23. September 2011  
Maribor/Slovenia  
Artistic Gymnastics

Qualifications at Maribor World Cup

Matthias Fahrig (GER)

The Salamunov Memorial in artistic gymnastics in Maribor started today with the men's and women's qualification. The tournament belongs to the FIG Challenge Cup tournaments (B-World Cup Series).
28 gymnasts are present in the women's field. While the big names are missing it is a good chance for the remaining gymnasts to earn some World Cup points. The men's field is more than twice as large with 83 gymnasts originally listed of which a few entries were cancelled at short notice.
With first places on three apparatus China was the most successful nation during today's men's qualification. In the women's field also Israel reached three first places
4th FIG Challenge Cup 2011 - 44th Salamunov Memorial
  - Maribor, Slovenia, September 23 - 25 -
_______________________________________________________

* Men's Qualification (Friday, Sep 23
In the men's field the gymnasts from China took the lead on the first two apparatus. 21-year-old Huang Yuguo won the men's qualification on floor (14.850) and Zhang Hongtao was the first on pommel horse with impressive 15.625 points in front of Slovenia's specialist Saso Bertoncelj (14.850).
Men's floor finalists:
1. Hunag Yuguo (CHN), 2.Rok Klavora (SLO), 3. Kieran Behan (IRL), 4. Jindrich Behan (CZE), 5. Fadi Bahlawan (SYR), 6. Andrej Korosteljev (CRO), 7. Helge Liebrich (GER), 8. Matthias Fahrig (GER)
   >> Detailed Results
________________________________________________

Men's pommel horse finalists: 1. Zhang Hongtao (CHN), 2. Saso Bertoncelj (SLO), 3. Robert Weber (GER), 4. Zoltan Kallai (HUN), 5. Dmitrijs Trefilovs (LAT), 6. Masataka Aoyama (JPN), 7. Slavomir Michnak (SVK), 8. Maciej Labutin (POL) 
 >> Detailed Results
________________________________________________

Men's rings finalists:
1. Elefthertios Petrounias (GRE), 2. Robert Weber (GER), 3. Irodotos Georgallas (CYP), 4. Liao Junlin (CHN), 5. Marek Lyszczarz (POL), 6. Andreas Bretschneider (GER), 7. Hiroki Ishikawa (JPN), 8. Sascha Palgen (LUX)
 >> Detailed Results
_________________________________________________

After problems before on floor it worked well for Matthias Fahrig (GER) in the the men's vault qualification. He took the lead with 15.687 points. On rings Elefthertios Petrounias (GRE) won the qualification with 15.577 points.
Men's vault finalists:: 1. Matthias Fahrig (GER), Huang Yuguo (CHN), 3. Helge Liebrich (GER), 4. Mark Lyszczarz (POL); 5. Patrick Peng (NZL), 6. Marius Wirum Haaverstad (NOR), 7. Masataka Aoyama (JPN), 8. Jad Mazahreh (JOR)
 >> Detailed Results
_______________________________________________________The Slovenian audience was pleased when in the men's qualification on parallel bars the 2007 World Champion from Stuttgart showed a remarkable performance (15.500). However, in the end he was overtaken by Wang Guanyin from China who presented a brilliant routine (16.325).
Men's parallel bars finalists:
1. Wang Guanyin (CHN), 2. Mitja Petkovsek (SLO), 3. Hiroki Ishikawa (JPN), 4. Masataka Aoyama (JPN), 5. Andreas Bretschneider (GER), 6. Matthias Fahrig (GER), 7. Roman Kulesza (POL), 8. Thomas Neuteleers (BEL)
>> Detailed Results
_______________________________________________
On high-bar Germany's Andreas Bretschneider won the qualification (14.775) even in front of the 2010 European Champion Vlasas Marios from Greece (14.325, 4th).
Men's high-bar finalists:: 1. Andreas Bretschneider (GER), 2. Roman Kulesza (POL), 3. Martin Konecny (CZE), 4. Maras Vlasios (GRE), 5. Fabian Leimlehner (AUT), 6. Alen Dimic (SLO), 7. Aleksandar Batinkov (BUL), 8. Samuel Piasecky (SVK) 
 >> Detailed Results
___________________________________________
* Women's Qualification
___________________
Only 13 gymnasts took part in the women's qualification on vault. The level of performance overall was not that high. In the end Valeria Maksiuta from Israel took the lead with the score of 14.012. The qualification on uneven bars was won by Kristina Palesova (13.900).

Women's vault finalists: 1. Valeria Maksiuta (ISR), 2. Teja Belak (SLO), 3. Orsolya Nagy (HUN), 4. Jasmin Mader (AUT), 5. Dina Madir (CRO), 6.Tina Larsen (NOR), 7. Sherine Ahmed El Zeiny (EGY), 8. Agnes Suto (ISL)
     >> Detailed Results
_____________________________________________________
Women's uneven bars finalists:
1. Kristina Palesova (CZE), 2. Valeria Maksiuta (ISR), 3. Tina Ercec (CRO), 4. Vasiliki Milousi (GRE), 5. Fiona Novak (SLO), 6. Roni Rabinovitz (ISR), 7. Jasmin Mader (AUT), 8. Laura Gombas (HUN) 
 >> Detailed Results
_________________________________________________

In the women's field on balance beam Valeria Maksiuta from Israel again took the lead after having won already the vault qualification. The experienced Adela Sajn secured herself the second place for the Slovenian hosts.
Women's balance beam finalists: 1. Valeria Maksiuta (ISR), 2. Adela Sajn (SLO), 3. Roni Rabinovitz (ISR), 4. Elisa Haemmerle (AUT), 5. Laura Gombas (HUN), 6. Ivana Kamnikar (SLO), 7. Vasiliki Millousi (GRE), 8. Kristyna Palesova (CZE) 
 >> Detailed Results
________________________________________________

In the women's floor qualification Roni Rabinovitz from Israel took the lead with 13.500. Like alread before on beam, Adela Sajn (SLO) secured herself the second place (13.350) with her expressive routine.
Women's floor finalists:: 1. Roni Rabinovitz (ISR), 2.Adela Sajn (SLO), 3. Elisa Haemmerle (AUT), 4. Lisa Ecker (AUT), 5. Kristyna Palesova (CZE), 6. Ivana Kamnikar (SLO), 7. Tina Ercec (CRO), 8. Tina Larsen (NOR) 
 >> Detailed Results
_________________________________________________