Russia Leads After Prelims at Euros (27th April, 2006)

A rejuvenated Russian team slipped past Romania to win the preliminary round of the European Championships on Thursday in Volos (Greece). While Yulia Lozchechko started their show with a bang and a 15.100 on the bars, Polina Miller missed the greater part of her routine for a low 13.800. Missing veterans Yelena Zamolodchikova and Anna Pavlova, the team had to rely on three first year seniors Irina Isayeva, Nadezhda Ivanova and Anna Grudko. Grudko showed why she had earned her spot on the team with a clean showing on floor (tucked full-in; Arabian double front, whip double twist; double pike / 5.40 A score) and vault (nice double twisting Yurchenko). Nadezhda Ivanova came off beam on a switch ring leap but presented her catchy floor routine with style for a trip to event finals. Irina Isayeva struggled a little on bars with some missed handstands but came through on beam and floor. Lozhechko demonstrated an impressive array of skills on beam and an excellent 1 ½-twisting Yurchenko on vault. ‘Today wasn't that bad despite some mistakes. This is a new team with young gymnasts,’ Miller's coach Natalia Kovrinikh told Backflip after the competition, now we are hoping for a good showing in team finals on Saturday.’

Romania started well on vault with 1 ½-twisting Yurchenkos from Floarea Leonida and Catalina Ponor and a double twisting Yurchenko from new senior Sandra Izbasa. Bars was a disaster with falls from Leonida and Izbasa as well technical errors throughout their routines. Steliana Nistor got through her routine, which included a giant full to Tkachev, well. The reigning Olympic and European champion came back strongly on beam and floor. Looking fitter than earlier this year, Catalina Ponor broke her acro series after a wobble on the front aerial but still managed a 15.450 (6.20 A score). On floor, she opted for only three tumbles and performed her perhaps best routine this year. Sandra Izbasa led the field on beam and floor with two solid performances.

The Italians look set to challenge for the highest honours with a very strong performance from Vanessa Ferrari, who made three finals and sits in second place on bars and floor. On the latter, she opened with a tucked double-double and tumbled a full-in the second of her five passes. Lia Paolari included a Comaneci in her bars and some beautiful choreography on floor. Veteran Monica Bergamelli led the team's performance off with a very solid beam routine. Ukraine looked stronger than many had expected with final berths for everybody but Alina Kozich, who fell on her beam dismount. Spain, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands rounded out the top eight. The British team lost Shavahn Church when she injured her knee on her final tumble on floor and had to be helped off the podium.

Report compiled by Nora Schuler, Backflip's International Correspondent