TeamGym News! The TeamGym Newsletter N° 18 - October 2024

Welcome to the 18th edition of the TeamGym Newsletter!

Just 12 days left to the 15th TeamGym European Championships taking place in -for the first time- Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

From Wednesday 16 to Saturday 19 October, Europe's best TeamGym seniors and juniors will gather in Baku’s National Gymnastics Arena for an exciting battle for the medals. Azerbaijan will be the 14th country to host these TeamGym Europeans.

Throughout the last 6 months, the TeamGym Technical Committee has dedicated significant effort to thoroughly analysing the outcomes of the TeamGym conference held in Malmö (SWE) in January. The primary focus has been on using the insights gained to drive the sport's development and to provide valuable input for the creation of the new Code of Points. In addition, a comprehensive SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis was conducted to identify and assess the current Code of Points.

A lot of effort has also been put into the E-Learning project, the planning for educational activities next year and the update of the FAQ for coaches and judges. At the end of August, the TC met in Baku for a committee meeting and to prepare for the forthcoming European Championships.

In early September, the Executive Committee decided to allocate the next European Championships to Finland and the town Espoo just outside Helsinki. The event will take place from 14 to 17 October 2026.

Host city Baku blends the old and the new, with futuristic skyscrapers next to ancient mosques. A mix of oil-driven development, culinary and cultural delights characterise the city. The magnificent National Gymnastics Arena will welcome 541 participants, split in 46 competing teams.

304 senior and 237 junior gymnasts will represent the following 14 countries: Austria, Azerbaijan, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.

On the nominative list are 7 members of the 2022 All Stars Team: Nicole Hosseini (SWE), Bryndis Gudnadottir (ISL), Agnes Arvidsson (SWE), Ásta Kristinsdottir (ISL), Holly Barbour (GBR), Tofig Aliyev  (AZE) and Connor Wharram (GBR). Aliyev won the silver medal in Tumbling at this year’s Trampoline Europeans, while him and Adil Hajizada were part of the history making Azerbaijani tumbling team that clinched gold at the 2023 World Championships. Our 2022 Shooting star Tabea Zirnig (AUT) is also on the roster. To our delight we can welcome another team of last edition’s hosts Luxembourg, keeping the legacy alive. And while some are making their international competition debut, others boast extensive experience in numerous European Championships. The nominative registration reveals the name of a male gymnast who competed already at the TeamGym event in 2006 in Ostrava (CZE), João Peixinho Ferreira from Portugal!

European Gymnastics and its Global Partner SmartScoring are committed to bringing all the action to your living room. A livestream of the entire competition is available on SmartScoring’s Gymtv.online platform for just € 10. Both junior and senior finals will be accompanied by the expert commentary of Olly Hogben and Liam Gallagher.

Get your subscription here: TeamGym Europeans in Baku - Europeangymnastics (gymtv.online)!

The senior finals will be televised on RUV (Iceland) and SVT (Sweden). Check your local TV listings!

Besides the competition, members of the TeamGym TC will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from countries interested in knowing more about our fantastic sport. There will also be a meeting for all countries participating in the Mid-European Championships and gathering for team’s medical staff.

The new Code of Points is scheduled to be published in March 2025. This will provide ample time between the release of the Code and the subsequent European Championships in 2026. By publishing the Code earlier, prospective committee candidates will also have the opportunity to attain their required category (now Cat 1 or 2) on the new Code well before the European Gymnastics Congress. Information about the coming updates will follow after the TeamGym TC meeting in late November.

Two brevet courses will be conducted between May and July 2025, consisting of 2 days of online course followed by three days (Friday to Sunday) of face-to-face sessions and the exam. The specific dates for the first two courses will be announced once the venues have been decided. Additional courses will be organised subsequently to fulfil the necessary revalidations. In the 4^th quarter we will provide further information on our website and notify all national federations.

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Next stop is Baku! I am looking forward to seeing you and feel the TeamGym spirit in the National Gymnastics arena!

 

With my warmest wishes,

Per Sjöstrand

TeamGym-TC President