The development of European gymnastics has increased in the levels of both quantity and quality. This can be said as well for the technical development as also for the content of the routines.

FLOOR:

• The acrobatic series with somersault bwd. 1 1/2 somersault fwd. layout 1/1 somersault tucked
• 2 ½ twist
• and a following somersault fwd. and a tucked full-in
  belong to the standard elements of the best gymnasts

• most gymnasts present 5 acrobatic series
• First choerographic approaches could be noticed due to deductions for worthless steps in the corners

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POMMEL HORSE

• The Russians, Ukrainians and also individual gymnasts from Croatia and Belgium showed an impressive technical basis. However, overall for most teams a lot of work still has to be done on this apparatus.
• The best gymnasts presented
  - "Magyar – Shivado"
  - "Flop 1 and 2"
  - and various other elements
  - The dominating dismount was reverse "Stoeckli" into handstand (however, often with a not perfect technical presentation) 

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STILL RINGS

• Of course the strength elements are not yet that dominating in the juniors field.  However, nonetheless there were a few examples of impressive presentations of strength elements (like e.g. Baladin, Asarian etc). Overall the cross was presented already quite well by most junior gymnasts.
• Good approaches could be seen in the swinging fwd. and bwd. However most gymnasts then had difficulties to stabilize the swinging with a good handstand.
•  There is not much variety in the dismounts! However, at least 7 gymnasts showed a double somersault fwd.

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VAULT

Of course on vault the conditions for the juniors have improved in recent years due to the vaulting table. 

• Many gymnasts showed Kasamatsu and Yurchenko vaults. Both vaults are also being presented with 1 or even 2 turns. Two gymnasts performed Kasamatsu with 1 ½ turn.
• The junior European Champion on this apparatus showed a technically well performed handspring - layout fwd. 1 1/2 twists.
• It was good to see that in the juniors field the handspring - double somersault fwd. was not being presented, since the often deep landings of this vault wouldn't be good for the health of these young gymnasts.

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  PARALLEL BARS

This was the apparatus with the most problems in the juniors field! However, the leading gymnasts presented quite well routines already.

• The gymnasts from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine presented very good technique..
• However, many of the gymnasts from the countries following behind them still lacked the right technique on this apparatus:
• Problems with the right technique of swinging bwd. or fwd. in a support position and following elements (e.g. with Diamidov, already in the start of it in the handstand- position)
• Also other content of the routines wasn't presented with the proper technique.

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HIGH BAR

It looked better on high-bar. However, also here were a few gymnasts with problems on the basic technique of various elements like their giants, dismounts, Kovacs and Tkatchev.                                                             Handstand- turns or turns following after felements which were presented close to the bar were dominating. Many gymnasts had problems with the right technique of their handstand- turns. Quite surprising was the only "average" variety of flight- element, this already had been better at other junior events in the past!

... summarized :

Those gymnasts who came to these championships well prepared and presented what they are able to show - and not  what they would like to show  received the better scores!

The basic philosophy of artistic gymnastics...

„Gymnastics is complex not because it is supposed to be difficult  but because it is supposed to be beautiful!"

 - gets more attention again.

Dieter Hofmann
GYMmedia correspondent  in Volos
Coach NKL Liestal (Switzerland)

> GYMMedia SUPERSCOR
Juniors 2006