6th Aerobic Gymnastics European Championships
Liberec (CZE), November 20 – 22, 2009

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, November 19, 2009: 22 federations with 197 gymnasts in the Senior and 226 in the Junior categories will participate in the competitions of the 6th Aerobic Gymnastics European Championships. Several champions will be defending their titles. For the first time a Step Aerobic Dance Contest will take place with 19 groups from eight federations. After Szombathely (HUN), the 6th Aerobic European Championships and Step Aerobic Dance Contest are slated for the Tip-Sport Arena in Liberec (CZE), November 20 - 22.

Disciplines and categories

Gymnasts will be competing in Individual Women, Individual Men, Mixed Pairs, Trios and Groups (6 gymnasts) and in the categories Juniors (age 15 and 17) and Seniors (minimum age 18).

Competitions

Competitors will participate in a qualifying competition (Juniors on Friday, Seniors on Saturday) and eight from each category will qualify for the Finals on Sunday.

Favourites

Several title holders and medallists from Szombathely (HUN) 2007 will defend their positions in Liberec.

Women: The 2007 Champion and runner-up will not be present. Bronze medallist Aurélie Joly will compete and has a good chance to claim the victory as her adversaries are still at the beginning of their international careers.

Men: The three medallists from 2007 will compete: Mircea Zamfir (ROU), Vito Iaia (ITA), Julien Chaninet (FRA).

Mixed Pairs: The French Aurélie Joly and Julien Chaninet, title holders, as well as the rest of the French team prepared themselves well and are legitimately ambitious. The Romanian Pair Cristina Antonescu and Mircea Brinzea, 2nd in 2007 and with a gap of .2 only, will be awesome adversaries.

Trios: The new French-Romanian Trio with Valentin Mavrodineanu, Mircea Brinzea and European Champion Mircea Zamfir (ROU) will be there, as will the French Nicolas Garavel and Morgan Jacquemin, contending alongside Benjamin Garavel this time around. The Italian Trio, 3rd in 2007 and now including female gymnast Ylenia Giugno, will fight for the victory with Emanuele Pagliuca and Vito Iaia. But the second Romanian Trio, 5th in 2007, (Porime/Muj/Popa) may just come and spoil it for them!

Groups: The three collective medallists from Russia, France and Romania will again be competing, possibly with a change or two in the line-up. Both Romania and France are presenting a Men’s and a Women’s Group, while Russia has signed up two Mixed Groups.

The 2007 results were very tight, meaning that everyone has a real chance to win here; but keep an eye on certain outsiders that may end up surprising us.

Programme

Wednesday and Thursday, November 18 and 19: Podium Training

Friday, November 20: 14:00 – 20:00 Juniors Qualifications

Saturday, November 21: 11:30 – 13:00: Step Aerobic Dance Contest: Juniors and Seniors Qualifications; 14:00 – 20:00 Seniors Qualifications

Sunday, November 22: 10:00 – 12:30 Juniors Finals; 15:30 – 18:30 Seniors and Juniors Finals alternating
from 14:00 on: Finals Step Aerobic Dance Contest Juniors and Seniors

(source: UEG / adapt. FIG)

3rd Asian Indoor Games
Hanoi (VIE), October 30 – November 8, 2009

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, November 5, 2009: The 3rd Asian Indoor Games currently going on in Hanoi (VIE) feature Aerobic Gymnastics as one of the 27 sports on the programme. Qualifying rounds in Men’s and Women’s Individual as well as in the Mixed Pair and Trio categories took place on November 1 and 2, followed by the Finals on Tuesday. The events were staged at the Haiphong Gymnasium, located 100 km from the country’s capital Hanoi.

Asian Indoor Games

Coordinated by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the Asian Games, with their Winter, Indoor, Beach, Martial Art and Youth Games variants, each feature a different conceptual backdrop for their traditional and popular sports.

The Asian Indoor Games (AIG) is a multi-sport spin-off on the Asian Games created by the OCA. The first Games were held in Bangkok (THA) in 2005 and athletes from all over the Asian continent competed. These Games were developed with the aim of providing a place to compete and engage in sports that are not recognised as Olympic.

The AIG is an indoor sporting event held every two years and has become a well-known playground on both the Asian continent and around the world. Vietnam is hosting the 3rd and final AIG event this year before it merges with the Asian Martial Art Games.

The 3rd Asian Indoor Games boast a total of 2,400 athletes from 43 different countries in what is the continent’s biggest indoor sporting event this year.

