Preview of the 2021 European Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics in Varna (BUL)

On Wednesday competition will begin at Varna’s Palace of Culture and Sports. It’s the very first time Bulgaria will host the Rhythmic Europeans!

37 Federations are travelling to Bulgaria to challenge for the continental titles. A total of 321 gymnasts are scheduled to compete: 203 senior gymnasts and 118 juniors.

 

Who to watch?

Headlined by Russian superstars Dina and Arina Averina, defending European all-around Champion Linoy Ashram (ISR) and home star Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), the field also features 2019 junior World Champion Lala Kramarenko (RUS), Ukraine’s talented trio Vlada Nikolchenko, Krystyna Pohranychna and Viktoria Onoprienko, Azerbaijan’s Arzu Jalilova and Zohra Aghamirova, Belarussian stand-outs Anastasia Salos and Alina Harnasko, crowd favourite Katrin Taseva (BUL), France’s Kseniya Moustafaeva, Salome Pazhava (GEO), Nicol Zelikman (ISR), Italy’s trailblazer Alexandra Agiurgiuculese and talented Sofia Raffaeli, and many others.

This season, the Bulgarian group has been in a league of their own, a feat they will be looking to continue in Varna’s Palace of Culture and Sports. They’ll face stiff competition from Italy, Belarus, Russia, amongst others.

Of course, all gymnasts are looking to excel in Varna after a long period of uncertainty and we wish every single gymnast loads of success.

Not only continental glory, but also two Olympic tickets (1 for individuals and 1 for groups) and qualification to the World Championships are at stake. Both will be communicated by FIG, the International Gymnastics Federation.

 

Competition format

Senior teams consist of 2 or 3 individual gymnasts and the senior group. Each individual gymnast needs to perform at least once. The top three scores determine the all-around ranking with the top 24 gymnasts advancing to the final. The top 8 gymnasts (max. 2 per country) advance to the apparatus finals. The team result is calculated by adding all the 8 notes of the team’s individual gymnasts and both routines of the senior group.

Senior groups compete 2 routines: one with 5 balls and 1 with 3 hoops and 2 pairs of clubs. The combined score determines the all-around ranking. The top 8 per exercise advance to the apparatus finals.

Junior groups can compete 2 routines: 1 with 5 balls and 1 with 5 ribbons. The combined score determines the all-around ranking. A junior group can choose to compete only 1 routine as well. The top 8 per exercise advance to the apparatus finals.

 

Schedule (all times listed are in Varna local time)       

Wednesday 9 June

10:00 – 11:40 Junior groups qualification & AA ranking (5 Balls, 5 Ribbons – SET A 1-12)

11:55 – 13:35 Junior groups qualification & AA ranking (5 Balls, 5 Ribbons – SET B 13-24)

18:30 – 19:00 Opening Ceremony

19:00 – 19:40 Junior groups FINAL (5 balls)

19:55 – 20:35 Junior groups FINAL (5 ribbons)

Followed by award ceremonies all-around and apparatus

 

Thursday 10 June

10:00 – 12:00 Set A Senior Individuals qualifications (hoop & ball)

12:15 – 14:15 Set B Senior Individuals qualifications (hoop & ball)

15:15 – 17:15 Set C Senior Individuals qualifications (hoop & ball)

17:30 – 19:30 Set D Senior Individuals qualifications (hoop & ball)

 

Friday 11 June

10:00 – 12:00 Set C Senior Individuals qualifications (clubs & ribbon)

12:15 – 14:15 Set D Senior Individuals qualifications (clubs & ribbon)

15:15 – 17:15 Set A Senior Individuals qualifications (clubs & ribbon)

17:30 – 19:30 Set B Senior Individuals qualifications (clubs & ribbon)

 

Saturday 12 June

10:00 – 12:25 Senior Individuals AA FINAL (hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon – SET A)

12:40 – 15:05 Senior Individuals AA FINAL (hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon – SET B)

Followed by award ceremony

16:30 – 18:00 Senior Groups (5 balls and 3 hoops & 2 pairs of clubs – SET A)

18:15 – 19:40 Senior Groups (5 balls and 3 hoops & 2 pairs of clubs – SET B)

Followed by award ceremonies senior groups all-around and team

 

Sunday 13 June

10:00 – 11:05 Senior Individuals Apparatus FINALS (hoop & ball)

11:10 – 12:15 Senior Individuals Apparatus FINALS (clubs & ribbon)

Followed by award ceremonies

13:00 – 13:40 Senior Groups Apparatus FINAL (5 balls)

13:45 – 14:25 Senior Groups Apparatus FINAL (3 hoops & 2 pair of clubs)

Followed by SmartScoring Shooting Star award and award ceremonies

 

How to follow the competition?

The competition will be with 50% audience capacity. A livestream of the entire event available free of charge around the globe.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be streamed on gymtv.online thanks to our scoring partner SmartScoring. The senior finals on Saturday and Sunday will be televised and distributed by our partner EBU around the world. Check your local TV listings for details. Livestream is available on https://www.eurovisionsports.tv/europeangymnastics/.

IMPORTANT: Our livestreams are free of charge! Many fake sites circulate on social media asking for your credit card details. Beware!

You can follow the live scoring on www.smartscoring.com.

As usual European Gymnastics will provide start lists, results, interviews, quotes, photos, videos and competition reports on its website and social media.

Results of past championships are available on our website.

Official hashtag of the event: #EChVarna2021