Well, sort of. She told the German media after team prelims that she plans on calling it quits after the London Games, indicating that she would then concentrate on her role as head coach of the Uzbek team. Chusovitina, who turns 37 next month, has in the past been very coy when pressed by the media to give a definite retirement date, so it remains to be seen if London will really be her last competition. Uzbekistan failed to qualify a team to the London Test Event but did earn an individual WAG berth that will go to either Daria Yelizarova or Luiza Galiulina. Chusovitina qualified to the vault final in first place yesterday, the only apparatus she competed on.

Desperately seeking… Euros hosts

The one million Euro question here is where the next European Championships will be held. The UEG website lists the dates for 2013 and 2014 European Championships (see UEG calendar) but doesn’t indicate where they will actually be held. The closing ceremony normally includes the handover of the UEG flag to the next organisers. Perhaps we’ll see whom it is handed to on Sunday. Or not. The 2013 European Championships (with AA and EF for senior MAG and WAG) are scheduled to be held 15-21  April 2013, i.e. less than a year from now.

European affair

German head coach Ulla Koch was reunited with husband Dieter during the junior competition. Dieter Koch left Germany to take a job coaching in Cardiff alongside Tracey Skirton, who was on the floor in Brussels. The Koch couple, long time partners in the gym, coached a number of gymnasts to international level, among them 2004 Olympian Yvonne Musik. Dieter Koch came to Brussels to cheer on his newest pupils Angel Romaeo and Raer Thaeker from the stands.

Parallel realities

While Make It Or Break It is not going to continue, the reality  show on MTV Italy Vite Parallele (Parallel Lives) featuring gymnasts from the Milan training centre is enjoying continued success. The camera crew are here in Brussels, following the gymnasts around. Carlotta Ferlito is the main focus and was clearly unfazed by the attention even  while being filmed for Vite Parallele during media interviews in the mixed zone.

Rotation 4

Switzerland FX

Hitz -double pike (stuck), double turn, double back, front layout – front 1/1 (fall), 2/1.

Schreiber – double pike, double back, front layout – front tuck, front 1/1.

Schulte – double pike, double back, 1/1, 2/1.

Kaeslin – double back (big step fwd, low), 2 1/2, double spin, front layout – front 1/1, 2/1.

Belarus UB

Burmistrava -toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, double pike off.

Fiadutsik – Jaeger, straight undershoot, giant 1/1, double pike (several steps back).

Hryhoryeva -toe on undershoot, in stalder, giant 1/2 – piked Jaeger, Gienger (beautiful), Pak, giant 1/1, double pike off.

Kazmirskaya – hecht mount, overshoot, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, double back.

Italy VT

Mori – Yurchenko 1/1.

Ugrin – Yurchenko 1/1

Meneghini – Yurchenko 1/1 // layout Yurchenko

Mariani – Yurchenko 1/1 // layout Yurchenko

The Netherlands FX

Slingerland – double back (stuck), front 1/1 – stag jump, 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1.

Overbeek – double back, 2/1, whip through 1 1/2 (step oob), front 1/1 – stag jump.

Thorsdottir – double back, 2 1/2 – stag jump, front through 1/1, front 1/1 – stag jump.

Netteb – double arabian, 1 1/2 through 2/1, front 2/1, stumbled out of 2/1 turn, front 1/1 – stag jump.

Rotation 3

Switzerland BB

Schreiber -front tuck, flic – layout, switch leap – split, free aerial (wobble), side somi (wobble), Y turn, gainer pike off.

Schulte -flic – back pike, split – wolf, turn, free arial, free cartwheel, switch leap, ro – double back (fall back).

Hitz – press mount to planche, free cartwheel, switch lea, back tuck, flic – back pike (fall), side somi, L turn (wobble), side split, front 1/1 (step).

Kaeslin – press to planche mount, switch leap – scissone, L turn, Y turn, onodi, free aerial, flic – layout, free cartwheel, ro – 2/1.

Belarus VT

Kazimirskaya – layout Yurchenko (big step).

Hrygoryeeva – layout Yurchenko.

Fiadutsik – handspring front tuck.

Italy FX

Ugrin -3/1, front layout – front 1/1 – split jump, 2/1, turn in L, double back (step).

Mori – Tsukahara, 2 1/2 punch front, double Y turn, 3/1, double pike.

Meneghini – Tsukahara, double back, 1 1/2 – 1/1, double pike.

Mariani – Tsukahara, double back, switch ring leap, tour jeté, double Y turn (off), front layout – front 1/1, switch 1/1, double pike.

The Netherlands BB

Van Deene -fall, double turn, free aerial – flic, switch leap, back tuck (fall), side split, front 1/1.

Slingerland – side split, aerial to 2 feet, turn in attitude, ro 1 1/2.

Thorsdottir – press mount, split sequence, free cartwheel – free aerial – korbut, onodi, flic – layout, L turn to turn to Y turn (wobble), sheep jump, ro – 1 1/2.

Netteb – switch leap – split, aerial – back tuck – flic, turn, switch 1/2 (not good), side somi (wobble), ro – double back.

Rotation 2

Switzerland UB

Giussani – hecht mount, Gienger, Pak, sole circle, giant 1/1, 1/2 flyaway.

Hitz - hecht mount, giant 1/1, Jaeger, Pak, double pike off.

Kaeslin – Bail, stadler undershoot, Tkatchev (sky high), giant 1/1, double pike off.

Schulte – giant 1/1 – Gienger, stalder, Tkatchev, Jaeger, Bail (wild legs), undershoot, double arabian (hand down).

Belarus FX

Khramiankova – double back, front layout – front tuck, cartwheel, front 1/1.

Kazmirskaya – double back, 2 1/2, front layout punch front, 2/1.

Fiadutsik – double pike, double back, front through 1/1, front 1/1 – stag jump.

Hryhoryeva – double pike, double back, double turn, switch leap, side split leap, front through ro gone bad, head round off to back tuck, 2/1.

Italy BB

Mori – planche mount, switch ring leap, flic – layout, Y turn (wobble), free cartwheel (fall), side split leap, free aerial – switch leap – back tuck, 3/1 off.

Ugrin – scissone – wolf jump, free cartwheel, free aerial – flic – layout, swich leap – back tuck, L turn, side split leap, side somi, ro – 2/1

Meneghini – press mount, sheep jump, side somi, free aerial – flic – layout (wobble), split – wolf jump, L turn, free cartwheel, switch leap – back tuck, sides plit, ro – double pike off.

Mariani – flic – layout (fall), wobble, side somi, Y turn, split – wolf jump, side split, free aerial, switch leap, ro – double pike (low).

The Netherlands UB

van Deene – Jaeger, Bail, double back off.

Thorsdottir – clear hip, Bail, stalder, toe on, stalder undershoot, endo1/2, giant 1/1, double pike off.

Overbeek – giant 1/1, giant 1/2 – Jaeger, short HS, Bail (legs), undershoot, double pike off.

Netteb – Jaeger, Bail, undershoot (near not grasp the bars, but stop and break).

Rotation 1

Switzerland VT

Giussani – layout Yurchenko

Kaeslin – Yurchenko 1/1 tucked.

Hitz – handspring front pike.

Schulte – Yurchenko 1/1,

Belarus BB

Khramiankova – front tuck – back tuck, flic, cossak turn, turn – scissone, switch leap – wolf jump, front 1/1.

Fiadutsik – free aerial, side somi, flic – layout, swich leap – split, turn, free cartwheel, ro – double back.

Hryhoryeva -switch leap – back tuck, scissone – wolf jump, front tuck, ro – layout to 2 feet (fall), side split jump, turn L, free cartwheel, side somi, ro – double back off.

Kazmirskaya – front tuck, flic – layout, switch leap, back tuck, split – wolf jump, turn, ro – 2/1 (slipped foot, fall).

Italy UB

Leolini – toe on Tkatchev, Tkatchev, Bail, straight undershoot, giant 1/1, slipped hand on a giant, arched back but saved, double layout (piked down).

Ugrin – Bail (legs), toe on undershoot, in stalder, GIenger (open legs), stalder 1/1, stalder 1/2, double pike off.

Meneghini - Jaeger, Tkatchev, Bail, stalder undershoot, toe on 1/1 – double arabian piked off.

Mariani – in stalder, in stalder 1/1 ,  in stalder 1/2 – Jaeger (fall), stop, Jaeger (caught), Bail, undershoot, stalder 1/1 – double layout off.

The Netherlands VT

Overbeek – layout Yurchenko

Slingerland – layout Yurchenko

Thorsdottir – Yurchenko 1/1.

Netteb – huge Yurchenko 1/1 // Yurchenko 1 1/2.

Maria Fialova (CZE) aerial to 2 feet, flic – layout,

Rotation 4

Spain BB

Colom – free aerial, flic – layout (fall), switch leap – free cartwheel, Y turn (fall), tour jeté, split sequence, front layout off.

Gamell – free aerial (check), free cartwheel, wolf jump – scissone, Y turn, side somi (wobble), switch leap – back tuck, sheep jump, 2/1 off.

Popa – free aerial – flic – layout, switch leap – back tuck, split – wolf jump, side somi, Y turn, sheep jump, free cartwheel, ff – ff – double pike (fall back).

