Live Coverage of the 2009 World Championships - Day 1,Trampoline, Tumbling, Acrobatic Gymnastic & Acrobaty

We posted the updates 20 and after under the page "Updates 2" on the right hand corner.

UDPATE 19

So far, the top 5 in the team events (and thus qualifying for the final so far):

Men
1. China 221.30 pts
2. Japan 215.60 pts
3. Germany 206.70 pts
4. France 203.60 pts
5. Ukraine 200.20 pts

Women
1. China 209.30 pts
2. Canada 200.20 pts
3. Japan 191.30 pts
4. Ukraine 187.90 pts
5. Netherlands 185.10 pts.

UPDATE 18

After the first four groups, and waiting for the last three groups to compete after the break, here are the temporary standings (Q denotes a place qualifying for the final).

1. Dong (CHN) 74.30 pts Q
2. Lu (CHN) 73.20 pts Q
3. Tu (CHN) 73.20 pts
4. Ye (CHN) 73.10 pts
5. Ueyama (JPN) 72.30 pts Q
6. Ito (JPN) 72.20 pts Q
7. Sotomura (JPN) 71.10 pts
8. Ganchinho (POR) 70.10 pts Q
9. Martin (FRA) 70.00 pts Q
10. Gromowski (GER) 69.70 pts Q
11. Jensen (DEN) 69.70 pts Q

1. He (CHN) 70.20 pts Q
2. Huang (CHN) 69.60 pts Q
3. Zhong (CHN) 69.50 pts
4. Cockburn (CAN) 68.90 pts Q
5. MacLennan (CAN) 68.10 pts Q
6. Li (CHN) 67.60 pts
7. Khilko (UZB) 66.80 pts Q
8. Kyiko (UKR) 66.40 pts Q
9. Hirota (JPN) 66.30 pts Q
10. Driscoll (GBR) 64.80 pts Q

UPDATE 17

GROUP 4 - MEN - First routines
- Miroshnikov (ISR): Good routine with nice height. 29.20 pts.
- Tomaszewski (POL): Some traveling. 28.30 pts.
- Luxon (GER): Neat routine with good execution. 29.70 pts.
- Doka (UKR): Pretty good first routine. 29.30 pts.
- Katz (ISR): Decent first routine. 27.60 pts.
- Adamczyk (POL): Nice routine but with a couple of traveling. 29.60 pts.
- Kuritz (GER): Nice routine with good height and solid execution. 30.60 pts.
- Voliansky (UKR): Pretty good routine with decent height. 29.50 pts.
- Kubicka (GER): Skill 4 traveled, but very well-mastered routine overall. 30.40 pts.
- Chernonos (UKR): Nice routine with solid execution. 30.20 pts.
- Kubiak (POL): Solid first routine despite a traveling on skill 10. 28.80 pts.
- Gromowski (GER): Neat routine despite a traveling on skill 7. 30.40 pts.
- Nikitin (UKR): Beautiful routine with superb height. Traveled on skill 10 though. 30.90 pts.

GROUP 4- WOMEN - First routines
- Reynaud (MEX): Decent routine despite a little lack of height. 25.40 pts.
- Wirtz (ARG): Big mistake on skill 3, before she crashes out on skill 4, well spotted. 5.90 pts.
- Lenders (NED): Superb first routine with beautiful execution and great height. A little traveling on skill 10. 30.20 pts.
- Syed (GER): Pretty good first routine with decent execution. 28.30 pts.
- Fokke (NED): Quality routine despite a couple of routine. 28.60 pts.
- Baumgaertner (GER): Traveling on skills 1-3-10, but pretty good execution overall.
- Boersma (NED): Nice routine but with a significant traveling on the last skill.
- Simon (GER): Big traveling on skill 3, but she recovered nicely. 29.30 pts.
- De Vries (NED): Nice execution, but big struggle on skill 10 (half in rudy out pike), which caused her to crash on the mat on her final vertical jump. 25.20 pts.

