Ulasevich, K. Zhdanovich).
4. Bulgaria 27.879 (M.Gospodinov/V.Stoyanov/N.Ivanov/V.Parvanov) ;
5. Poland 27.840 (T.Antonowicz/M.Jarczak/S.Rudyk/M.Piasecki) ;
6. Russia 26.214 (V.Alexeev/D.Parfenov/D.Levkovich/N.Nikitin). 
* Source: UEG,  D.Duchoud/UEG

   >> Detailed Results  (Source: UEG)