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THE big wheels joined together in the recently-built velodrome in Manchester, England, for the IFSA World Championships in Sports Acrobatics, Sept. 18-21.
Nineteen countries sent competitors with only four nations submitting full teams of 17 athletes. Twenty-two member countries arrived for the IFSA Congress held prior to the event. Topics of discussions included the finalization of the merger of IFSA into the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), slated for 1998, and major rule changes. The importance of some of the changes led to a second session of the congress after the end of competition.
With the strength of many outstanding competitors, the Russian team once again took first place (seven exercises by Russian athletes received a 10.0), edging the Ukrainians by only three points. China was third. The British athletes thrilled the home crowd by winning seven medals, including two golds. Mixed pair Neil Griffiths and Emily Crocker scored a 10.0 for their individual tempo exercise, and Kathryn Peberdy won the women's tumbling event. Peberdy became the first woman to successfully compete a triple back in world competition. She tumbled a double twist-in, tuck back-out after working through a double layout. Olena Tchabanenko of Ukraine also did a triple back, taking several steps on the landing. However, she did win the twisting pass finals.
The most common straight pass for the women was working through a double layout to a double tuck, but Tatiana Morozova of Belarus tumbled a double layout through to another double layout.
Nine men attempted the once rare triple salto, but Alexei Kryjanovski of Russia landed fairly cleanly on a full-twisting triple back. He also performed a quadruple-twisting double salto, as did Chen Bo of China. The overall gold went to Vladimir Ignatenkov of Russia, who also won the straight pass final with a roundoff, flic, double layout, whip, whip, flic, flic, piked triple back.
Pairs and groups competition featured some awesome combinations and skills, but several competitors lacked in either presentation or difficulty. The Chinese and Russians dominated the awards, the former winning the women's and men's pairs, the latter taking gold for the mixed pair, women's trio and men's four (tied with Ukraine).
Sports acrobatics continues to be an excellent sport for both spectators and participants. Acro offers a place...