On an European level, it looks like the average difficulty of the finalists has risen constantly for the past few seasons. This year too, we could have a high-level final where a 6.0 or higher D-score will be the norm.
Based on the shape shown in previous competitions this year, as well as competed D scores, here are my pics for the top eight:
Giulia Steingruber
Ksenia Afanasyeva
Diana Bulimar
Erika Fasana
Vanessa Ferrari
Claudia Fragapane
Maria Kharenkova
Marta Pihan-Kulesza
The locks:
Claudia Fragapane won the hearts of the audiences last year on this event and she quickly established herself as a fan favorite thanks to her innovative choreography and dance. This was doubled by solid tumbling difficulty but Claudia looked to improve further. Returning in 2015 with new music and a different routine composition, she struggled a bit with keeping her stamina right up until the end of an even harder routine (now of 6.4 difficulty). But at British Championships, at the end of March, she looked to have finally had adjusted.
Since returning from back to back injuries Ksenia Afanasyeva has not competed much. Keep in mind also that she has not been involved in a meet at this level since almost two years ago at the Universiade. But she looked very well prepared on this event at Russian Championships, managing a very difficult routine, out of 6.4. Although some of her D score is earned from risky combinations of dance elements, she will surely make up though the slight edge she has over the rest of the competition in terms of artistry and finesse of execution.
Diana Bulimar does not have the same kind of difficulty scores (she will probably be at 5.6-5.8) as the above mentioned gymnasts, although her DLO she opens up with is not an easy pass. But she is usually hits very clean routines and is one of the few gymnasts capable to break into the mid to high 8’s marks for her execution. The fact that she did not qualify for the event final at 2015 Doha World Cup must have been a fluke (she fell on her last tumbling pass). Let’s just say she will use it as a cautionary tale for when she competes in Montpellier.
A bronze medalist in 2014, Giulia Steingruber has huge tumbling difficulty, with a full in stretched and a double layout that help her build difficulty up to a 6.0. If she adjusts well to the equipment and manages to stick her landings, she will likely repeat in last year’s performance.
The wild cards:
Erika Fasana has big tumbling in her routine, opening with double double followed by a double layout (her D score is around the 6.0 mark). Unfortunately her execution score can be very fluctuating so it remains to be seen if her artistic leaps will be properly rewarded.
Maria Kharenkova has recently increased her difficulty up to a 6.0 and looks balletic and polished in her dance. She’s a former Junior Euro Champion on this event. Although she is struggling to find her way to the shape that brought her a gold medal in 2012, she definitely has the qualities to produce some good results on this event.
It would be had to imagine a final without Vanessa Ferrari but given the state of her health this year, it will be hard to predict her placement. The 5.9 difficulty she had at the first Serie A meet of the year, together with some of her amazing landings she always succeeds, should be enough to help her qualify though.
Another regular presence in floor finals is Marta Pihan-Kulesza. She looked in fine shape earlier this year when she won Cottbus (14.225/5.8) so she will also expect to qualify in the final if she hits on Wednesday.
.
Other gymnasts that have had good results on this event so far this year were Amy Tinkler (at the British Championships), Eythora Thorsdottir (in Ljubljana), Claire Martin (at French Championships) and Andreea Munteanu (at Cottbus).
.
Your turn: will Claudia Fragapane raise to the occasion? Is Ksenia ready to return with a gold medal performance? Did I miss anyone from my list of possible final contenders?
.
Article by: Bea Gheorghisor
Photo cover: Nadia Boyce