domingo, 7 de diciembre de 2008

WORLD TROPHY Day 2: Spain more ‘brilliant’ than ever


Spain confirmed its favouritism for the final victory, at home, in the 3rd FINA Synchronised Swimming World Trophy, organised in Madrid from December 5-7. In the team free event, the Spaniards displayed the successful routine – “Africa” – that led them to the silver medal at both the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2007 FINA World Championships in Melbourne (AUS). But this time, the Iberians were literally more ‘shiny’ than ever: they have incorporated lights in their swimsuit, enhancing the spectacular character of their presentation. In a scheme that is now well assimilated by the Spanish athletes (this time, their icon Gemma Mengual did not swim), they got three perfect 10 from the judges and finished with a total of 99.666. With the victory on Day 1 in the duet ‘combined’ event (free and thematic), Spain is close to getting first place of this year’s overall ranking of the World Trophy – in 2006 and 2007, Russia won – a competition attended by FINA Honorary Treasurer Dr. Julio Maglione.
And if Spain’s rise to first place in the world hierarchy now seems possible, the World Trophy in Madrid was a precious indication for the traditional – for a decade now – number 1 in this discipline, Russia. With their stars Anastasia Ermakova and Anastasia Davydova absent in 2009, and with a new team with plenty of young swimmers, Russia is in a period of renovation and tested its new ‘weapons’ in the Spanish capital. In Duet, the new pairs finished third and in the team event, they were also bronze medallists, with a total of 97.000 and a 10 from one of the five judges officiating in the event. Despite the youth of its new values, Russia is definitively ready for the next major international events and will continue fighting for the top of the world hierarchy. On this difficult path, they will face a hyper-motivated team of China, clearly the revelation of the last couple of years. Bronze medallists at the 2008 Games in the ‘Water Cube’ in Beijing, the Chinese continue to impress in Madrid, clearly assuming the position of runner-up behind Spain. After very solid duet presentations on the first day of the competition, the team was also second, totalling 98.000. Very correct technically (an aspect that is not being judged at the World Trophy), the Chinese are also gaining in elegance and in the capacity of showing surprising routines, plenty of difficult acrobatic movements. The bronze medal in Beijing was naturally a consequence of the Chinese evolution over recent years, but will certainly constitute a cause for further improvement and inspiration for the present and future synchronised swimmers in the most populated country on the planet.One of the other sensations of the day was Japan, who continued ‘playing the game’ of additional accessories during their programme. After the thematic duet, the event in which this possibility was launched, Japan appeared in the team event with some accessories in the starting platform and finished its programme with one of the swimmers agitating a big scarf. This innovation, together with an inspired programme, gave the Asian delegation the fourth place (96.000) in this event. Also spectacular were the routines of both Canada and Italy. For the North Americans, it was a repetition of the presentation displayed at the 2008 Olympics, under the theme of the Chinese Horoscope. As in Beijing, this idea delighted spectators, but also the judges, who gave Canada a total of 95.334 (fifth place). Italy also presented a brilliant presentation, plenty of risky lifts and throws, finishing the team competition in sixth (94.666). As with the duets, Great Britain and Egypt closed the ranking, with the European taking advantage over the Africans – 88.334 (seventh) for the country organising the 2012 Olympic Games in London), and 82.000 (eighth) for the country that has always been present in the Word Trophy since its creation in 2006.


RESULTS


Team Free

1. Spain 99.666Andrea Fuentes, Irina Rodriguez, Raquel Corral, Alba Cabello, Thais Henriquez, Margalida Crespi, Paula Klamburg, Ona Carbonell

2. China 98.000Xiao Huan Zhang, Beibei Gu, Na Wang, Wenwen Jiang, Tingting Jiang, Ou Liu, Xi Luo, Yi Wen Wu

3. Russia 97.000Aleksandra Patskevich, Anzhelika Timanina, Daria Korobova, Ekaterina Zozulina, Aleksandra Elchinova, Daria Magan, Svetlana Ponkratova, Victoria Shestakovich

4. Japan 96.000Yumi Adachi, Chisa Kobayashi, Erina Suzuki, Yukako Kobayashi, Saya Kimura, Maya Kimura, Mai Nakamura, Saki Iida