Event Website

Aerobic Gymnastics at the AIG

The President of the Asian Gymnastics Union (AGU) Mr Abdulrahman Al-Shathri attended the Opening Ceremony of the Aerobic Gymnastics competitions in Hai Phong, along with representatives of AGU affiliated federations such us Mr Sawat Sopa, President of the South East Asian Gymnastics Zone and President of Thailand Gymnastics Association; Mr Morinari Watanabe, Secretary General of the Japan Gymnastics Association and Mr Shanmugarajah, Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation.

The first competition day featured Qualifications in Men’s Individual and Mixed Pairs, while the Women’s Individual and Trio preliminaries were held on the second day. A total of eight countries participated in the Aerobic events: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Korea, Mongolia, Thailand and Vietnam.

In the Finals, host Vietnam collected one Gold (Mixed Pair) and one Silver (Trio), while China bagged a Gold in both Individual categories and the Trio competition. The other medals went to Korea (Silver Men’s Individual and Mixed Pair; Bronze Women’s Individual and Trio) and Thailand (Silver Women’s Individual; Bronze Men’s Individual and Mixed Pair).

A real home crowd pleaser, Vietnamese Vu Ba Dong and Tran Thu Ha brought home Gold in Mixed Pair from the Hai Phong Gymnasium; 20.875 points and the lead in the artistic and execution categories. They defeated South Korea’s Kyung Ho-lee and Yeonsun Park and Thailand’s Nattawut Pimpa and Roypim Ngampeerapong with 20.200 points and 20.125 points, respectively. Two years ago this Pair triumphed at the 24th Southeast Asian Games’ Aerobic Gymnastics competition in Nakhon Ratchasima (THA).

Dong and Ha continued to compete with Nguyen Tien Phuong in the Trio round for a Silver-winning 20.889 points behind China, who scored 21.250. The Bronze medal went to South Korea with 20.000 points.

In the Men’s Individual category, China’s Zhou Xiao Feng outclassed seven contenders for the Gold; 20.500 points. Jong Kun Song of South Korea tied with the same number of points overall, but a lower artistic score put him in second place. Third was Nattawut Pimpa of Thailand with 20.100 points. Vietnamese Tien Phuong gained second place in the qualifying round but managed a mere fourth in the Final.

With the close of the last medal ceremony, AGU President Abdulrahman Alshathri paid tribute to Vietnam Gymnastics Federation President Chien Thang Tran, Vice-President Nguyen Kim Lan and to the President of the FIG Aerobic Gymnastics TC, Tammy Yagi-Kitagawa (JPN), for their commitment to making this a successful Aerobic Gymnastics event all around.

Results

Men’s Individual

Gold - Zhou Xiao Feng (CHN) 20.500 pts
Silver - Song Jong-Kun (KOR) 20.500 pts
Bronze -  Pimpa Nattawut (THA) 20.100 pts
4 - Nguyen Tien Phuong (VIE) 19.700 pts
5 - Yodho Firdaus Hendry (INA) 17.200 pts
6 - Ganbold Narankhuu (MGL) 16.900 pts
7 - Veas Sarith (CAM) 16.550 pts
8 - Mayank Jain (IND) 15.550 pts

Women’s Individual

Gold - Jin Xuan Huang (CHN) 20.850 pts
Silver - Roypim Ngampeerapong (THA) 20.400 pts
Bronze -  Hyun Kyung Shin (KOR) 20.200 pts
4 - Phuong Thanh Nguyen (VIE) 19.450 pts
5 - Citra Resita (INA) 17.250 pts
6 - Kaur Manpreet (IND) 16.150 pts

Mixed Pair

Gold - Vu Ba Dong + Tran Thi Thu Ha (VIE) 20.875 pts
Silver - Park Yeon Sun + Lee Kyung Ho (KOR) 20.200 pts
Bronze - Pimpa Naitawut + Ngampeerapong Roypim (THA) 20.125 pts
4 - Pirussia Detia + Sumarta Elip (INA) 15.700 pts
5 - Manpreet Kaur + Manvinder Singh (IND) 15.700 pts

