Russian and Portuguese pairs continue winning streak in Puurs

Russian mixed pair Viktoria Aksenova and Kirill Startsev claimed their fourth consecutive title at the Acrobatic World Cup in Puurs (BEL) last weekend, becoming the only gymnasts to win all four gold medals in this World Cup circuit. Portuguese women’s pair Rita Ferreira and Ana Rita Teixeira and Russian men’s pair Timofei Ivanov and Maksim Karavaev clinched their third title each. These pairs easily topped the World Cup series ranking list. They are joined by Sofiya Belmach, Anhelina Tsiukha and Darya Niamarskaya (BLR) in the women’s group, and Henrique Piqueiro, Frederico Silva, Henrique Silva and Miguel Silva (POR) in the men’s group.

In a thrilling final, the Portuguese duo scored 28.320 – just 0.01 more than Iasmina Ishankulova and Diana Korotaeva (RUS), who had to settle for a second silver of the series. Another Russian pair, Aliia Salakhova and Diana Tukhvatullina, claimed the bronze medal. There was a Russian one-two on the podium after the mixed pair final where Aksenova and Startsev took gold ahead of compatriots Kirill Volynkin and Madina Zakariaeva. This latter duo, who had won their first World Cup medal with bronze in Las Vegas last month, performed a more difficult routine but Aksenova and Startsev outscored them for artistry and execution.  

In the men’s pair final, Ivanov and Karavaev impressed the judges with their difficulty and execution as they won their third gold of the series with a score of 29.490. Thanks to their superior artistry, World Games champions Michail Kraft and Tim Sebastian (GER) collected a third successive silver just 0.07 points ahead of the other Russian pair on the podium, Pavel Andreev and Mikhail Vikhrov.

The third Russian gold of the weekend came in the women’s group final won by European and World Champions Daria Chebulanka and   Kseniia Zagoskina, with new partner Anastasiia Parshina. To the delight of the home crowd in Puurs there were two Belgium groups on the podium as Talia De Troyer, Britt Vanderdonckt and Charlotte Van Royen took their second silver of the year, and Lise De Meyst, Bo Hollebosch and Yana Vastavel their first World Cup medal with the bronze. As in Las Vegas, China came out on top in the men’s group final prevailing thanks to the superior difficulty of their routine. They finished 0.3 points above the second-placed Portuguese group. The Belgian group finished third.

 

Results (top 3)

Women’s pair

1.       Rita Ferreira & Rita Teixeira (POR) 28.320

2.       Iasmina Ishankulova & Diana Korotaeva (RUS) 28.310

3.       Aliia Salkhova & Diana Tukhvatullina (RUS) 28.080

 

Men’s pair

1.       Timofei Ivanov & Maksim Karavaev (RUS) 29.490

2.       Michail Kraft & Tim Sebastian (GER) 28.630

3.       Pavel Andreev & Mikhail Vikhrov (RUS) 28.560

 

Mixed pair

1.       Kirill Startsev & Viktoria Aksenova (RUS) 30.230

2.       Kirill Volynkin & Madina Zakariaeva (RUS) 29.560

3.       Nikita Amoskin & Anastasiya Dolganyuk (KAZ) 28.770

 

Women’s group

1.       Daria Chebulanka, Anastasia Parshina & Ksenia Zagoskina (RUS) 30.130

2.       Talia De Troyer, Britt Vanderdonckt & Charlotte Van Royen (BEL) 29.470

3.       Lise De Meyst, Bo Hollebosch & Yana Vastavel (BEL) 29.340

 

Men’s group

1.       Zhi Fu, Pei Guo, Heng Jiang & Junshuo Zhang (CHN) 30.610

2.       Henrique Piqueiro, Miguel Silva, Henrique Silva & Frederico Silva (POR) 30.310

3.       Jonas Anthoon, Robin Casse, Hannes Garre & Noam Patel (BEL) 29.170