03. Mai 2015  
Minsk, BLR  
Rhythmic Gymnastics

31st Europeans of Rhythmic Gymnastics 2015

Yana Kudryavtseva (RUS), 3 European Titles

Once again the worldwide best gymnast, Russia's Yana KUDRYAVTSEVA was also the best athlete of the 31st European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships 2015, which finished now in Minsk, Belarus. Kudryavtseva won three of four apparatus finals. Only the gold medal with hoop went to her Russian compatriot, Margarita MAMUN. After winning also the Team title on Friday  RUSSIA was the most successful nation again. 
Host nation BELARUS was happy about the Juniors group title with 5 balls, beating Russia and Bulgaria at the European Junior Championships ...

* The GYMmedia reports are supported by B L E Y E R

31st European Championships 2015
        - Rhythmic Gymnastics -
             - Minsk, May 1 - 3 -
________________________________

... an UEG summary of the ECh Final day
A nicely filled Minsk-Arena, normally home of ice hockey, gave a warm welcome and continuous support to all gymnasts competing in these apparatus finals.

Russia won every title but didn’t dominate like they did in qualification. They went 1-2 only with ball. Kudryavtseva was the most successful athlete. She won gold in each final she entered but Soldatova had mistakes in both her exercises and Mamun with ribbon.

Russia’s Margarita Mamun was simply stunning with hoop, scoring 19.000 like she did in qualification. Soldatova, second in qualification, dropped her hoop at the end of her otherwise nice routine to finish seventh. This left a gap for the Belarussian teammates Melitina Staniouta and Ekaterina Hakina, to both be on the podium, winning silver and bronze respectively. Georgia’s Salome Pazhava was a close fourth.

With ball Yana Kudryavtseva (RUS) showed her trademark elegance put together with original work, excellently executed. This earned her the European title, while Mamun’s dramatic routine earns her a second medal of the day, a silver this time. Staniouta also wins her second medal, by winning bronze.  

Kudryavtseva with clubs scored the highest score of the tournament, 19.166, to take that title as well. Teammate Soldatova had problems again, finishing last. Ukraine’s Ganna Rizatdinova performed an excellent routine to take silver. The crowd was very happy to see that bronze medal was awarded to both Belarussian gymnasts, Staniouta and Halkina. Both scored 18.033 to tie for third place, and share the bronze.

On ribbon Kudryavtseva was untouchable again. Her 18.900 is more than 7 tenths higher than second-place Staniouta. Azerbaijan’s Marina Durunda wins bronze with 18.000. Mamun, who qualified in second place, dropped her ribbon and finished fifth.

* RESULTS, All - Apparatus FINALS

♦♦​  H O O P 
 1. MAMUN, Margarita    (RUS)  - 19,000
 2. STANIOUTA, Melitina (BLR)  - 18,500
 3. HALKINA, Katsiaryna (BLR)  - 17,950
       > Detailed results

♦♦​  B A L L 
 1. KUDRYAVTSEVA, Yana  (RUS)  - 19,066
 2. MAMUN, Margarita        (RUS)  - 18,950
 3. STANIOUTA, Melitina     (BLR)  - 18,466
       > Detailed results

♦♦​  C L U B S
 1. KUDRYAVTSEVA, Yana (RUS)  - 19,116
 2. RIZATDINOVA, Ganna (UKR)  - 18,400
 3. HALKINA, Katsiaryna (BLR)  - 18,033
       > Detailed results

♦♦​  R I B B O N
 1. KUDRYAVTSEWA, Yana (RUS)  - 18,900
 2. STANIOUTA, Melitina     (BLR)  - 18,133
 3. DURUNDA, Marina        (AZE)  - 18,000
       > Detailed results

* FRIDAY, May 1 / SATURDAY May 2
(UEG reports)
The senior gymnasts competed on Friday with hoop and ball, and on Saturday with clubs and ribbon. They hoped to make the top 8 on each apparatus to advance to Sunday’s finals. The country with the best combined scores would take the team title.
The Russians dominated from the moment they stepped onto the carpet.
First Alexandra Soldatova took the lead with the hoop (18.325), teammate Margarita Mamun shortly after taking over, scoring a massive 19.000. Only Belarus’s Melitina Staniouta squeezed between the two. With all other apparatus Russia took first and second place. With the ball, Mamun performed dramatically, spinning beautifully and scoring 18.833 to take the lead. European and World Champion dropped the ball but her elegant and difficult routine scored 18.583, good enough for second place. She made up for that mistake with clubs and ribbon, taking to top spot ahead of teammates Soldatova and Mamun respectively. Ganna Rizatdinova (UKR) performed wonderfully with clubs and ribbon, to take third place on these events. Staniouta (BLR) was third with the ball.

Georgia’s Salome Pazhava competed in group B, doing an amazing and consistent job. Because of this she qualified for all event finals, as did Ukraine’s Rizatdinova and the Belarussian stars Halkina and Staniouta. Great competition also for the Israeli girls, reaching 4 finals (2 for Rivkin and 2 for Veinberg).
Marina Durunda (AZE) made up for mistakes on Friday by reaching ribbon final in fourth and clubs final in fifth place. France’s Ksenia Moustafaeva managed to climb out of group C to reach hoop and ribbon final.

