Eyof 2009

Italy and France showed better vaults than the Ukranians in full twisting Yurchenkos, but one of the French girls, a tiny dark haired gymnast, kept vaulting too close to the vault table with her head nearly smashing the table all the times. France also showed stability in beam, bars and floor. In beam they dismounted with double twists and a double back in routines with the usual sheep jump, flic - layout combo and side somi. Their bars were not high class but one of the gymnasts competed a Shaposhnikova, Jaeger and a full in dismount.

Italy was probably the best country in the subdivision with solid routines and good difficulty everywhere. Chiara Gandolffi tumbled a front 2/1, 1 1/2 punch somi, 2/1, double pike. Carlotta Ferlito opened with a double pike, front 1 1/2, 2/1 and 2 1/2; while Andrea Foti had a double back immediatley followed by a double pike, front 2/1 and 2 1/2. Bars was their worst apparatus with some form breaks and falls, but they showed interesting skills like a Voronina on bars, Their beams were solid but for one of the gymnasts who had several falls and difficulties throughout the training. Their dismounts included a double pike and a 2 1/2.