Ros – switch leap – wolf jump, flic – layout, side split jump, back tuck, turn (wobble), free cartwheel, fall, ro – 1 1/2.

Makra (HUN) on floor, 3/1, front 2/1,  1 1/2 through 2 1/2, double L turn, double pike (low chest).

Germany UB

Ster – piked Jaeger, double pike off.

Scheder – in stalde 1/1, toe on shaposhnikova to Bail, in stalder undershoot, in stalder, in stalder 1/2 – piked Jaeger, Tsukahara off.

Griesser – bail (legs), undershoot, stadler 1/1, Jaeger (fall),

Ehret -

Schaefer -

Russia VT

Tipaeva – Yurchenko 1/1,

Baturina – handspring front pike (several steps forward).

Kharenkova – Yurchenko 1/1 (stuck) // Yurchenko 1/2.

Shelgunova – Yurchenko 2/1 (short, hand down). // Yurchenko 1 1/2 (fall).

France BB

Plessis – turn, free aerial – flic – layout,  swich leap (low) – back tuck, split – scissone, side somi (wobble), sheep jump, ro – double pike off.

Pikul – swit h leap – back tuck, turn, free aerial (wobble), flic – layout, front tuck (step), switch 1/2, split – wolf jump, ro – double back (fall back).

Chambellant – wolf – split jump, free aerial – flic – layout (fall), switch ring leap, onodi (wobble, fall), switch leap – back tuck, free cartwheel, ff – ff – 2/1 off.

Martin- free aerial, swich leap – back tuck (wobble), flic – back pike (step), switch 1/2, free cartwheel, side somi, Y turn,
ro – double pike off.

Belgium FX

de Herdt -

Fransolet – double pike, double back, 2 1/2 (fall).

Weem – double pike, double back, 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1.

Rabaut – dobule pike (step), double back, double turn, 1 1/2 – 1/1 (supposed to be… fall to back), 2 1/2 – stag jump.

Rotation 3

Spain UB

Sanchez – hecht mount, stalder, endo, Jaeger, Bail, stldler unershoot, giant 1/1, double pike (tiny step).

Colom – stalder, stalder undershoot, toe on 1/1- Gienger (fall), overshoot, toe on undershoot, double pike off (step back).

Gamell – toe on, GIenger, short on HS, Bail, stadler undershoot, clear hip, giant 1/1 (legs open), endo (not enough power and fall), double pike off.

Popa – toe on 1/2 – Jaeger, toe on 1/1 (late) – Tkatchev (fall), Pak, extra cast on low bar, undershoot, giant 1/1, double layout off.

Germany VT

Ster – handspring front pike (squat landing, big step back).

Ehret – Yurchenko 1/1 (open legs).

Scheder – Yurchenko 1/1 (good height).

Schaefer – handspring ront pike.

France UB

Pikul – hecht mount, giant 1/1, Jaeger, Bail, undeshoot, double pike off.

Chambellant – shaposhnikova, Bail (lesgs off), double pike off.

Martin – Jaeger, Bail, stadler, undershoot, double pike off.

Vanhille – hecht mount, toe on 1/1 (legs), Jaeger, Bail, double pike.

Russia FX

Tipaeva – whip whip through double back, double pike, double turn in attitude, 1 1/2 punch layout, 2/1,

Shelgunova – 1 1/2 through double back, 2 1/2 punch front, 2/1, double pike.

Kharenkova – double arabian, whip flic whip flic double back, 2 1/2 – stag jump, double L turn, double pike (stuck).

Baturina – whip whip through double back, 2 1/2,  3 1/2 turn, leap sequence, 1 1/2 punch layout, double pike (low landing).

Belgium BB

Waem – free cartwheel – back tuck (fall), turn in L, switch leap – side somi, aerial to 2 feet,

Fransolet – free aerial – back tuck, 2/1 dismount.

Rabaut – front tuck, flic – layout, 2/1 off.

de Herdt – switch leap – split – wolf jump, side somi, gainer pike off.

Tsukahara pike for Beck, layout Yurchenko for Roberts.

Rotation 2

Spain VT

Colom – layout Yurchenko (steps back).

Gamell – layout Yurchenko (jump back).

Ros – Yurchenko 1/1 (step fwd).  // layout Yurchenko (hop).

Popa -  missed the first run near the spring board. Runs again, Yurchenko 1/1.  // 2nd vault: Yurchenko 2/1.

Germany FX

Ster – double back (several steps back), front 1/1 (hop), 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1.

Scheder – double back, 2 1/2, 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1.

Griesser – double back (step), Y turn, 2/1, 1 1/2 punch front.

Ehret – triple turn, dobule pike (oob), 1 1/2 punch front, tour jeté, double back.

Nikolett Karsai (HUN) with good endo, endo 1/2 and double pike off bars. Kajouk, Jaeger, Pak, clear hip 1/2, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, double pike off.  Eke on UB, Jaeger, overshoot, clear hip, toe on undershoot, double pike off.  Noemi Makra, toe on shaposhnkikova, Jaeger, Bail, open legs on giant 1/1, double layout (step).

France VT

Plessis – layout Yurchenko.

Chambellant – layout Yurchenko

Vanhille – layout Yurchenko.

Pikul – Tsukahara 1/1 // layout Tsukahara

Russia BB

Kuzmina – roll mount, free aerial – flic – back pike (wobble), ro – layout to 2 feet, Y turn, fre cartwheel, stop, switch leap – back tuck, split – wolf jump, ro – flic – 2/1 off.

Shelgunova – ro – layout to 2 feet, pause on leaps sequence, front tuck, free aerial – sheep jump, free cartwheel, turn, split – wolf jump, switch leap, ff – ff – double back (step).

Kharenkova – ff – ff – layout to 2 fet (wobble), swithc leap – back tuck, L turn to turn, front tuck (wobble), ree aerial, free cartwheel, Y turn, scissone – split jump, ff – ff – double pik eoff (step back).

Baturina – ro – layout 2 feet (fall), free aerial, sheep jump, free cartwheel (fall), switch leap, side somi, scissone – split jump, turn, ro – double back off (step).

Belgium UB

Waem – Bail, toe on undershoot, missed a ast to HS, empty, giant 1/1, Tkatchev, double pike off (step).

Fransolet -

Rabaut – toe on shaposhnikova (fall), Jaeger, Bail, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, double pike off.

Roberts on floor, fall on double back, double pike, 1 1/2 punch layout (low).

Rotation 1

Spain FX

Claudia Colom – double pike (steps back), 2/1, whip through 1/1, front 1 1/2 (low chest).

Laura Gamell – switch ring leap, double back, double Y turn, 2/1, double L turn, Clean routine.

Natalia Ros – 1 1/2 thorugh 2/1, double back, triple turn, 3/1, front 1/1.

Roxana Popa – Tsukahara (jump back), whip whip through double back (hop back), switch ring leap, double turn Y, 1 1/2 punch front, split 1/1, double pike off.

Germany BB

Sophie Scheder – free aerial, flic, free carthweel, turn in L, free aerial, sdie somi, switch 1/2, 2/1 off.

Alina Ehret – front tuck, back tuck, switch leap, free cartwheel, turn Y, flic – layout (bent knees), scissone – split jump, ro – 2/1 (near fall, slipped foot).

Leah Griesser – split jump, flic .- layout (fall), switch leap, sheep jump, free cartwheel, side somi, turn, ro – 2/1.

Pauline Schaefer – great mount from her, switch leap – split jump, free aerial, flic, sheep jump (big wobble), fre aerial, side somi, free cartwheel, front 1/1.

Noemi Makra, from Hungary, doing a Yurchenko 1/1 and handspring front pike.

Russia UB

Yulia Tipaeva – in stalder, in stadler 1/2 , Jaeger, stadler, stadler 1/1 (a bit late) – Tkatchev, Pak, stadler undrshoot, muscled HS, double arabian off (hop).

Viktoria Kuzmina – in stadler 1/2 -Jaeger, toe on, in stadler 1/1 (open legs) – Tkatchev, Pak, teo on 1/2, toe on undershoot, double front off (big step fwd),

Maria Kharenkova – in stadler, in stadler 1/2 on low bar, mistake and extra, in stadler undershoot, muscled kip to HS, piked Jaeger, clear hip, Pak, toe on straight undershoot, toe on 1/1, double pike off.

Evgeniya Shelgunova – toe on shaposhnikova, clear hip, toe on 1/1 -Tkatchev – Pak,(open legs), toe on 1/2, toe on undershoot, toe on 1/2 – Jaeger, double layout off (step),

France FX

Clara Chambellant – double pike (step back), double back, front layout – front tuck (stumbled fwd).

Valentine Pikul – 1 1/2 through double back, double pike, free aerial, 2/1.

Claire Martin – dobule pike (low chest landing), 2 1/2 (step), split 1/1, nice expression, stumbled out of 2/1 turn, switch leap, tour jeté, front layout front tuck, switch ring leap, 2/1 dismount.

Louise Vanhille – double pike, double back, switch ring leap, tour jeté 1/2, 1 1/2 through back layout, free aerial, 2/1 (open legs). Nice choreography.

Belgium VT

Helia Hocquet – Tsukahara piked.

