FIG Academy for Acrobatic Gymnastics

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, August 13, 2010: The third FIG Academy for Acrobatic Gymnastics was hosted in Montreal (CAN) during the first week of August at the magnificent facilities of the Cirque du Soleil and the nearby National Circus School, which is located across the street.

This Academy was attended by 15 coaches from three federations: Brazil, USA and Canada – a somewhat disappointing number considering that this was a world-wide invitation.

This Acrobatics Academy was taught by three members of the Academy Working Group for Acrobatic Gymnastics. The course leader for the first half of the course was Hardy Fink, the Director of FIG Education & Academy Programmes and then Karl Wharton of Great Britain who is also a member of the FIG Technical Committee. The other Working Group member was FIG Scientific Commission President, Keith Russell, of Canada. They were joined by Vicki Kirkham of Great Britain who served as an Academy expert for the first time.

The highest results were achieved by Sarah Thomas of USA followed closely by Don Holmes of Canada.

Special thanks must go to the Canadian Gymnastics Federation and especially its Chief Technical Officer, Cathy Haines, who worked to assure that all administrative needs were provided and negotiated the much appreciated access to the Cirque du Soleil and National Circus School facilities.

This will be the one and only Academy for Acrobatic Gymnastics this year. Four Academies for Acrobatic Gymnastics had been approved for 2010 but no host was found for two of them which had subsequently to be cancelled. The first Level 3/Coaching Brevet Academy was planned for Portugal at the end of August but had to be postponed until 2011, because there were only two registered coaches to be taught by a group of eight world experts that had been secured for this special Academy. We can only hope that Acrobatic Gymnastics will catch up next year on the multiple missed opportunities of 2010.

In the meantime, the Academy Programme continues with a Spanish language Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics in Brazil and one for Aerobic Gymnastics in Finland in the coming two weeks and a French language Academy for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics currently finishing in Senegal.