* R E S U L T S
►► Team Final

(Qualification)
>> All-around;   > Hoop ;  > Ball ;  > Clubs ;  > Ribbon
 

*On Sunday afternoon will follow the apparatus finals.
Look at the schedule and use the
>> livestream  on >> http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/ueg/index.html 
* source: u e g

 ♦ European Junior (Groups) Championships

* Group Final (Sunday, May 3)
At the last day of these Europeans host Belarus was very happy about the junior group title withe the junior group, beating the leading Sussians after the preliminary and winning the golden medal in front of Russia and Bulgaria:
1. BELARUS  -   16,733
2. RUSSIA       - 16,600
3. BULGARIA  - 16,166

4. Azerbaijan   - 15,900
5. Italy             - 15,766
   Germany     - 15,766
   >> Detailed Final results 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

* Juniors, Group Qualification
A record-breaking 25 National Federations send a junior group to Minsk. The girls presented their balls routine on Friday and Saturday, aiming to make the top 8 and tomorrow’s final

Russia topped the field both in difficulty and execution, scoring 16.616 on Friday and 16.650 on Saturday to take the first gold medal and to qualify in first place to the final.  To the delight of the crowd the young Belarussians improved their score from Friday (16.133) with almost half a point (16.600) to lift from third to second place. Israel was consistently good (16.266 and 16.100) to reach the third place. 

Azerbaijan’s ’Smooth Criminal’ routine really got the crowd going. Their score also improved on day 2, ending in fourth place. Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Switzerland complete the top 8.

The top 3 teams during qualification are awarded a medal today. The top 8 teams have another chance to get on the podium on Sunday at 11am local time.

>> Results, Juniors, All-around (qu)

Charkashina, two titles 2011 for host Belarus

PREVIEW 
The 31st European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships 2015 took place in Minsk, Belarus, from May 1st till 3rd. The hosting continental organisation, the European Gymnastics Union (UEG informed, that the competitions take place at “Minsk Arena”, the main sports arena of the Republic of Belarus. After the transformation of the arena in competition and warming up areas, the total capacity for spectators is 6,500.  On the media stand there are 250 seats for commentators and written press.

 

The Republic of Byelorussia hosts these European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships for the second time.
The first European Championships were held in Minsk in 2011, when gymnasts from 35 countries took part in the competition four years ago.

This year already 40 different countries have applied - this will be a record of participation for the European Championships! 68 elite gymnasts plan to perform. They compete in qualifications - which also serve as a team final- and apparatus finals.
All eyes will be on European and World Champion Yana Kudryavtseva who shows grace, beauty and extreme flexibility in all her exercises. Her teammates Margarita Mamun and Alexandra Soldatova will push each other to take the team gold. Last year’s silver medalist Melitina Staniouta (BLR) will look to please the home crowd. Ukraine’s Ganna Rizatdinova won bronze in the all-around last year and is a strong challenger for the medals in Minsk as well. Other gymnasts to follow are Marina Durunda (AZE), Salome Pazhava (GEO), Katsiaryna Halkina (BLR), Carolina Rodriguez (ESP), Kseniya Moustafaeva (FRA), Neta Rivkin (ISR).
→ The elite individual gymnasts will present their hoop and ball routines on Friday and clubs and ribbon on Saturday.
At the end of these 2 days the country with the highest combined scores is awarded the team title. The top 8 gymnasts on each apparatus qualify for the finals on Sunday. 

 The TV partner of the UEG, "Eurovision",  will provide a livestream of the senior competition.:
Group A on Friday, group A and B on Saturday and the apparatus finals on Sunday
(>> http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/ueg/index.html )

→ More than 150 junior gymnasts from 27 countries will also compete, fighting for titles and medals in group exercises only. The junior gymnasts will compete in the group exercise with 5 balls only. They will present this exercise twice during qualification (once on Friday and once on Saturday). The best 8 groups advance to Sunday’s final.

The Organising Committee is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Mrs. Natalia KACHANAVA.
* source: u e g

Minsk Arena

A pedestrian subway leads from the competition hall to the skating stadium which is being transformed into a training hall. The ice will be replaced by 7 warm-up carpets. A very pleasant feature of these Championships is that the sports arena and the delegations’ accommodation are located within only a 5 to 10 minutes’ walk.  

♦♦ S C H E D U L E   (local time, Minsk)
     (GYMmedia will publish a summary from Saturday evening on!)

* Friday, May 1  
10:00-12:10 am quali Juniors Group 1. presentation
   2:00 - 3:45 pm quali ELITE - Sub. C hoop & ball
   4:00 - 6:00 pm quali ELITE - Sub. B hoop & ball
   6:15 - 7:00 pm OPENING Ceremony
   7:15 -  9:00 Uhr quali ELITE - Sub. A hoop & ball

* Saturday, May 2   (>> UEG intermediate results )
10:00-12:15 pm Quali Juniors group 2. presentation
  2:00- 4:00 pm Quali Sen. Sub. B clubs & ribbon
  4:15- 6:00 pm Quali Sen. Sub. C clubbs & ribbon
  6:15- 8:00 pm Quali Sen. Sub. A clubs & ribbon

* Sunday, May 3
11:00-11:45 am Junior's Groups FINAL
  1:30- 2:20 pm  ELITE's - App. FINALS. Hoop & Ball
  2:55- 3:45 pm  ELITE's App. FINALS  Clubs & Ribbon