Laura Waem -layout Yurchenko

Berenger Fansolet -Yurchenko 1/1 (stuck)

Ellen Rabaut – Yurchenko 1/1

Roberts (IRL) free aerial,  flic – layout, switch leap – back tuck, split – wolf jump, L turn, free cartwheel (wobble and fall), side split jump (fal), ; Beck (IRL) front tuck, flic – layout, free cartwheel, back tuck,

Rotation 5

Great Britain BB

Hockenhull -wolf jump – scissone, free aerial – flic, switch leap, switch 1/2, turn, free cartwheel (tiny wobble), side somi, side split jump, ro – double back off (step back).

Romaeo – switch leap – back tuck, illusion turn (nice), turn, flic – layout, front tuck, side split jump, free cartwheel, ro – 2 1/2 (step fwd).

Fellows – back tuck, free aerial – flic – layout, side somi, fall, turn, scissone – split jump, side split jump, ff – ff – double back (step back).

Jupp – switch 1/2, split  wolf, free aerial – flic – layotu (step), double turn, fre cartwheel, switch leap – back tuck, front tuck (wobble), ro – double back off.

Sweden FX

Ayan -double back, 1 1/2 punch front, front 1/1, 2/1 off.

Estberg – double back (step), 2 1/2 (stumbled fwd out of it), swich leap, switch 1/2, Y turn, 1 1/2 punch front, double pike (stuck).

Singmuang – Tsukahara, double arabian, 1 1/2 punch layout, double pike (jump back).

Larsson – double pike, double back, 1 1/2 punch layout (near fall, maybe butt touched the mat), 2 1/2.

Goktekin on vault layout/pike Yurchenko, Chachua on vault and Mrdjenovic on vault, nice handspring front pike.

Romania FX

Stanila – fall on first twisting tumbling pass, 3/1, double back, 2/1.

Zarzu – 2 1/2 punch front punch front, 3/1, double back, double pike off.

Munteanu – 2 1/2 punch front, double pike, double back, 2/1 off.

Aribasoiu – 2 1/2 Y turn, double pike (stuck), double back (big step), double turn, 1 1/2 punch front (big jump fwd), front 1/1 off.

Ukraine BB

Ilnytska -roll mount, front tuck, side somi, switch leap – split jump, free aerial – flic – layout, switch ring leap, front full off.

Kloptsova – free carthwel – flic (big wobble, she saved the fall), free aerial, switch leap – back tuck, onodi (wobble), sheep jump, split – wolf jump, switch ring leap, Y turn (overrotated), ro – 2/1 off.

Vasylieva – free carthweel – layout (fall), free aerial, switch leap – wolf jump, switch 1/2, front tuck, turn, switch ring leap, side somi (fall), ro – double back off.

Matveyeva – free aerial – flic – layout (wobble), front tuck, side somi, switch leap – back tuck, side split jump, split – wolf jump, free cartwheel, front 1/1.

Plyta on vault, Yurchenko in layout (near stick it).

Rotation 4

Great Britain UB

Theaker -toe on – shpaosniokva (tucked legs), Bail, undershoot, clear hip, Tkatchev (low), Tsukahara off.

Romaeo – giant 1/2 – Jaeger (low), clear hip, Tkatchev, short on HS, stadler, Bail (open legs), undershoot, giant 1/1, double layout (piked down).

Fellows – hecht mount, Gienger (nice), Bail, toe on undershoot, clear hip, Tkatchev, giant 1/1, double layout (stuck).

Jupp – fall on pirouette, Gienger, Bail, full twisting double layout.

Sweden BB

Ayan -flic – layout, turn (wobble), side somi, switch leap, side split, ro – 2/1 (overtime).

Estberg – sheep jump, side somi, free aerial – flic – layout (wobble), switch leap – back tuck, turn (check), ff – ff – 2/1 off.

Rumbutis – free aerial – back tuck, switch leap – back tuck, sheep jump (not good), split – scissone – wolf jump, Y turn, side somi, ro – 2/1 off.

Larsson – press mount, free aerial (wobble), flic – layout, split – wolf jump, turn, switch leap – back tuck (wobble), side somi, side split jump, ff – ff – double back (hop fwd).

Ukraine UB

Fedorova – toe on, toe on shaposhnikova, Bail, toe on undershoot, Jaeger, double back off.

Matveyeva – toe on shaposhniova, giant 1/2 – Tkatchev, Bail ( abit short), 1/1 to undershoot, giant 1/2 – piked Jaeger, som short HS, double front off (step fwd), 13.533

Vasylieva – in stalder 1/1 (late)(, toe on – shaposhnikova to Bail, stadler undershoot, in stadler 1/2 – piked Jaeger, Tkatchev (high), double front off.

Kloptsova – toe on 1/1, Tkatchev, Pak, stadler undershoot, muscled kip to HS, double front off (big step fwd).

Romania BB

Stanila – switch leap – side somi, flic  back pike, front tuck, turn, split – scissone, free cartwheel, switch 1/2, ro – 2 1/2 off. 13.533

Tudorache – switch leap – free cartwheel, free aerial, flic – back pike, turn Y (big wobble), aerial to 2 feet – side somi, ro – 2/1 off.

Munteanu – switch leap, back tuck, side somi, free aerial, switch 1/2, front tuck, split – scissone, ff – ff – double back off (step back).

Aribasoiu – side somi, switch leap – back tuck (wobble), split – scissone, turn, flic – back pike (wobble), free aerial, switch 1/2 (step back), sheep jump, ro – 2/1 off.

Derek, Tsukahara, double back, sky high tumbling, Valentic on flor, double back to fall back, 1 1/2 punch front,

Rotation 3

Great Britain VT

Theaker -Yurchenko 1/1 (big distance, good). // layout Yurchenko as second vault

Romaeo – handspring front pike (step back).

Jupp – Yurchenko 1/1. // layout Yurchenko (step back).

Fellows – Yurchenko 1 1/2 (a bit low, steps back), // layout Yurchenko.

Sweden UB

Estberg -Pak, clear hip, toe on undershoot, giant 1/  Jaeger, giant 1/1 (late turn), double layout (piked down) dismount.

Ayan – Jaeger, Pak (open legs), no HS on low bar, stadler undershoot, giant 1/1, double pike off (close to bars, step fwd).

Larsson – Pak, stadler, toe on undershoot, toe on, giant 1/2 – Jaeger (close), gaint 1/11 (legs a bit off(, double pike off (close to the bars, stuck).

Singmuang – Tkatchev, clear hip (extra swing), Jaeger, a bit short on HS, Pak, clear hip 1/2 on low bar, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, full twisting double layout off.

Ukraine VT

Darya Matveyeva – Yurchenko 1/1 (jump back) // handspring front tuck (tiny feet adjustment on landing).

Olena Vasylieva – Yurchenko 1/1 13.266 // missed the run in the second vault, but didn’t touch the table. No time enough. She got a 0.

Yana Fedorova – Yurchenko 1/1 // handspring front tuck (big step fwd).

Anastasiya Ilnytska – layout Yurchenko.

Romania UB

Cristina Tudorache – toe on undershoot, Gienger, fail to reach HS, double pike off (step back),

Alina Stanila – clear hip, toe on udnershoot, giant 1/2 – Jaeger (fall), repate and caught, Bail (open legs), undershoot, giant 1/1, 2/1 flyaway dismount. 11.900

Andreea Munteanu – clear hip, toe o, stadler undershooot, Gienger (open legs)(, Bail, undershoot, giant 1/2, giant 1/1, double pike off (step). 13.033

Miriam Aribasciu – Gienger, Bail, stadler undershoot, muscled HS, giant 1/2, giant 1/1 (a bit late), double pike off (step back).

Mokosova (SVK) on beam free cartwheel, side aerial, front full off.

Plyta on floor, front 1 1/2, back layout, front 1/1 dismount. Varra, 2 1/2, 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1 dismount.

Chachua on floor, double pike to knees (fall), 2 1/2 to some kind of strange jump that didn’t come out well, turn in L, switch leap, 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1.

Goketkein 2 1/2, double back, 1 1/2 punch front (low, squat landing), 2/1 off.

Mrdjenovic on floor, double back, front 1/1 punch front, split 1/1, tour jeté, 2 1/2, double turn in L, switch leap, sdie split, cartwheel, 2/1. Nice lines.

Rotation 2

Sweden VT

Ece Ayan – layout Yurchenko (hop).

Lovisa Estberg -layout Yurchenko.

Emma Larsson -Yurchenko 1/1 (stuck). // ro – 1/2 on – pike off (big jump).

Julia Rumbutis – scratch.

Kamile Goktekin on beam, press to HS mount, flic – layout, switch leap, back tuck (wobble), split – wolf jump, free cartwheel, side split, turn in L (overrotated, wobble), gainer pike off.

Ana Derek on UB did a Comaneci a open legs Pak to dead hang, extra swing, back pike off. Koljanin, toe on undershoot, stadler on lb, back pike off. Poscic did a 1 1/2 flyaway dismount.

Obrazcova (LTU) on floor, 2 1/2 (fall), front 1/1, front layout – front pike, 2/1 dismount.

Chachua (GEO) on beam, free aerial, flic – back tuck, switch leap, aerial to 2 feet (wobble), sheep jump, split – wolf jump, ro – 1 1/2.

