FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE
cycle. All decisions with respect to the 2013 Code, Tables of Difficulty and World Age Group
Competition structure have respected the opinions and advice of these experts.
On behalf of the Acrobatic Gymnastics Community, I would like to express appreciation to
President Grandi and to the Presidential Commission for their wisdom in suggesting such a
Symposium. It was very beneficial for the discipline.
Development Project:
At the direction of President Grandi, an Acrobatic Gymnastics Development project was created
and then approved in December of 2009. Clear objectives were written with measurable goals
identified, and a curriculum was created.
Four activities have taken place to date, two in PAGU and two for Asia. Two more activities are
planned for 2012. The first course for Africa is scheduled to take place in early October, and
another event for PAGU is planned in conjunction with the World Games Test event. Eighteen
countries have taken part to date. Nine of those countries participated at the World
Championships or World Age Group Competition in Orlando in April of 2012. Three more are in
the process of starting national programs and plan to participate in 2014.
The Acro Development Project has been the single most important contribution towards the
development of the discipline since our merger with the FIG in 1998.
World Cup in Forli, Italy
The Acrobatic Gymnastics community was honored to be invited by President Grandi to visit his
home town for the last event in the 2011 World Cup series. Thirteen countries participated from
three continents. The finals were carried live by Rai Radio/Television, and were re-broadcast
several days later for a total of 10 hours of coverage. The commentary was very complimentary of
the discipline and of the work of the judges.
Following qualifications, all the teams stayed late to create a special gala performance for
President Grandi. With the help of Russian choreographer Larisa Gurgenidze and the Belgium
National Coach Sergey Tretyakov, the gymnasts created an amazing display. Following the finals,
their performance to the music "We are the Champions" brought tears to many eyes, as well as a
long standing ovation that lasted even after the gymnasts left the floor.
The competition in Forli will forever remain as one of the highlights of the discipline of Acrobatic
Gymnastics.
World Championships, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
The 2012 World Championships and the World Age Group Competition, hosted by the USA in
April, was the largest event in the history of Acrobatic Gymnastics. Gymnasts from 33 countries
from five continents participated. There were 176 gymnasts from 22 federations present for senior
world championships, and a total of 424 gymnasts from 28 countries present for the World Age
Group Competition. Two new countries, Brazil and Colombia participated at WCH, with five
countries participating in the WAGC for the first time, Brazil, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and
China. The five events were won by five different countries from two continents: BEL, CHN, GBR,
RUS and the UKR.
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FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE