FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup B
34th Turnier der Meister
Cottbus (GER), March 12 – 14, 2010
LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 9, 2010: A tournament with a long tradition in Germany, the 34th Turnier der Meister, will be held for the 8th time since 2003 as a FIG World Cup from March 12 – 14, 2010 in Cottbus.
Turnier der Meister
The Turnier der Meister was first held in 1973 in Schwerin, followed by Berlin in 1978. Since 1979, the German Gymnastics Federation has been hosting the tournament annually in Cottbus together with the gymnastics club SC Cottbus Turnen e.V.
Under the direction of Mirko Wohlfahrt, who took over organisation of the competition from Sylvio Kroll (1988 Olympic Silver medallist on Vault, 1987 World Champion on Vault and 1985 World Champion on Parallel Bars) in 2008, and supplied with apparatus by long-time FIG partner Spieth Gymnastic, the Turnier der Meister will welcome up to 2,000 fans at the Lausitz Arena eager to see the world’s Artistic Gymnastics elite at this second World Cup meet of the year.
Special features such as a ticket fan package for 10 – 18 year olds, an “Oldie Meeting” for former gymnasts, coaches, judges and journalists and a symposium for coaches held by the German Gymnastics Federation make the Cottbus meet particularly attractive for gym friends.
The line-up
A total of 24 nations from Europe, Asia and the Americas will be represented in Cottbus, featuring 73 MAG and 40 WAG gymnasts. Cyril Tommasone (FRA), Saso Bertoncelj (SLO) and Filip Ude (CRO) on Pommel Horse, Jeffrey Wammes (NED) and Matthias Fahrig (GER) on Vault, Anton Fokin (UZB) on Parallel Bars and Epke Zonderland (NED) on Horizontal Bar are among the key players in the men’s competition.
Germany’s MAG head coach Andreas Hirsch appointed 22 year old Marcel Nguyen to lead a team composed of Matthias Fahrig (Floor / Vault / Parallel Bars), Thomas Taranu (Rings / Vault) and two local stars, Philipp Boy (Pommel Horse / Horizontal Bar) and Robert Juckel (Pommel Horse) in the absence of Fabian Hambuechen.
In the women’s competition, head coach Ulla Koch will have to make do without German Champion Kim Bui, who withdrew due to a knee injury. Her team has dropped to three members: 2008 Olympian Marie-Sophie Hindermann, 16 year old newcomer Maike Roll (both on Uneven Bars, Beam and Floor) and 34 year old veteran Oksana Chusovitina, with a comeback on Vault.
Check out the complete roster for the 34th Turnier der Meister!
MAG
WAG
2009 title holders
Men
Floor Exercise – UCHIMURA Kohei (JPN) – 15.700
Pommel Horse – TRUYENS Donna Donny (BEL) – 15.575
Still Rings – VAN GELDER Yuri (NED) – 15.850
Vault – WAMMES Jeffrey (NED) – 16.100
Parallel Bars – PETKOVSEK Mitja (SLO) – 15.775
Horizontal Bar – CUCHERAT Yann (FRA) – 15.775
Women
Vault – KAESLIN Ariella (SUI) – 14.550
Uneven Bars – BRINKER Anja (GER) – 14.825
Balance Beam – PIHAN-KULESZA Marta – 14.075
Floor Exercise – SUI Lu (CHN) – 14.200
For more information check the official event website!
The editorial staff of the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) will provide a live web commentary (in German) throughout the tournament. Check it out on Friday from 1 pm and on the weekend from 2 pm (GMT +1) following this link!
The next FIG World Cup circuit stopover in Artistic Gymnastics will be in Doha (QAT) on August 22 – 24, followed by Paris (FRA) on April 10 – 11.