Mrdjenovic (SRB) on beam, switch 1/2, front tuck (wobble), flic, turn in L, wolf 1/1 jump (fall), free cartwheel – side somi, wolf jump – split jump, 1/1 tuck jump, front 1/1 (step back).

Romania VT

Alina Stanila – Yurchenko 2/1 (a bit low). 13.966 // 2nd vault: Yurchenko 1/1 (stumbled fwd, step).

Siliva Zarzu – Yurchenko 1/1.  // 2nd: Yurchenko 1 1/2 (short, fall).

Andreea Munteanu – Yurchenko 1 1/1 (jump), // 2nd: Layout Yurchenko (step).

Miriam Aribasoiu – Yurchenko layout/pike.

Greek’s Evangelina Plyta free aerial (wobble and fall), free carthweel,side split jump (big wobble), flic – laoyut (fall and lost the ponytail…), sheep jump, ro – 2/1 off. Good lines. Her team mate, Verra, free aerial – flic – back tuck, switch leap, scissone – wolf jump, aerial to 2 feet, sheep jump (not head release), turn in L, free cartwheel (fall), ro – 1 1/2 off.

Georgsdottir (ISL)  double back, front layout, front through back tuck, 2/1 off.  Josepsdottir 3/1, double back (fall to knees, chest), front layout – front tuck, 2/1. Bergthorsdottir on floor, double pike (hand down), double back, front layout – front 1/1, switch 1/1, 1 1/2 dismount. Thrastardottir, double pike (low chest, landed with one foot oob), front through 1/1, 1 1/2 (fall).

Rotation 1

Great Britain FX

Georgina Hockenhull – double arabian (jump fwd, oob), 1 1/2 through double back (fall fwd), switch leap, tour jeté, 2/1, side split, double pike off (step back). 11.500

Angel Romaeo -switch leap, whip whip through double back (step), front 2/1 (tiny step fwd), illusion turn to turn, double pike, 2 1/2 (steps fwd and oob).

Charlie Fellows -Tsukahara (a bit low chest), 3/1, switch ring leap, 1 1/2 through 2/1, double back (step fwd).

Gabrielle Jupp – Tsukahara (stuck), double back (stuck), switch ring leap, switch 1/1, 1 1/2 – 1/1 (step fwd), turn in L, tour jeté, double pike off (a bit low, step fwd).

Ukraine  FX

Darya Kloptsova -double pike,1 1/2 through 2/1, front 1/1, 2 1/1 (slightly short, step to the side). 12.800

Darya Mateyeva – 1 1/2 – 1/1 (jump), dobule pike (stumbled out back, oob), switch 1/1, double back (low chest, hand down or brushed the mat), tour jeté, 2/1 dismount.

Olena Vasylieva – double arabian (stumbled forward, oob), double pike (hop), switch ring leap, switch 1/2 leap, front through 2/1, switch 1/1 jump, double back (fall fwd, hand down).

Yana Fedorova – 1 1/2 punch layout, double back (stuck), switch leap, tour jeté 1/2, turn in Y, 2 1/2, tour jeté, 2/1 dismount. Elegant long legged gymnast.

Evangelina Plyta (GRE) on UB, hight Tkatchev, in stalder 1/2 – Jaeger, Bail, stadler undershoot, double pike off (step back). 13.833 (5.8). Nice lines and boy position. Martha Verra (GRE), no HS, toe on, Tkatchev, Bail (short on HS), problems on kips to HS, undershoot to dead hang, stop, giant 1/2, legs off, double pike off (hands down).

Barbora Mokosova (SVK) with a layout Yurchenko as first vault /13.000) and handspring front tuck (step back).

Berghtorsdottir (ISL) on beam, scissone – wolf jump, flic – layout (step and fall), turn, free cartwheel, back tuck. Josepsdottir (ISL) on beam, starts with a press to HS mount, switch leap, turn, free aerial (big wobble), side somi (fall), side somi, switch 1/2, back tuck, front full off.

Croatia doing Tuskahara pikes from Ana Poscic, Elija Valentic and Karmen Koljanin. Ana Derek did Tsukahara 1/1 (good distance, jump fwd) , her second vault handspring front tuck 1/2 off.

Tamara Mrdejnovic from Serbia had good stadlers and clear hip on low bar, but no content on high bar, 1/1 flyaway dismount.

Kamile Goktekein  Tkatchev, Pak (open legs), endo on1/2 on low bar, toe on 1/1, toe on undershoot, Tsukahara off. 13.033. Her coach and her are very happy.

Subdivision 4

The Netherlands – They start on vault, with Goedkoop doing a ro – 1/2 on – pike 1/2 off, a bit low. Lisa Top, Tsukahara 1/1, Masela DTY (a bit short, step). Her second attempt was much better. As second vault, she does a handspring front pike 1/2 off. Ruikes did a FTY too.

Bars. Top on bars, toe on 1/1 – Gienger, Jaeger, Bail, stadler undershoot, double pike off. Goedkoop, Hecht mount, toe on 1/1 – Delchev, toe on 1/2 – Jaeger, Bail, undershoot, double front off. Van Gerner, hecht mount, in stalder, in stalder 1/2 – Jaeger, in stadler 1/1 – Bail, undershoot, stadler 1/1, extra giant, double back. Masela only swing bars with a layout off dismount. Later she did a Jaeger, Bail, no dismount. Ruikes, Jaeger, Pak, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, Tsukahara off.

Beam. Top, fall on a couple of skills (back tuck), 2 1/2 off. Goedkoop, switch leap, free aerial – flic – back tuck (wobble, grab the beam), turn, switch 1/2 (slipped foot but saved), free cartwheel, sheep jump, wobble on front tuck, 1 1/2 off. Van Gerner, split leap, switch leap – back tuck, ro – layout to 2 feet (fall), front tuck, switch 1/1 (not 180), free aerial – flic – layout (fall), free cartwheel, switch 1/2, ro – double back off. Ruikes, side split jump, split – wolf jump, free cartwheel, switch – gainer layout, turn, ro – double back off (fall back).

Floor. Goedkoop, double pike (step, oob),  1 1/2 punch layout, front 1/1, double back (low chest, stuck). Masela, double turn in L, 1 1/2 through double back, 2/1, switch 1/1, front 1 1/2, double pike. Top, double arabian (landed oob), Tsukahara, 2 1/2 punch layout (fall back), double back off. Ruikes, 2 1/2, double pke, 1 1/2 through 2/1, double back.

Germany – Pia Tolle opens floor with double pike, front layout through layout, switch ring leap, front 1/1, back layout. She dances to Vogue (Madonna). Lisa Hill, double pike, 1 1/2 punch layout, triple turn, tour jeté, front 1/1, double back with several steps. Bui, Tsukahara, 2 1/2 – barani (low), double back, double pike off.

On vault, Jarosch did a FTY despite the foot, Bui did FTY. Hill a FTY. Chusovitina a wild legs Tuskahara 1 1/2, the second attemp was much better.

Bars. Jarosch, toe on 1/1, toe on undershoot, toe on 1 1/2 (off, fall), Bail, dead hang, Tsukahara off.  Hill, toe on shaposhnikova, clear hip 1/1 -  Gienger, toe on 1/1 – , Jaeger, Tsukahara off.  Bui, toe on 1/1 – Gienger, Jaeger, Pak, shaposhnikova, Bail, Tsukahara off. A toe on shaposhnikova 1/2 from Bui as well. Tolle fell on bars, had problems on the pirouettes, high Jaeger, double front off.

Beam. Hill, onodi (check), turn in L, free cartwheel, insecure, free aerial, switch leap, flic – layout, switch 1/2 (wobble and fall), side somi (fall), ro – layout off. Bui, ro – layout mount, free cartwheel, switch leap – wolf jump, flic – layout, side somi, double turn (fall), swich 1/2, ro – double pike off. Jarosch, fron tuck, flic – layout, double turn, switch 1/2 (wobble), free cartwheel, side somi, switch leap – back tuck, illusion turn, ro – 2/1. Tolle, free aerial – flic – layout, turn in L to turn (wobble), free cartwheel – side somi, switch leap – split jump – wolf jump, switch 1/2, ro – back tuck dismount.

Sweden – Genberg, scissone – wolf jump, side somi (wobble), front tuck, turn, aerial to 2 feet – back tuck, side somi, switch leap, front 1/1 off. Rothe, switch leap – wolf jump,flic – layout (fall), aerial to 2 feet, turn, free cartwheel, side somi, front 1/1 off. Wagner, switch leap, front tuck – back tuck, flic – layout (bent knees), turn, wolf 1/1 jump, side somi, switch 1/2, side aerial (wobble), running double front off.

Floor. Rothe, front 1/1 punch front, front 1 1/2 to finish. Genberg, double pike (step back, oob), 1 1/2 punch front, 2/1, 2 1/2. Wagner, running double front (fall), double back, front 1/1 punch layout (jump), triple turn to wolf 1/1 jump, front 1 1/2. Wagner lands with no problems the double front later.

Vault. Genberg, handspring front 1/2 off and layout Tsukahara. Rothe does a handspring front 1/2 off as well and a layout Yurchenko. Wagner vaults a handspring front pike.

