AERONEWS! The Aerobic Gymnastics Newsletter N° 11 - October 2025

Dear Aerobic fans

It’s been a busy summer for our Technical Committee! In July we organised our annual training camp in Loutraki (GRE), then in August I judged amazing performances at the important World Games in Chengdu (CHN) and of course we’ve all been working hard on the preparation of the upcoming U15, Junior and Senior European Championships.

While we see the best junior and senior gymnasts at our biennial European Championships, it is the very first time that we’ll hold the U15 competition! I’m proud to see 18 nations registered with almost 200 gymnasts for this category, showing that the interest for youth development is strong. Together with the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation, we aim to provide an excellent setting for all participants, and hope you will all have an amazing experience!

In less than three weeks, all eyes will be on Aerobics as the 2025 U15 and Junior Europeans kick off, in the Azerbaijani city of Ganja! The week after the seniors will take to the stage.

We’re in for an absolute treat! Scheduled to compete are big names like Turkish superstar Ayse Onbasi, reigning World Champion Miquel Mane (ESP), Bulgarian powerhouses Hristo Manolov, Antonio Papazov and Borislava Ivanova, defending European Champions Clara Lestruhaut, Maelys Lenclos and Victoria Trosset (FRA), Ukraine’s Anastasia Kurashvili and Stanislav Halaida among others.

Italy, crowned best team at both the 2023 European and the 2024 World Championships, counts on the expertise of World bronze medallist and defending European Champion Davide Nacci, who has his trusted colleagues including Sara Cutini, Marcelo Patteri, Matteo Falera and Francesco Sebastio by his side. All five athletes enjoyed silver success at the World Games this summer. Romania, the best junior team at the previous Europeans, brings a wealth of experience to Ganja. They will field top names like Leonard Manta, Daniel Tavoc, Darius Branda, Vladut Popa and Claudia Ristea, the World Games bronze medallists in the group final.

Fresh off an impressive victory at the World Games, Antonia Konig, Zoltan Locsei, Fruzsina Fejer, Anna Makranszki, Vanessza Ruzicska, Tunde Himmel, Kamilla Goda and Andras Agoston Mikulecz are looking to bring Aerobic Dance gold to Hungary yet again. The host nation’s hopes rely on reigning Vice-World Champions and World Games silver medallists Vladimir Dolmatov and Madina Mustafayeva. We’re pleased to welcome former junior standouts like Nadia Almeida, Leonor Januario & Tiago Pinheiro (POR), Aleksandar Mishinkov (BUL), Sampo Nousiainen & Jade Sirvioe (FIN) to the senior competition too!

And I have excellent news for you … Both competition weeks will be livestreamed in its entirety! The Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation is organising full TV production, and the senior finals will be accompanied by the expert commentary of Blythe Lawrence. We provide a package for U15 and Juniors and one for Seniors, plus a discount bundle for the hardcore fans valid for both events. Support your favorite gymnasts and buy your package now!

Aerobics formed an integral part of the gymnastics competition at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu (CHN), held from 7 to 17 August. Four categories were on the programme: Mixed Pairs, Trios, Groups and Aerobic Dance.

I’m so pleased to see our European athletes do so well! Hungary lived up to their reputation by winning the title in Aerobic Dance while gymnasts from Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria also won medals, and showed the world our worth and our strength, yet again.

Congratulations!

From 5 to 11 July, we organised our annual training camp. This year we met in the Greek town of Loutraki. A total of 157 participants registered for the event, representing 10 countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Israel, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Among them were 122 gymnasts and 35 coaches.

This marked the inaugural organisation of the event in Greece, and the chosen location proved to be perfect for generating interest and encouraging participation. As always, the camp operated smoothly and successfully, with enthusiastic participation from both gymnasts and coaches. The atmosphere was positive and collaborative, as participants engaged in training sessions, received support, and benefited from expert guidance provided by our dedicated team, all within good training conditions and excellent entertaining activities.

On behalf of the Technical Committee, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for providing exceptional conditions and facilities and another big thank you to our excellent experts Anastasia Donti (GRE), Antonio Barone (ITA), Dimitrios Polyzos (GRE), Eleftheria Batinioti (GRE), Eva Szloboda (HUN), Giedrè Kliveckiene (LTU), Monica Darone (ITA), Pantelis Papageorgiou (GRE) and Siyana Bozhilova (BUL).

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Wishing our gymnasts, coaches and judges all the best in their final preparation for Ganja. See you there in a few weeks!

Alina Dragan

AER-TC President