Russia's plans for 2013 : target Worlds, Europeans, Universiade; change the rules!

2010 World team champion Tatiana Nabieva should compete in Kazan this summer

National coach Valentina Rodionenko has given two interviews recently about Russia's plans for the future.

Here, she explains how next March's Russian Championships will be used as selection for the four gymnasts who will compete at the individual European Championships in April. It's a heavy year's competition with Europeans in the Spring, the Universiade in July, and the World Championships in the autumn.  Aliya Mustafina, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Tatiana Nabieva and Krystyna Goryunova have already been announced as being in contention for the Universiade, which Rodionenko says Russia are treating as a highly important competition and which will take place on home ground in Kazan.

Next year, two juniors will progress to senior level - Evgenia Shelgunova [who will have full competitive eligibility for senior competition] and Maria Kharenkova [who will train alongside the seniors in 2013, but still compete at junior level until 2014].

In a radio interview she adds that the team expects to strengthen itself by adding three or four newcomers in time for the Olympics in 2016.  Many regional and national competitions will take place to try to identify upcoming talent. 

Amendments to the Code of Points have been partly favourable, in particular the downgrading of the Amanar vault and improvements to the beam marking, meaning that fine execution will receive a bonus.  However, Valentina criticises new approaches to rewarding artistry in the floor routines: there is much confusion between judges and coaches as to its meaning.  The new Code has identified 'nicely performed acrobatics with stuck landings' as artistry, but the Russians feel that it is more about quality of performance, eg pointed toes and good lines, than acrobatic connections.  They intend to write a letter to the FIG in the near future to try to persuade them to change the rules as they pertain to floor exercises. 

And I don't blame them. 

You can find the new WAG Code of Points here.