Bars.  Rothe, jump to HB, clear hip, giant 1/2 , open legs, Jaeger, Bail (no HS), toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, 1 1/2 flyaway off.  Adlerteg, clear hip shaposhniokva to Pak, toe on, toe on shaposhniova to Bail, toe on undershoot,  toe on 1/1, Jaeger, double layout off.  Gustaffson, clear hip, clear hip shaposhnikova to Bail, toe on undershoot, clear hip 1/1 – Gienger, clear hip – Tkatchev, a bit short on HS, Jaeger, Tsukahara off.

Ojala, double pike, 1 1/2 punch front (fall), double back off. Laisi had problems with the 1 1/2 punch layout (hand down). Pakkala, switch ring leap, double back, 2/1, double pike (squat landing, step fwd). A handspring front pike and FTY from some Finnish girls.  One of the girls on bars with Jaeger, Bail, toe on 1/1 on low bar, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, double arabian off (fall).  Next one with a hecht mount, giant 1/2 – Jaeger, stadler 1/1 (wild les) to Pak, stalder unershoot, double front off (sat down). Next one, piked Jaeger, Tkatchev into Pak, shaposhnikova to Bail, giant 1/1, double front off (sat down, no rotation).

Ireland on UB, one girl  a Pak., clear hip, toe on undershoot, some problems after it, she keeps falling, layout off.  The other, undershoot and that’s pretty much everything. First on beam, free aerial (fall, soft knee), switch leap, scissone – wolf jump, flic – layout (fall), balke don dismount (round off balked), ro – 2/1 off (low chest, step). The second mounts with a split jump, turn, flic – layout (steps and fall), free cartwheel, switch leap (stop), back tuck, she connected it earlier, front 1/1 off. On floor, Lunn does back layout, front through 1/1, 1 1/2, 2/1 off. Second gymnast, double pike (falls back), switch leap, front tumbling, double back off. No Irish girl vaults.

Valeria Grisane from Latvia does a high handspring pike front and a huge layout Tsukahara. Double pike dismount from bars. On floor, Tsukahara, double back, switch ring leap, 2 1/2.

Mileva from Bulgaria vaults a tsukahara pike. On bars does a Jaeger, double layout off.

Millousi on beam, ro – layout mount, free cartwheel – switch leap – back tuck, sheep jump, side somi, switch ring leap – wolf jump, free aerial – flic – layout, ro – double pike off.

Subdivision 3

Spain – Colussi, endo, Jaeger, stadler 1/1 . Tkatchev, Bail (open legs), undershoot, double layout off (stubmled fwd). In the second time, Colussi cleans up the stadler 1/1 to Tkatchev. Vargas, toe on – shaposhnikova – Pak (open legs), toe on – shaposhnikova 1/2, toe on 1/2 – Jae3ger, toe on 1/1 – Bail, stadler undershoot, giant 1/2 – double front off. Better shaposhnikova and shaposhnikova 1/2 from Vargas in the second time. Izurieta, toe on undershoot, toe on 1/1 – Gienger, Jaeger, a bit short on HS, Bail (arched back), undershoot, giant 1/1, dobule layout off (piked down and step fwd). She was requested to make the double layout several times to straight it.

Beam. Colussi starts beam with a press to HS with stag position, switch leap – back tuck, free cartwheel – layout, free aerial, turn in Y, ro – double pike off (squat landing).  Vargas, Silivas mount, ro – layout to 2 feet (fall). Starts again, Silivas mount, ro – layout 2 feet (stuck), switch leap – layout, side split jump, side somi, switch 1/2 (not 180), split – wolf jump, turn, ro – double pike off. Izurieta, ro – layout mount, flic – ff – layout 2 feet, switch – layout, sheep jump, free cartwheel  – side somi, split – wolf jump, turn in L to spin, ff – ff – 2 1/2 (a bit short, step to the side). Carmona on beam, split – wolf jump, flic – layout (bent knees), turn in Y, switch 1/2, free cartwheel, side somi, free aerial (wobble), switch leap – back tuck, ro – double pike off (fall back).

Floor. Carmona leads off, front 2/1, front 1/1 punch front, double pike off. Vargas, Tsukahara, whip whip through double back (jump back), 3/1 (underrotated, big step forward), double pike (hand down, low chest). Izurieta, whip whip through 2/1 (supposed to be a 3/1), Tsukahara, triple turn (nice), 1 1/2 (landed wrongly so awkward round off) to layout, 2 1/2 off. Not a good effort. Colussi, Tsukahara, double back, double turn in Y ( a bit off), 1 1/2 punch layout, switch 1/1, double pike (stuck). Rojas, Tsukahara (stuck but low chest), whip whip through double back, switch ring leap, switch 1/2, double turn, front somi through 2/1, double pike (squat landing but stuck).

Vault. DTY from Izurieta (underrotated first try, fall on the second, hit the last try),  FTY from all the others. Colussi didn’t vault. Vargas is the best FTY of all of them.

Ukraine – Cherniy doing FTY and handspring front pike, as well as Livchikova.

Bars. Kononenko fell on the shaposhnikova. stadler – Tkatchev to Pak, toe on – shaposhniova (open legs), Tkatchev 1/2 – jaeger, double front off. Sankova. shaposhnikova, toe on 1/1 – Tkatchev, Bail (open legs), undershoot, double front off. Livchikova seemed to struggle to complete a full routine, I didn’t see her doing one at all.

Beam. Cherniy, roll mount, ro – layout 2 feet (fall), switch leap – wolf jump, free aerial, free cartwheel, turn, side somi, ro – double pike off. Sankova, switch 1/2, ro – layout 2 feet (fall, that Ukranian typical fall), switch ring leap, turn in L, free aerial, switch leap, wolf jump, side somi, free cartwheel, ro – double pike off. Livchikova, roll mount, free aerial – fron tuck (tiny wobble), sheep jump, turn in L, arabian, switch leap (wobble),  repeat it without wobblying, free cartwheel – layout, switch 1/2, split – wolf jump, ro – double back off (stumbled forward, big step).

Floor. Fomenko, Tsukahara (low, landed oob), fall on second twisting pass, double back, double pike. Sankova, double arabian, 1 1/2 through double back, double turn in Y, 2 1/2, double pike off. Nice routine. Livchikova, whip – 3/1 (a bit short, slightly underrotated), double front – stag jump, switch ring leap, tour jeté 1/2,  2 1/2, double turn in Y, switch 1/1, double back off. Cherniy, double back (stuck), 2 1/1 (wild legs), front somi through 2/1, double turn (not that good), double pike (low, step fwd).

Belarus – They start on bars. giant 1/1 (late), Tkachev, Bail, toe on undershoot, double pike off.  The second does a hecht mount, giant 1 1/2 – piked Jae3ger, toe on 1/1 – Gienger, she is a late turner, Pak, muscled cast to HS on low bar to fall, stadler undershoot, hop 1/1 – double pike off. Marachovskaya toe on 1/2 – piked Jaeger (fall), Pak, toe on 1/1, toe on – shaposhnikova (fall), toe on layout 1/2 off.  The next one, toe on – Tkatchev, Bail, toe on full – stalder undershoot, problems on HS, double pike off. Last one, toe on 1/1, toe on undrshoot, toe on 1/2 – Jaeger, fail to reach HS, Bail, undershoot, dead hang and gets off, double pike off. They have improved from previous years. Marachovskaya gets up to to the toe on 1/2 – piked Jaeger sucessfully, but she keeps struggling with the toe on 1/1 on low bar and the toe on shaposhnikova.

Beam. Free aerial, side somi (fall), flic- layout, aerial to 2 feet, free cartwheel, ro 2/1.  Second up, switch leap – back tuck, free aerial – side somi, fron tuck (wobble), switch ring leap, wolf jump – split jump, ro – double back off. Marachovskya, free aerial – flic, free cartwheel, side somi, aerial to 2 feet, side split, switch leap – scissone, ro – double pike (big step fwd, low chest).  Next up, scissone – split jump, free aerial, flic – layout, double turn (big wobble and fall), aerial to 2 feet, side somi, ff – ff – 1 1/2 off. The other one, free aerial – side somi, back tuck, switch leap, turn, wolf – split (not 180), front tuck, ro – 1 1/2.

Floor. Mohovstova, double pike, 2 1/2. Yekimenko, switch 1/1, double pike, double back (low but well rotated), switch ring leap, tour jeté, front layout – fron tuck (fall), front 1/1. Sotnikova, front 2/1, double pike, front 1/1 punch front, double back. Kaahng, double pike (steps and oob), turn Y, switch 1/1, front layout – front tuck, switch ring leap, switch leap, 2/1 off.

One Belarus’ girl did a wonderful handspring front pike 1/2 off on vault. Fantastic FTY from Marachovskaya, stuck, high and well done. Her second vault a handspring front pike. A coulpe of falls from others on handspring front pike. A good ro – 1/2 on – front tuck from another. I believe I saw a Tsukahara 1/2 from one of the girls.

Svilpaite on bars, as lovely and heacasey as always. toe on undershoot, endo 1/2, keeps doing stalders to nothing. Not even a full routine from her.

Palesova (CZE) on floor dances to classical music, double turnin Y, 1 1/2 – 1/1, double pike, double back (hand down). FTY on vault. Sikulova does a FTY on vault as well, a handspring type second vault. On beam, flic – layout, onodi, switch leap – back tuck, side somi, front tuck (fall), Y turn, ro – layout off. Siulkova on bars, in stalder, in stadler 1/2 – Markelov, stadler 1/1 – Gienger, Bail, stadler undershoot, giant 1/2 – double front off.

