The Finnish teams took a double win in the Tampere World Gymnastics World Cup. Tampere’s Sisu team Minetit won Finnish Championship gold three weeks ago in Turku.
The Finnish team gymnastics got a sweet stomach in Tampere Arena when the Finnish groups celebrated a double victory in the World Cup. Tampere-based Minetit took the lead after the opening race and took their season-opening victory in the World Cup with a total of 38,550 points.
– Super good feeling when we were able to do a program we’ve been practicing, Captain Minetti Sanni Hartman rejoiced.
The defending world champion has not reached last year’s level, and the excitement has shone through in the programs.
– There has been pressure when there was such a great team last year. There has always been something small in the opening races that has made it difficult to get to the finals.
Coach of the people of Tampere Titta Heikkilä followed the captain’s comments.
– New athletes step into the big boots, which is reflected in the excitement when the margins of error are so small, Heikkilä said.
Only the top two to go
The importance of the preliminary competition is great in team gymnastics, as only the best two teams from the same country will advance to the final competition. That’s why the third in Thursday’s race, Olarin Gymnastics OVO Team, didn’t get on stage on Friday.
Pakila Gymnastics Gloria, who even led the Finnish Championships before the final, was ahead of the Olari on Thursday with a difference of 0.150 points.
Gloria’s total points were 37,650, so the difference was not only in Minetti but also in the third place in Estonia’s Siidisabad (36,850).
Coach of the refugee group Riikka Penttilä says the team set out to seek a final spot.
– There is a really tough race in Finland, but it was known that it was possible.
Finns World Cup favorites
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) shut down Russian athletes for its events.
In this way, the Madonna and Expressia teams, which are almost without exception with medals at the World Championships, leave a vacuum of success.
According to Heikkilä, Finland is the first in line to take the top places.
– I hope and realistically expect a double victory for Finns.
Minetit and the OVO Team have traditionally been in the World Cup final, but the pressure brought by Gloria pushes everyone forward.
– The tougher the competition in Finland, the better we will be when the whole world is involved, Heikkilä says.
The toughest challengers of the Finnish trio are probably Siidisabad, who have won three third places in the World Cup, and the Bulgarian national team group that has won their home competition.
In the Tampere World Cup, Finnish juniors polished the gold of the seniors when Minetit Junior and OVO Junior Team achieved a double victory in those under 16 years of age.
The World Gymnastics Team Gymnastics was part of Gymnaestrada, a major gymnastics event that lasts until Sunday, and has also competed in the Finnish Championships in Scaffolding.