Elite Gym Massilia will take place in Marseille (Palais des Sports) next week-end, on the 14th, 15th and 16th of November. There are a few competitions for different categories happening during the respective period but the focus will be on the “open” and the “master” competitions.
The schedule for these is as follows:
Friday – Open Team Finals – 1:30pm to 3:00 pm and 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Saturday – Master Team Finals – 4:00pm to7:30pm
Sunday – Event Finals and Closing ceremony – 3:00pm to 6:30 pm
This is usually a packed competition, bringing together lesser known gymnasts, hotly anticipated juniors, seniors in need of international assignments but also stars of the season that is ending. Here are the competitors:
Master Competition
Russia:
Daria Spiridonova: the bronze medalist on bars at 2014 Worlds and Euros and winner of the “Swiss meets” this summer (Arthur Gander Memorial and Swiss Cup);
Maria Paseka : is a 2012 Olympic medalist on vault; she was left out of the 2014 Worlds team, this is one of the few International assignments she has had in 2014;
Lilia Akhaimova: a gymnast competing constantly in Russia’s internal meets, with better results on vault and floor but that has never truly set herself apart;
Polina Fyodorova : is a gymnasts that has received a few international assignments throughout 2013 and 2014 and that has competed fairly well on a national level. She was named one of the possible alternates for the 2014 Worlds team;
Romania:
After initially planning to send a Senior team (essentially the team from Worlds, without Iordache), Romania have amended their strategy for this fall’s meets and will send to Massilia a less experienced team, composed of Juniors from Deva. They are three 2001 babies plus a 2015 senior:
Alexandra Mihai – champion on floor at the recent Junior Nationals (born 2001);
Olivia Cimpian – the rhythmic gymnast turned artistic gymnast we have admired for the past 2-3 years is now getting International assignments (yay!);
Dora Vulcan – National champion in the all around last month in Deva, she repeated the good result a few days ago in Onesti at the team event; Dora turns senior next year and this looks to be a sweet moment in her career;
Ioana Crisan – all around, vault and beam champion in her age group at the recent Romanian Nationals (she was born in 2001);
Italy
Giorgia Campana – the excellent beam/bars worker who recently contributed to Italy’s 5th place finish at the 2014 Worlds;
Lara Mori – the new senior who started out as a possible alternate for the 2014 Worlds but turned out to be a fierce competitor and a consistent contributor to the team total, on bars and floor;
Carlotta Ferlito: building her come back from a break earlier this year, Ferlito did not manage to qualify for the Worlds team but is now fighting back to prove she is still one of the most valuable members of team Italy;
Sophia Bonistalli, a first year senior, strong vaulter with DTY and Yourchenko 1 ½, she competes a lot in the internal competitions of Italy;
Australia
Emma Nedov: replacing Lauren Mitchell who so unfortunately was injured just before qualifications in Nanning, Emma did a wonderful job. During the final she only competed on beam, earning a big score for her team.
Rianna Mizzen: a junior of good prospective , coached by Peter Abbott and the Bellousovs;
Georgia Godwin: the National all around champion who famously missed out on the Commonwealth and then was injured before Words, is now back for more international assignments;
Japan
Azumi Ishikura: 2014 Worlds team member and beam finalist at the Asian games earlier in September;
Sae Miyakawa, is still a junior and was Japan’s representative at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing;
Marina Kawasaki another very talented junior, who placed 3rd on bars in the event finals at the 2014 Jesolo Trophy (jr. competition);
Ayu Koike, yet another 2014 Jesolo competitor, Ayu is a strong gymnast, favoring leg events and is able to vault a DTY;
France
Youna Dufournet: debuted in the senior competitions in 2009 winning a bronze medal at 2009 Worlds (vault); Youna took a long break after the 2012 Olympics, but is now giving gymnastics one more chance and is fighting hard to get back up there;
Claire Martin: a first year senior who competed for France at the 2014 Worlds and is a lovely gymnast to watch;
Manon Cormoreche:was a 2014 Worlds team member for France, competing on vault beam and floor;
Louise Vanhille: who made a name for herself as a bars worker in the 2012-2013 period, postponed her Senior debut due to an elbow injury. Louse will want to defend her bars title won in 2013 at Elite Gym Massilia.
Open Massilia Competitors:
Germany: Tabea ALT, Florine HARDER, Rebecca MATZON, Nadja SCHULZE
Belgium (two teams ): Axelle KLINCKAERT, Julie MEYERS, Jelle BEULLENS, Nina DERWAEL, Senna DERIKS, Rune HERMANS, Cindy VANDENHOLE, Myrthe POTOMS
Canada: Rose-Kaying WOO, Shallon OLSEN, Audrey ROUSSEAU et Mégane ROBERTS
The Netherlands: Kirsten POLDERMAN, Pien JANSEN, Eythora THORSDOTTIR, Noel Van Klaveren
Switzerland: Maeva STEPHANUTTO, Thea BROGLI, Giada GRISETTI et Angi SCHWARZ
France : two teams: 1 – Sara PAIS – Valentine PIKUL – Oréane LECHENAULT – Camille BAHL 2 – Mathilde DAL ZOVO – Léanne BOURGEAOIS – Lucie PERDREAU – Louise PILLA
Quebec: Laurie DENOMMEE, Laurie-Ann DEMERS, Hélody CYRENNE et Sonita SLOBEC
Canada – GCG-Wimgym: Sonita ZLOBEC, Amanda DIALUTTO-PEREZ, Maude LEBEAU, Sophie MAROIS, Madyson FERRON-MC CAFFREY
Canada – Gym-Fly: Laurie-Lou VEZINA et Victoria JURCA.
Gym Tittmoning: Emily FIRLEJCZYK, Jana HAGER, Carolina SANCHEZ-MARTINEZ, Eva PEREZ-LOPEZ, Claudia COLOM-MARTIN et Sonja FISCHER
USA – Zenith Elite Gymnastics: Allison MORING, Ashtyn STEVENS
Gymnastique du Pays d’Aix: Lara MONTAGNE SALOMEZ, Sophie DUMALIN, Wendy LEJOYEUX, Justine JOLET
Pôle France de St Etienne: Grace CHARPY – Farh BOUFADENE – Lena DEMARET – Fostine RICHARD
Pôle France de Marseille: Fiona OKE – Amara CIPPOLINA – Soyfa CAZALIS – Stella GIGLIONE
Official website of the competition
Article by: Bea Gheorghisor
Photo Cover: Nadia Boyce
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