Lithuanian on vault, handspring front tuck (fall), she stands up a couple others.

Maksyuta on vault doing DTY (crossed legs), on bars she didn’t do her double front 1/1 dismount, instead, double front 1/2 off.

Noway on beam show a swtich leap – back tukc, wolf 1/1 jump, free cartwheel, front 1 1/2 off. THe second up does a flic – back pike (off). Nice double turn from one of them. One of them had a Gienger, Jaeger and double pike off on bars. Another one did a Markelo (not well done). Norway is a much improved country from other times. Nice evolution, they are now on par with Finland and Iceland, and just behind Sweden in the Nordic countries.

Subdivision 2

France, Switzerland, Belgium and Great Britain are the teams to watch at this subdivision.

France – Brevet on floor, piked Tsukahara (stuck), 1 1/2 through double back (low chest), 2/1, switch 1/1, double pike (hands down).Sabatou  double arabian (to fall forward), front pike through 1 1/2, double back, double pike (fall back). Khum 2 1/2 punch layout, very underrotatd 3/1 followed from some whips, 1 1/2 through 2/1, double back (hands down).  Serseri Tsukahara, 1 1/2 punch layout, double back, 2/1, double pike off. Not a good rotation for them.

Vault. Serseri Yurchenko 1 1/2 (good distance, position). Dufournet Yurchenko 1 1/2 (a bit short), crashed the second vault ro – 1/2 on – layout 1/2 off. Khum DTY and a second vault ro – 1/2 on – pike off. Sabatou handspring front tuck (fall). Dufournet keeps struggling with her second vault, low chest or stumbled forward.

Bars. Sabatou in stalder on low bar, toe on shaposhnikova, Jaeger, Bail, stalder undershoot, clear hip, giant 1/1, double layout (piked down and to knees). Khumstadler 1/1, toe on undershoot, clear hip 1/1- Gienger, Jaeger, Bail, undershoot, double layout (stuck), Dufournet, weiler (not to HS), toe on shaposhniova, clear hip 1/1 , stadler Tkatchev to Pak, stadler shaposhnikova, clear hip 1/2 – Gienger, double layout off (stuck). Brevet, toe on 1/1, toe on – shaposhnikova, Bail, undershoot, Jaeger, toe on 1/2, double arabian off. Dufournet second routine. Weiler 1/2, shaposhnikova, clear hip 1/1 . stalder Tkatchev – Pak, stadler – shaposhnikova to fall on going to do the clear hip. Khum some problmes on the stalder 1/1 on low bar to toe on undershoot. Dufournet last opportunity stats on the stalder shaposhnikova to clear hip 1/2 – Gienger, double layout (near stuck).

Beam. Serseri, split mount, free aerial, side somi, flic – arabian, switch leap, rulfova, turn, ro – double back. Khum, split – wolf jump, free aerial – flic – layout (wobble), onodi, switch – back tuck, sheep jump, ro – 3/1. Dufournet, roll mount, double turn, free cartwheel – switch leap – layout, onodi (slow) to free aerial – flic – layout, turn in L, split – scissone, ro – double pike off (fall back).

Great Britain – Harrold Jaeger, toe on 1/1 – Pak, arched back, toe on – shaposhnikova – Pak 1/1, shaposhnikova 1/2,  toe on (straddled legs and fall over the bar),  kip to HS, to double front off.  Tunney Hecht mount, in stalder 1/2 – Jaeger, toe on – Tkatchev – Pak, toe on – shaposhonikova – Bail, undershoot, giant 1/1 (Ia bit off) – Tsukahara off.  toe on – shaposhnikova – Gienger Between bars, giant 1/2 – Jaeger, clear hip 1/1 – Bail, double front off (stumbled fwd).  Francis, toe on – shaposhnikova – Bail (legs), undershoot, inverted, Jaeger, toe on 1/2, giant 1/1, double arabian off (fall). Pinches toe on, toe on – shaposhnikova 1/2 (close), Jaeger, stadler, giant 1/1, Bail, stadler undershoot, double back off.

Beam. Pinches, turn, free aerial (check), flic – layout to 2 feet, switch leap – wolf jump, sheep jump, free cartwheel, side somi (straddle beam and fall), switch 1/2, flic – ff – double pike off (low chest). Francis  with Silivas mount, free aerial – flic – layout, double turn (wobble), free cartwheel (wobble and near fall), switch leap – Y turn (a bit short), side somi, flic – ff – double back off (steps). Whelan, free aerial – switch leap – onodi – sheep jump (a bit iffy), free aerial – flic – layout, 2/1 cossak turn, scissone- wolf jump, switch ring leap, ro – 2 1/2. Solid. Tunney free cartwheel, front tuck, side split jump, witch leap – wolf jump, aerial to 2 feet, flic – back pike, turn, back tuck, ro – double pike off. Harrold press mount to HS, split – wolf jump, front tuck, flic – layout, free cartwheel, turn, switch leap, ro – double back off.

Floor. Pinches opens with a Tsukahara, 1 1/2 through double back (low and hands down), switch ring leap, switch 1/2, 2 1/2, switch 1/1, double pike (soft knees). Tunney, whip – double arabian (fall), piked Tsukahara, stumbled out off triple turn, 1 1/2 through 2 1/2 (a tad short), double pike (step back, oob). Whelan, whip – 3/1, 1 1/2 through 2 1/2 (big step fwd), switch ring leap, double back, double pike off. Harrold,  tsukahara, front 2/1, 1 1/2 – 1/1, illusion, switch ring leap, switch 1/1, 2 1/2. Francis, double turn in Y, double arabian (sat down), whip through double back, switch leap, switch 1/2, front 1/1, switch 1/1, 2 1/2.

Vault. Whelan FTY at her first try, then a Yurchenko 1 1/2, Tunney DTY, Pinches FTY, Francis FTY, Harrold FTY, to then perform a clean DTY.

Switzerland – Diacci switch leap – back tuck, free cartwheel (grab the beam), front tuck, switch ring leap, free aerial – flic – layout (low and fall), turn, double back off. Steingruber front pike, switch leap – side somi (wobble), flic – layout to 2 feet, scissone, free aerial (wobble), turn (check), switch 1/2 (good), gainer pke 1/1 off. Mulhauser front tuck, flic – back pike, free cartwheel, wolf jump – scissone, sheep jump (not good), side somi, turni n L, side split, ro – double back off.

Floor. Mullhauser double pike, 1 1/2 – barani, 2/1, double back. Steingruber didn’t do the double layout (walked through), 1 1/2 – 1/1. Thrid gymnast, Metzger,  double pike, double back, front somi through 1/1, 1 1/2 off. Barloggio double pike, some salsa remix…., 1 1/2 punch front, double back (oob).

Steingruber, on vault, struggled with the Yurchenko 1 1/2 and did the handspring front 1 1/2 with low chest.

Belgium – handspring front tuck 1/2 off; some problmes for Mys on FTY. Another one doing a FTY. Croket handspring front 1/1,

Bars. Croket with a high Tkatchev, Jaeger, Tsukahara off. Nearly the same selection of skills for the second gymnast.

Croket switch wolf, flic – ff – layout to 2 feet, front tuck, switch 1/2, Y turn, free aerial, side somi, double pike off. Mys, switch ring leap, onodi – sheep jump, free aerial – flic – layout,  turn, switch – back tuck,  ro – double pike off.

Floor. Mys, front 2/1 – 1/2, double back, switch 1/1, 2/1, double pike (low and fall to knees). 2nd: Piked Tsukahara, double pike, 1 1/2 – 1/1 (fall), switch 1/2, 2 1/2.  Croket, piked Tsukahara, front 2/1, 2 1/2 – 1/1, double pike.

Subdivision 1

Italy, Romania and Russia are the top three teams heading to 2012 Europeans, and the (bad) luck put all of them in the first subdivision

Italy -Fasana doing DTY. Fasana second vault is handspring front layout. Ferrari Yurchenko 1 1/2 (a couple of falls), Ferlitto Yurchenko 1 1/2 (sat down the first one), she stood up the last one but it was a bit short. De Agostini doing FTY. Later on Ferari tried a DTY with poor height and twisting form.

On bars,  while doing a routine, Ferrari’s hand peeled off low bar and fell to back, without any consequence.  Campana does a Bi – Jaeger, Bail, stadler undershoot, double layout off (piked down). Ferrarigiant 1/1 . Bi – Jaeger, Bail, stadler undershoot, clear hip, Tsukahara off.  Ferlitto struggling on bars, she won’t compete this event on Thursday. Just easy swing. Fasana does a toe on – Tkatchev, Bail, giant 1/1, double layout off. It seems they don’t practise many full sets.

Beam. DeAgostini, split – wolf jump, switch ring leap, free aerial – flic – layout, a bit low, switch leap – back tuck, sheep jump, turn, front tuck, ro – double pike off (to fall first time, second ok). Ferlitto with a nice split handstand to touch head, switch leap – back tuck – sheep jump, flic – layout to 2 feet (she had a few problems wit this), turn to Y turn – split jump, free aerial – flic – layout, switch ring leap, ro – 2 1/2 (stuck). Campana fell on a kochetkova – flic,  flic – flic – layout, switch ring leap, free aerial – sheep jump, free cartwheel, split – scissone, side somi, ro – double pike off. Ferrari does her typical press mount, switch leap – back tuck, free aerial – sheep jump (better than other times), turn, switch ring leap, split – wolf jump, Fasana did a flic – layout to 2 feet, switch – back tuck, turn, side somi, free aerial, switch 1/2 (a bit iffy), ro – timer for double pike off.

