News for All The Gymnastics for All Newsletter N° 19 - October 2026

Dear gymnastics lovers,

We are slowly getting back in our daily rhythm after all the action and excitement of three major events this year! It was an intense and truly fulfilling period.

In July, the Italian town of Pistoia welcomed the participants of the European Gym for Life Challenge before opening its arms to Europe’s youth during EUROGYM. The Challenge put the spotlight on a wide array of spectacular routines. At EUROGYM, participants took part in workshops and cultural and social activities, while showing off their well-rehearsed performances across the city. New friendships were formed and life experiences were shared in a festive atmosphere.

Earlier this month, the seaside town Les Sables d’Olonne in France hosted the 10^th edition of the Golden Age Gym Festival. Bringing together a record number of 2026 gymnasts from 21 countries, the event brought a thrilling vibe to the host city. With a majority of workshops organised on the main beach close to the Golden Age hub Les Atlantes and all three stages within a 15 minutes’ walk from each other, the participants coloured the town bright. And the sun lend a helping hand, shining down on many happy faces.

A huge shout out to my Technical Committee! Vice-President Emiliana Polini (ITA) and members Ruslan Eyvazov (AZE), Valérie Grandjean (FRA), Agnes Hartmann (GER), Lasse Hauser (NOR) and Marina Maeder (SUI) did an outstanding job preparing these events, assisting the Local Organising Committees and engaging with the participating countries.

On Thursday 19 November, we are organising an exciting webinar titled ‘Reading the Team, Leading the Team: Awareness, Relationships and Group Dynamics’ by experts Andrea De Giorgio and Sonia Angilletta. Register by 17 November! We’d appreciate your help in informing your coaches and choreographers.

Read all about it below…

For the first time, the European Gym for Life Challenge was held not on one day, not over two days, but over three consecutive days!

Almost 3500 participants from 21 countries divided into 138 small and large groups gave the best of themselves in the Palacarrara arena. The main objective of the European Gym for Life Challenge is to improve the quality of the performances, focusing on the ‘show effect’, or the attractiveness for spectators.

Each performance was evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Entertainment value and overall impression
• Innovation and originality
• Technique, quality and safety
• Variety and diversity

 All parts having equal value, up to 5 points per criteria, the evaluation was carried out by a panel of 4 experts. All scores were given independently with the 4 scores added together. Each group received constructive feedback by experts focusing on strengths and areas to be improved, and all groups received a gold, silver or bronze medal!

Watch the replays of this exciting event on our Youtube channel: europeangymnastics - YouTube

After a successful European Gym for Life Challenge, the attention turned to the 15^th edition of EUROGYM, European Gymnastics’ festival dedicated to teenagers.

Pistoia, a beautiful town in the iconic Tuscany region of Italy, welcomed 4218 participants from 21 countries for a week of gymnastics fun. We were honoured to welcome the following member federations: Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.

The festivities kicked off with a parade of participants and the Opening Ceremony. In the following days, the participants explored the town, discovered the diverse workshops on offers, gathered for social activities and showed off their creations during the city performances. Browse through the photo albums here.

The event closed with a spectacular Closing Gala on Pistoia’s main square. Relive this show on https://youtu.be/eX27EXPcT8w?si=xwT0XmFjj_qAqeU8.

For the 10^th edition of the Golden Age Gym Festival, we are extremely proud to have witnessed a record participation: 2026 gymnasts from 21 countries!

 The French Gymnastics Federation and its Local Organising Committee hosted this edition in the coastal town Les Sables d’Olonne, from 4 to 9 October. The sun was present as were the smiles! From the street parade and the spectacular Opening Ceremony on day 1 over the city orienteering, the workshops and the signature city performances, to the mesmerising Closing Gala, this edition more than delivered.

Check out our highlights article: Highlights of #GAGF2026 | European Gymnastics

What makes a group become a team? This is the key question to be discussed in our exciting webinar ‘Reading the Team, Leading the Team: Awareness, Relationships and Group Dynamics’.

 In this webinar, Andrea De Giorgio and Sonia Angilletta will explore the key psychological dynamics that shape group life: from communication to leadership, from roles to the relationships that develop within a team. Understanding these dynamics means learning to recognise what is happening within the group, how individual behaviours influence its balance and, at the same time, how the group itself shapes each individual’s attitudes, relationships, and behaviours. Drawing on a sport psychology perspective, we will explore the communication and relational skills that help create an environment where technical work can thrive, while fostering engagement, collaboration, and both individual and collective performance.

Sounds interesting, right? Join us on Thursday 19 November 2026 from 18:00 to 19:00 CET. Register on Webinar GfA 19.11: Reading the Team, Leading the Team: Awareness, Relationshipsand Group Dynamics before 17 November 2026 23.59 CET.

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Thank you to everyone who participated at our events! As gymnast, as coach, as official, as volunteer, as organiser … we cannot deliver this without you.

Ricardo Lima

GfA-TC President