5. Canada 95.334 Marie-Pier Boudreau Gagnon, Chloe Isaac, Tracy Little, Elise Marcotte, Alison McKenny, Jo Annie Fortin, Valerie Welsh, Karine Thomas

6. Italy 94.666 Alessia Bigi, Camilla Cattaneo, Costanza Fiorentini, Elisa Bozzo, Francesca Gangemi, Manila Flamini, Mariangela Perrupato, Sara Sgarzi

7. Great Britain 88.334 Olivia Allison, Katrina Dawkins, Helen Morris, Asha Randall, Jenna Randall, Katherine Skelton, Jazmine Stanburry, Louise Woolley

8. Egypt 82.000May Mosaad, Lamia Mohsen, Aziza Mahmoud, Youmna Amr, Heba Magd, Dalia Gebaly, Reem Wal, Shaza Yeha


OVERALL SCORING AFTER DAY 21.

ESP 297.6662.

CHN 292.0003.

RUS 288.6674.

JPN 286.6675.

CAN 285.6686.

ITA 282.3337.

GBR 265.6678.

EGY 245.667


Written by Pedro Adrega


WORLD TROPHY Day 1: Spain shines on historical day for Synchro


The sport of synchronised swimming experienced historical moments on the first day of the 3rd FINA Synchro World Trophy, taking place in Madrid (ESP) from December 5-7. In the new event created for this competition, the Thematic Duet, the world discovered a new way of displaying this already spectacular discipline. The idea of this routine is to present a programme inspired by the culture of the host country (Spain); at the same time, swimmers are allowed to wear additional accessories during their presentation. All the eight duets present at the competition ‘played’ the game, but the ‘Award of Originality’ went to the pair from Great Britain: Olivia Allison and Jenna Randall marched on the platform with flamenco shoes and, to the surprise of the spectators and judges, continued their programme in the water with those shoes! Spain and Canada were also on the more original side of the Thematic Duet, with the Iberians (Andrea Fuentes and Gemma Mengual) covering one leg and the North Americans (Tracy Little and Elise Marcotte) covering both of them. For the first time in the history of a FINA synchronised swimming competition, swimmers performed with covered legs or shoes on their feet: an image that may shock the purists of the discipline, but that undoubtedly opens a wide range of new opportunities in the discipline. For the television crews and the photographers present in Madrid, it was certainly a pleasure to capture these moments; for the spectators and TV viewers, it surely constitutes a very positive and encouraging dimension in synchronised swimming.
But because this discipline is not only show but also a sport, the day finished with the predictable control of Mengual and Fuentes in the water. Silver medallists at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the Spaniards took maximum advantage of the absence of the leading duet these last years: Russians Anastasia Ermakova and Anastasia Davydova (Olympic and World champions) who will most probably take a break in 2009, after Ermakova’s decision to take a pause after so many years of excellence. In Madrid, Mengual and Fuentes won both the Free Duet and Thematic Duet, getting the same points in both events: 99.000. While in the free presentation they got one perfect 10 (out of five judges), their thematic duet was awarded two 10s. Behind the Spaniards, the twin sisters Wenwen Jiang and Tingting Jiang, from China confirmed the excellent shape they displayed in 2007 and 2008, ranking second in both duet events. The Chinese had been fourth at the Olympics in Beijing, and were clearly better than their main challengers in the Spanish capital.In this group, we can naturally find Russia and Japan. Without their stars, the Europeans tried two different solutions in these duet sessions, both with one common characteristic: the youth of the swimmers involved. In the Free presentation, Anzhelika Timanina and Daria Korobova (both born in 1989) were third with 96.667, while in the thematic routine Aleksandra Patskevich (aged 20) and Svetlana Ponkratova (18) ranked fourth (95.000). In this event, Japan’s Saya Kimura and Maya Kimura were third (96.000), better than their teammates Mariko Sakai and Yukiko Inui, who were fifth in the free routine. Also for Japan, their best possible pair – Emiko Suzuki/Saho Harada – were not in Madrid.At the end of the day, Spain and China are the clear leaders of this Trophy (in which all the notes in the two duet events, plus the team and free combination marks, are added to a general ranking), with a group of three countries fighting for the third position: Russia has the advantage for now (191.667), but is closely followed by Japan (190.667) and Canada (190.334). The Canadians had a positive day in Madrid, with a fourth place in the free routine and a fifth position in the thematic presentation. Canada’s most experienced swimmer (Marie-Pier Boudreau Gagnon) paired with young revelation Chloe Isaac (aged 17) in duet free, while Tracy Little and Elise Marcotte displayed the thematic duet. Italy (187.667), Great Britain (177.333) and Egypt (163.667) close the ranking after Day 1, with the British delegation accomplishing a vital mission in Madrid: build-up a team that can represent the country in the best possible conditions at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

RESULTS

Duet Free1.