Ferrari double double (hand down), Tsukahara – back tuck (landed oob), 1 1/2 – 1/1, switch ring leap, switch 1/1, double pike off.  Fasana opens with a double layout (not good), Tsukahara (low chest), switch 1/1, double Y turn, 1 1/2 punch layout, double pike (step off, oob). Ferlitto stats with a 3/1 (issues with legs), dobule back, switch ring leap, whip through 2/1, stumbled out 2/1 Y turn, double pike (to knees).

Romania – Izbasa, Haidu, Bulimar and Iordache doing bars at the moment. Bulimar starts with kip on low bar, clear hip – shaposhnikova, clear hip 1/1 – Tkatchev, stadler 1/1, extra swing, Bail, stadler undershoot, Tsukahara off. Haidu did ain stalder,  Gienger, Bail, Tsukahara off. Iordache did a toe on Shaposhnikova, Jaeger, Tkatchev – Pak, giant 1/1 – Tsukahara . Izbasa on bars  Hecht mount, clear hip 1/1 – Gienger, giant 1 1/2 – Jaegger, 2/1 flyaway.

Beam. Bulimar leads off with Iordache, Ponor and Izbasa following. Bulimar flic – layout to 2 feet, free aerial (check) – flic – layout, switch 1/2 (fall), side split, free cartwheel, turn, switch leap – back pike, split – scissone,  Iordache did a flic – shishova, double turn, switch 1/2, free aerial – flic – layout, aerial to 2 feet – back tuck, switch leap – back pike, spolit – scissone, side somi, ff – ff – 3/1.  Ponor, switch ring leap (good), double turn to turn, onodi – flic – layout to 2 feet, free aerial – flic – layout, switch leap – kochetkova, ro – timer for Tsukahara off. Izbasa aerial to 2 feet, turni n L, free aerial -  flic – layout, switch 1/2, turn in L, ro – 2/1 off. After all have competed, Ponor does a good piked Tsukahara off beam. She looks in an amazing shape.

Floor.  Bulimar double layout (a bit low), 1 1/2 through double pike (low chest), johnson 1/1, switch 1/1, piked Tsukahara (stuck), side somi, switch – switch 1/2, double back off. Ponor quad turn, double layout, whip whip through piked Tsukahara (oob, a bit wild), 3/1 (crossed legs), free aerial, switch ring leap – switch 1/2, double pike (steps back). Iordache opens with a double double (jumps back), piked Tsukahra, switch 1/1, switch leap, whip – 3/1 (slightly underrotated), side 1/1 split, double back off. Izbasa does a 1 1/2 through 3/1 – stag jump (easy), Tsukahara, split 1/1, switch leap, switch 1/1, side 1/2, 2 1/2 – 1/1 (a bit short, low landing and big step to the side).

Vault. DTY from Ponor, Izbasa and Iordache. FTY from Bulimar. Izbasa second vault is a ro – 1/2 on – layout 1/1 off (although she tucks it down quite a lot).

Russia – training on beam today are Komova, Mustafina, Sidorova and Grishina. Some problems for Mustafina on the arabian. Sidorova flic – ff – layout to 2 feet, switch – back tuck, free cartwheel (wobble), side split, split sequence, free aerial (stop), flic – layout, switch ring leap (not leg release), ff – ff – double pike off. She went up another time for just acro and connected everything. Grishina ro – layout to 2 feet, switch leap, onodi, side somi, illusion to spin, split jump, free aerial – flic – layout, ro – double pike off.  She connected the onodi to the side somi.  Komova front tuck, flic – layout – layout, arabian (fall), turn in L – free aerial – back tuck (fall), sheep jump (wobble), side somi, switch leap, ff – ff – double back off. She had problems with the turn in L during training. She connects the free aerial – back tuck – sheep jump. She did the arabian double dismount (low). Mustafina double turn (tiny wobble), arabian, free aerial – back tuck, switch 1/2, Y turn to – split jump, free cartwheel – side somi, ro – double back.

Sidorova 1 1/2 through 3/1 (oob, crossed legs), piked Tsukhara (oob), 2 1/2 – stag jump, double pike off. Mustafina does a double arabian, 2 1/2 – 1/1 (crossed legs, oob), double back, lovely double turn in Y, 2/1 (crossed legs, not pretty). Grishina 1 1/2 through 3/1 (step, oob), double turn L, 2 1/2 – 1/1, switch ring leap, double back (stuck), double pike off (low chest). Paseka is warming up but she doesn’t compete a full routine nor a full tumbling pass, the line up is clear: Sidorova, Mustafina and Grishina.

Vault. Easy looking DTY for Paseka, high and good distance. Sidorova and Grishina with DTY as well. Mustafina too. Grishina second vault is ro – 1/2 on – pike 1/2 off.  Paseka with the same vault in layout position. Paseka had to do 3 times the vault, Grishina got away with her first effort.

Bars. Only the top 3: Grishina, Komova and Mustafina training bars for Russia. MKomova, in stadler – sthaposhniokova Pak,  shaphosnikova 1/2,  in stalder 1/2 – Jaeger piked, toe on 1/1 . Tkatchev, Tsukahara off. Grishina in stadler – 1/2 – Jaeger, in stalder 1/1 – piekd Tkatchev – Pak, toe on undershoot, toe on 1/1 – Tsukahra off. Mustafina did stadler 1/1 on LOB, shaposhniokova 1/2, in stalder 1/2  piked Jaeger, in stadler 1/1 . Pak to stadler shpaohsnikova 1/2, toe on 1/1 – Tsukahara off. Later on, she did the Mustafina dismount.

Poland- easy tumbling for Kulesza only front pikes and back layouts/tucks. Bad turns. She warmed up some arabian doubles to crash // Jurkowska on floor, double back, double turn, front through 2/1, front 2/1 (fall). // Fandofert double back, balked on a switch 1/1. Some struggles on bars.  On beam, one does free cartwheel, sheep jump, gainer 1/1 pike off.

Barbara Gasser (Austria) front tuck (wobble, fall), aerial to 2 feet, side somi, side split, turn in L, switch leap – wolf jump, gainer pike off. The second Austrian did a switch – back tuck, free cartwheel, side somi, flic – layout, 2/1 off. // aerial to 2 feet (wobble), flic – layout, side somi, free cartwheel, switch leap – back tuck, switch 1/2, split – wolf jump, 2/1. On floor, Mader opened with a 2 1/1 and double back. Lovely whip – 2 1/2 from Hammerle, double pike. Nice extension. Three FTY and a handspring front pike I saw. The first on bars does a hecht mount, Jaeger, Bail, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, 1 1/2 flyaway off. The second, toe on – shaposhnikova (open legs) to Bail, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, Jaeger, back pike off. Hammerle is the last one, Jaeger, Bail, toe on undershoot, giant 1/1, double layout off. Good lines.

Denmark on UB 1st: Bail, clear hip, toe on undersshoot, 1 1/2 flyaway off.  // 2nd: Pak, double pike off // 3rd: Jaeger, giant 1/1. Denmark did the usual stuff on beam, flic – layout, aerial, front fulls off, flic – back tuck, etc…

This is a prediction based on actual competition results. We aknowledge the difference in scoring between competitions and score bonus in some countries. There are gymnasts in the nominative roster that have not competed at all this year (for example, junior stand-out Yevgenia Shelgunova), so the results will be modified for sure. The format of the competition also plays a big role at European Championships (5-3-3 for Seniors; 5-4-3 for Juniors), that means that seniors can’t afford mistakes while juniors can.

We have calculated 3 scenarios:

- maximum score: the maximum score possible for the country taking 3 highest scores for each apparatus.

- minimum score: the minimum score possible for the country taking the 3 lowest scores for each apparatus.

- average score: the average results of a team.

This is the excel file we have used to make these predictions: Euros Predictions

Seniors: Russia and Romania are again the two powerhouses in Europe, with Italy rounding the podium. Their placements might be interchanged depending on what we consider (maximum score, minimum score or average score). In the minimum score possible, Great Britain, who comes to Brussels without its biggest star, Beth Tweddle, would be in the podium.

For the seniors is important to make top 8 as those teams advance to team finals. In all the scenarios, the top 8 teams are Russia, Romania, Italy, France, Germany,  Spain and Great Britain. With Ukraine and The Netherlands advancing in some occasions. Belgium and Switzerland are the “near there” teams, awaiting to go to finals.

Juniors: Italy seems the team to beat in junior categories, with Russia in a close second position. Romania would complete the podium in all the scenarios. France and Germany are the other teams that should fight for the podium since all the other teams seem rather inconsistent.

Octavian Bellu sat down to answer a few questions about the programme and their plans during a tri-meet against Germany and Great Britain in Ulm, Germany.

Interview by Sandra Schmidt

How are your preparations going?

