EnBW World Cup A in Artistic Gymnastics
Stuttgart (GER), November 13-14

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, November 10, 2009: Next weekend, from November 13-14, the world’s top specialists in Artistic Gymnastics will battle it out for victory at the EnBW World Cup at the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart (GER). As the last tournament of the year, and just after Osijek, this category A World Cup will also determine the winners of the overall 2009 Series. Continuing on Sunday with the final stopover of the Champions Trophy, a true crowd pleaser for fans of the Men’s All-around competition, Stuttgart is the place to be for gymnastics enthusiasts this weekend!

A total of 139 participants (92 men and 47 women) from 34 different countries are expected to compete at the World Cup, and the high-calibre line-up promises to provide exciting competitions.

In the Men’s tournament, a number of Olympic and World Champions such as Brazilian Diego Hypolito (2007 World Champion on Floor), Chinese Chen Yibing (2008 Olympic Champion on Rings), Zhang Hongtao (2009 World Champion on Pommel Horse), Wang Guanyin (2009 World Champion on Parallel Bars) and Slovenians Aljaz Pegan (2005 World Champion on Horizontal Bar) and Mitja Petkovsek (2007 World Champion on Parallel Bars) will make their appearance in Stuttgart. In addition, top players such as Prashanth Sellathurai (AUS), Krisztian Berki (HUN) and Great Britain’s Louis Smith will be spicing up the Pommel Horse event, while London Bronze medallist Alexander Shatilov (ISR) pursues a medal on Floor alongside Romanian Flavius Koczi, 2009 World Silver medallist on Vault, and Uzbekistan’s Anton Fokin, 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist on Parallel Bars.

Host Germany is counting on 2009 World Championship participants Marcel Nguyen (12th in the All-around) and Sebastian Krimmer (23rd on Parallel Bars and 26th on Pommel Horse).

In Women’s events, China’s Sui Lu, 2009 World Bronze medallist on Floor, Romania’s newcomer Ana Porgras, 3rd on Uneven Bars and 7th in London’s All-around, and Swiss Ariella Kaeslin, who won Silver on Vault in London, are the hot shots in Stuttgart. Keep an eye on Czech gymnasts Jana Komrskova (1st on Vault; 2nd on Beam) and Jana Sikulova (2nd on Uneven Bars), as well as Croatians Tijana Tkalcec (2nd on Vault) and Tina Erceg (3rd on Beam and Floor), and Israel’s Valeria Maksiuta (3rd on Uneven Bars), all of whom medalled at last weekend’s World Cup in Osijek (CRO).

Germany will be well represented by reigning national All-around Champion and London finalist Kim Bui, as well as Elisabeth Seitz, who dazzled Londoners on Floor (19th), Anja Brinker, winner of the World Cup in Cottbus on Uneven Bars earlier this year, and Maike Roll.

Check out the nominative entry list!

For further information on the World Cup connect at: http://www.dtbpokal.de/der-weltcup.html

2008 Title holders

Men

Floor - HAMBUECHEN Fabian (GER) 15.525
Pommel Horse - ZHANG Hongtao (CHN) 16.300
Rings - VAN GELDER Yuri (NED) and YAN Mingyong 16.650
Vault - BOUHAIL Thomas (FRA) 16.200
Parallel Bars - FENG Zhe (CHN) 16.200
Horizontal Bar - HAMBUECHEN Fabian (GER) 16.275

Women

Vault - CHENG Fei (CHN) 14.900
Uneven Bars - HE Ning (CHN) 15.350
Balance Beam - CHENG Fei (CHN) 15.425
Floor - CHENG Fei (CHN) 15.250