Gemma Mengual/Andrea Fuentes (ESP) 99.0002.

Wenwen Jiang/Tingting Jiang (CHN) 97.0003.

Anzhelika Timanina/Daria Korobova (RUS) 96.6674.

Marie-Pier Boudreau Gagnon/Chloe Isaac (CAN) 95.6675.

Mariko Sakai/Yukiko Inui (JPN) 94.6676.

Elisa Bozzo/Giulia Lapi (ITA) 94.0007.

Olivia Allison/Jenna Randall (GBR) 88.0008.

Dalia Gebaly/Reem Wal (EGY) 82.333

Thematic Duet1.

Gemma Mengual/Andrea Fuentes (ESP) 99.0002.

Wenwen Jiang/Tingting Jiang (CHN) 97.0003.

Saya Kimura/Maya Kimura (JPN) 96.0004.

Aleksandra Patskevich/Svetlana Ponkratova (RUS) 95.0005.

Tracy Little/Elise Marcotte (CAN) 94.6676.

Elisa Bozzo/Giulia Lapi (ITA) 93.6677.

Olivia Allison/Jenna Randall (GBR) 89.3338.

Mahmoud Aziza/Yena Shaza (EGY) 81.333

TOTAL DUET RESULTS

1. ESP 198.0002.

CHN 194.0003.

RUS 191.6674.

JPN 190.6675.

CAN 190.3346.

ITA 187.6677.

GBR 177.3338.

EGY 163.667


Written by Pedro Adrega

miércoles, 3 de diciembre de 2008

Entradas del Campeonato del Mundo

En la Federación Madrileña de Natación se repartían las entradas para poder asistir a este campeonato totalmente gratis, pero se agotaron casi tan rapido como las empezaron a repartir, ha sido un gran exito, aunque por otro lado una pena porque muchas personas no podrán asistir.
Aquellas personas que lo vayan a ver pueden hacer sus comentarios de qué les parece el campeonato, a nivel de competición, espectacularidad.. lo que se os ocurra.

Y a disfrutar de la sincro

martes, 2 de diciembre de 2008

Campeonato del Mundo de Natación Sincronizada


Las ‘estrellas de mar’ que se bañaron de plata en los Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín, reaparecerán tras su éxito olímpico en el III Trofeo Mundial FINA que este año se celebrará en Madrid del 5 al 7 de diciembre. Expectación total ante las discípulas de Anna Tarrés, que quieren coronar el 2008 a lo grande en una competición de rutina libre en la que ya ganaron a Rusia (Equipo) en 2007 en Río de Janeiro.

Las dobles subcampeonas olímpicas reaparecen tras dos meses de descanso y el inicio de la preparación de la nueva temporada, donde también han tenido la oportunidad un anuncio navideño de las clásicas burbujas en los célebres estudios Pinewood de Londres. El equipo español estará formado por un once de gala: Gemma Mengual, Andrea Fuentes, Irina Rodríguez, Gisela Morón, Raquel Corral, Tahïs Henríquez, Alba Cabello, Laura López, Ona Carbonell, Paula Klamburg y Margalida Crespí. Las ocho primeras -junto a Paola Tirados- estuvieron presentes en Pekín 2008, donde consiguieron dos platas en Dúo y Equipo. El Centro de Natación M-86 de la capital rebosará para ver en acción a las españolas en espectacular duelo con las dobles campeonas olímpicas (Rusia), sin olvidar a China (bronce en Equipo en Pekín) y Japón (bronce en Dúo). También estarán en Madrid las delegaciones de Italia, Egipto, Canadá y Gran Bretaña.



http://rfen.es/publicacion/noticias/noticia_desarrollo.asp?n=1798&i=