Our preparations for the European championships are going well but [the competition] is only one stage of our preparation, also looking towards the Olympics. We have to stick to our programme. There are also things we don’t want to show yet, here or at other coming competitions.

Did you change anything in your programme after not winning any medals in Tokyo?

It’s difficult to make substantial changes to a programme. But in Tokyo we were without Sandra [Izbasa] and  young Larisa Iordache. So, we are hopeful that we can do better with those two on the team.

There were no changes?

No, it was a normal result for me. I can’t say it was the judges or the organisation – the Japanese were wonderful organisers. The top three were very good, and we finished fourth by four tenths behind China. We must respect the winners and hope that we can do a better job the next time around. At the Olympics, the next World Championships, gymnastics won’t stop. Not in Tokyo, not in London.

What does a normal training day look like?

We are based in Izvorani, 32 km from Bucarest. It’s an Olympic training centre that also houses volleyball, swimming, basketball and track and field. They are all preparing for the Olympics there and there is a school. The complex is called Sydney 2000 because it was built for the 2000 Olympics.

We get up at 7 am, then there is breakfast, then school and training. We have two groups, one starts training at 8:30 and the other at 11:30 am. Then there is lunch, time to relax, physio and medical procedures. The second workout lasts from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. In the evening, there is a normal programme. Preparation for school the next day. Then lights out.

So, you train six hours a day?

It depends on training, on the competitions ahead. At least five hours, not more than 6-7.

Seven days a week?

We only train on Sundays if there is something special on the agenda. Thursday mornings are off as well.

Was Catalina Ponor convinced to come back? If yes, who convinced her and how?

She came back herself. She had experienced working as a coach in the USA, she did a lot of different things. But there was a moment when she felt the power within her to still do gymnastics. She enjoys it, she has done so much for gymnastics in Romania and the world. She tries to improve with every competition.

Does she receive a kind of salary?

She receives a normal salary from the state since she won the Olympics but since she is back in training that stipend is currently dormant. She is now receiving money from the Olympic Committee and the federation. So, there is a compensation and a motivation.

Can you say how much money it is?

About 1200 to 1300 Euros.

What is her relationship with the younger gymnasts like?

It’s a great help. She always talks about Athens and that is an additional motivation for the girls. She says: “I’m an Olympic champion and you also have the possibility to prepare in such a way that you can win.” She’s like an additional consultant for the coaches.

How does working with 16-year-old Catalina differ from working with the 24-year-old?

It’s not different. We have worked with her for so long. One look and she understands what I want to say. It’s the same with Mariana [Bitang]. It’s a normal relationship. Sometimes she works more than the small ones.

Isn’t that unusual? Older athletes usually do reduced numbers in training to save their bodies…

She works more than the young ones because she was brought up to work. A quantity that the young ones are not able to work at this moment. For instance on beam, she is able to do more repetitions than the young ones. It depends on concentration, maturity and experience.

What’s the goal for London?

We haven’t spoken about medals. Let her have a good competition, that’s all. Medals, placings these things will come then.

Romania arrived with all of their top guns, including Larisa Iordache, who has consistently been staking her claim as a serious all-around medal threat for London these past weeks, and Olympic champions Catalina Ponor and Sandra Izbasa. Izbasa warmed up with the team but then withdrew citing an injury to her left foot. Whether it was a new injury or an old one that flared up, remained unclear. “The coaches said “Maybe [she got injured] here, maybe before”, “German federation press spokesman Torsten Hartmann told the media.Romanian head coach Octavian Bellu insisted it was only a precautionary mesaure.

Iordache zipped through four strong routines for an all-around total of 59.750. She left out the double-double on floor but posted a massive 6.8 D score on beam for a routine that included a ff-full, a double turn and a triple twist dismount. The number of skills she manages to confidently cram into ninety seconds is astonishing even if it leaves no room for choreography. Bars remain Romania’s bleak spot and while Iordache helps them a lot there with her good set (6.2 with a stalder full to Tkachev-Pak-stalder 1/2), it is likely that the team could have to swallow two scores below 14 in a team final situation. It is amazing that a team that is so very competent and competitive on any stage on three events continues to give up so much ground on bars. However, the team total would have been 1.8 higher if Raluca Haidu, who competed bars only,  had not competed hors concours (13.95 versus Chelaru’s 12.15).

Ponor, who competed in Ulm with quite a lot of tape on her left knee, brings a presence to the beam that fails to come across on videos. Her combination tumbling is still unique -aerial cartwheel-front aerial-ff-layout- all connected smoothly. On floor, Ponor opened with a quadruple turn and tumbled a double layout to open but her form on her triple twist remains questionable. Diana Bulimar tumbled up a storm on floor (double layout, 1 1/2 twist through to double pike, piked full-in, double pike/5.8) and her landings are mostly what the Code of Points is looking for. Clean stick, feet together, no lunge, no step. Romania looked well prepared for the European Championships where they look set to claim a host of medals. Their consistency coupled with the difficulty they bring on three events will take them a long way.

The hosts, on the contrary, didn’t have a particularly good competition. Lisa-Katharina Hill is currently sitting her school-leaving exams and did not compete but will be on the team for the European Championships. Veteran Kim Bui was the strongest gymnast for the Germans in Ulm. She came off beam on a double turn but was very solid elsewhere for a total of 55.000.  Oksana Chusovitina competed in her first meet of the season and two solid vaults (handspring-front full, Tsukahara 1 1/2) as well as solid albeit stock beam routine (essentially the same routine she has been competing since the early nineties, poses included) were enough to make the team for Brussels despite missing both qualifications.  Elisabeth Seitz continues to struggle with the foot injury that has plagued her since last August. She only vaulted a full-twisting Yurrchenko and had a couple of extra swings on bars. Floor was a disaster for Seitz. Her arm buckled on the 1 1/2 twist which was supposed to lead into another combination but then only lead into a step, leaving her without the skill and without a two salto pass. The fact that she managed to put her final two tumbles – double tuck and double pike – to her feet was proof of her competitive spirit. Pia Tolle came unglued on a Shaposhikova where she fell to her back and didn’t finish the routine or the competition.

“There were some mistakes that could have been avoided,” head coach Ulla Koch told The All Around after the competition. “I’m satisfied with beam. I’m very happy with some of the gymnasts but we still have work to do. But Europeans are only a step on a way [to the Olympics].” Koch’s biggest worry is currently Nadine Jarosch. The 17-year-old had a break out season last year which culminated in her tenth place in the all-around competition in Tokyo. This year her progress has been halted by a foot injury. “I think we will decide that we will not let her compete at Europeans because the Olympics are just more important. But we will discuss it this evening [28 April],” Koch said. The injury is still the same one that kept Jarosch out of the American Cup in Marchand she was limited to bars in Ulm. “This week she hurt her foot again on a leap. It’s very, very painful,” Koch said. “Maybe she came back too quickly [after the initial injury]. We said that before taking a risk again we better leave her home.”

Great Britain only sent a B team to Ulm but still managed a respectable showing with Niamh Rippin finishing fourth all-around with a 13.90 on floor. The team proved that Great Britain has built an impressive amount of depth over the past years. Many a federation would be glad to have two 1 1/2 Yurchenkos, a 6.1 bars D score or mid-5s on floor on their A team let alone their reserve one.

The European Championships get underway in Brussels next week with podium training starting on 7 May. The All Around will be reporting directly from Brussels.

Team results

AA results

Videos

Methodology: All Around Total and D scores are from a single competition, we have not taken the highest scores from different competitions and added them up to keep it real. We aknowledge the difference in scoring between competitions and the possibility of National bonus in some scores; this is only an indicator for the Olympic year.

*indicates the gymnast is a junior.

Updated: 1st May

Seitz, second all-around at the 2011 European Championships in Berlin, has been struggling with a foot injury that has been bothering her since before the 2011 World Championships. Nonetheless, she won the first national trial for Brussels two weeks ago. She only competed bars and beam at the second trial on 21 April in Schwäbisch Gmünd where Hill placed first followed by Bui and Jarosch.  First year senior Janine Berger, who took the gold on vault at last year’s European Youth Olympics Festival (EYOF),  damaged ligaments in her foot at a national team training camp earlier this year. Berger vaulted a layout rudi and a Tsukahara full for the title last year (watch video) and had been expected to challenge Chusovitina on the event. Due to her injury, she was limited to bars at the first trial and added beam for the second one but failed to make an impact on either event.

The German team, sixth at the 2011 World Championships, may not be at their peak in Brussels, Koch hinted. “The European Championships are a stepping stone on the way to the Olympics. We’ll just be building up during the Europeans and we’ll surely have to cut back a little in our performance,” a DTB press release quotes Koch. The team is aiming for the team final as well as the vault final for Chusovitina and sees Seitz, Bui and Hill as possible event finalists on bars.

The junior team will include Sophie Scheder, Nicole Ster and Pauline Schäfer. Two more gymnasts will be named after an internal test on 25 April. No longer in contention is highly touted Cagla Akyol, who trains alongside Elisabeth Seitz under Claudia Schunk. Akyol recently had surgery after dislocating her arm and chipping a bone. Scheder, Akyol and Berger made up the German team that took the bronze medal at EYOF last year.

The European Championships feature only team (5-3-3 format) and event finals for seniors. Juniors compete for team, all-around and event medals.

External link: DTB

Videos of the second Euros trial