Trio

Gold - Tao Le + Cho Lei + Liu Chao (CHN) 21.250 pts
Silver - Tien Phuong + Ba Dong + Thu Ha (VIE) 20.889 pts
Bronze - Cho Won Ho + Hwang In Chan + Kim Guon-Taek (KOR) 20.000 pts
4 - Sum Srorn + Veas Sarith + Sor Sopheng (CAM) 18.350 pts
5 - Puttisiriroj + Butsathon + Kettuluck (THA) 17.871 pts
6 - Ganbold + Enkhsaikhan + Battogtokh (MGL) 16.400 pts
7 - Manvinder Singh + Jasharn Singh + Mayank Singh (IND) 16.300 pts
8 - Anggraini + Julianto Eko + Mufid Arif (INA) 15.700 pts

Podium Trio
copyright: AGU

10th Austrian International Aerobic Gymnastics Championships
Kufstein (AUT), October 29 – 31, 2009

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, November 2, 2009: The Austrian Aerobic Open, an annual international tournament, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. From October 29-31 a total of 200 gymnasts from nine different countries participated in the elite and junior categories of this year’s meet in Kufstein.

Russia’s Irina Rubtsova dominated the Women’s Individual elite and took home the Gold (18.050). She edged out Tereza Sramlova (CZE) and Petra Tomkova (SVK).
“I am very happy to have won the Austrian Open for the second time since 2006. I gave a nearly flawless routine today,” the 21 year old winner stated after the competition.

With Austria’s Aerobic star and 2008 title holder Lubi Gazov recently resigned from competitive sport, the host country failed to make it to the Finals this time around.

Over one thousand spectators were there to watch the competition unfold, and it was a great opportunity for the contenders to prepare for the European Championships, scheduled for November 17-21 in Liberec (CZE). FIG Technical Delegate Svetlana Lukina (RUS) complimented the Austrian Gymnastics Federation on flawless organisation of the meet. Authorities are now looking into the possibility of upgrading the Austrian Open to a FIG World Cup event.

Results Finals

Individual Women
Individual Men
Trio
Group
All results

Photos and more information on the competition can be found at www.oeft.at/aao.

Aerobic Gymnastics

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, October 26, 2009: The FIG recently gave its stamp of approval for a brand new World Series stage in Aerobic Gymnastics, set for 2010. The event will be held in Angra do Heroísmo, a Portuguese seaside town nestled on the island of Terceira in the region of the Azores, April 30 – May 2, 2010.

This leg of the World Series is the second after the season’s opening event in Japan and brings together Europe’s elite in this discipline, with France and Romania at the forefront. The programme features both senior and international Age Group competitions.

This is the 4th FIG world cup or series event ever organised in Portugal. It is a decision that clearly demonstrates the political zeal and sport-oriented mindset embraced by the national federation and its President Manuel Boa de Jesus. 2010 will see Artistic Gymnastics in Porto, Rhythmic in Portimao, Trampoline in Loulé and now Aerobic in Angra do Heroísmo.

Aerobic Gymnastics

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, October 8, 2009: The FIG Executive Committee has recently approved the first official competitions counting for the 2010 Aerobic Gymnastics World Series.

The season will open in Tokyo, Japan, on April 17-18, under the "Suzuki World Cup 2010 & FIG World Series Tokyo International" label. The competition will take place under the dome of the Tokyo Gymnasium located downtown in the trendy place of Shibuya-ku very much liked by the Tokyo youth and fashion. A must for a good atmosphere! International Age Group Competitions are also on the programme. The field of play to be supplied by Senoh Corporation.

On May 22-23, the aerobic caravan will stop in Italy, in Conversano, a small town of the Apulia region near Bari. The Italian World Series Competition will take place at the Pala San Giacomo supplied by Spieth Gymnastic.

On July 23-24, the aerobic will make its show in Las Vegas (USA), under the title ANAC 2010 International Aerobic Championships & Aerobic Gymnastics World Series. It is on the scene of the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort that the manufacturer Gymnova will supply the official floor.

Then return to Europe, to Romania where the local stars will welcome the world best athletes in Timisoara, on October 8-10. The Romanian Aerobic World Series 2010 will be held in the Constantin Jude hall also supplied by Gymnova.

On top of this calendar, don’t forget naturally the 11th World Championships planned in the south of France, in Rodez, on June 18-20, 2010, at the same place where the World Series Final took place in 2007.

All 2010 FIG AER dates at a glimpse:

World Cups
April 17 – 18, 2010 – Tokyo (JPN)
May 22 – 23, 2010 – Conversano (ITA)
July 23 – 24, 2010 – Las Vegas (USA)
October 8 – 10, 2010 – Timisoara (ROU)

World Championships
June 18 – 20, 2010 – Rodez (FRA)