- Miroshnikov (ISR): Had to stop to refocus before kicking off his routine. Starts in full in front half out pike, half in half out triffis pike, half out triffis pike, and an end with half out triffis tuck and half in half out triffis tuck. So-so execution on the last two skills though. 35.10 pts. 64.30 pts. Tariff of only 15.00 pts. Judges must have seen something.
- Tomaszewski (POL): Big traveling on skills 2 and 8. 37.60 pts. 65.90 pts total.
- Luxon (GER): Lateral traveling on skill 6, which caused him to struggle in the second half of his routine. 37.20 pts. 66.90 pts total.
- Doka (UKR): Routine with two triffises. Pretty good despite traveling on skils 2 and 10. 37.00 pts. 66.30 pts.
- Katz (ISR): Some problems with execution and traveling, but he finished his routine. 34.60 pts. 62.20 pts total.
- Adamczyk (POL): Very nice routine despite traveling on skills 8 and 10. Good execution overall. 38.60 pts. 68.20 pts total.
- Kuritz (GER): Nice height at the beginning. Traveled on skills 6 and 8, and struggled on the last two skills due to a lack of height. 38.80 pts. Total 69.40 pts. He will miss the final, placing 12th for now, right behing Pennes, the last qualifying for the final for now.
- Voliansky (UKR): So-so execution on some of the skills. Skill 6 touched the mat upon landing. 19.00 pts. 38.50 pts total.
- Kubicka (GER): Nice beginning. Landed his 8th skill (miller straight) very near the mat, and skill 9 too with his hands on the mat, causing an interruption. 31.70 pts. 62.10 pts total.
- Chernonos (UKR): Big mistake on skill 7, did a simple back as skill 8, and struggled on skills 9-10. 35.90 pts. 66.10 pts.
- Kubiak (POL): Alright routine despite a little traveling here and there. 35.70 pts. 64.50 pts.
- Gromowski (GER): Nice execution. Traveled on skill 2. Lateral traveling on skills 4-5, which put him in a tough spot, but he recovered very nicely. 39.30 pts. 69.70 pts. Places 10th, just ahead of Jensen and Pennes, who bounces out of the finalists.
- Nikitin (UKR): Beautiful beginning, staying within the rectangle. Big traveling on skill 8, skill 9 landed near the mat too, and skill 10 landed right by the mat, forcing him to bounce on the mat after the end of the routine. He will miss the final. 36.70 pts. Total 67.60 pts.

Overall, from group 4. only Gromowski entered the finalists, placing 10th with 69.70 pts.

GROUP 4 - WOMEN - Optionals
- Reynaud (MEX): Pretty good routine. A lot of skills with "barani in" systems. Simple skills to conclude the routine. 32.20 pts. 57.60 pts.
- Wirtz (ARG): Alright routine but lack of difficulty. 32.30 pts. 38.20 pts total.
- Lenders (NED): Struggled with some traveling but maintained good execution. 33.90 pts.
- Syed (GER): struggled on skill 9. Did a simple back as skill 10. 34.40 pts. 62.70 pts.
- Fokke (NED): Crashed on skill 8 after struggling on skill 7 (full in half out tuck). 28.10 pts. 58.70 pts.
- Baumgaertner (GER): Struggled in the second half of her routine after a traveling. Maintained good execution throughout. 34.70 pts. 62.80 pts.
- Boersma (NED): Crashed on skill 5.
- Simon (GER): Crashed on the mat in the early part of her routine. 4.10 pts. 33.40 pts overall.
- De Vries (NED): Struggled in the second part of her routine and seemed to have modified her routine. 34.60 pts. 59.80 pts total.

No woman from Group 4 made it to the top 8. The top 8 remains unchanged.

Confirmation that Tu Xiao (CHN) beat the world record of the highest scoring first routine with 31.90 pts.

Open training for groups 5-6-7 now.

UDPATE 16

GROUP 3

GROUP 3 - WOMEN - First routines
- Guchashvili (GEO): Nice height, but struggled on her second skill and crashed on the pad on the 3rd skill. 6.70 pts.
- Gallagher (GBR): Nice execution. 28.40 pts.
- Kishi (JPN): Pretty good routine with good execution and limited traveling. . 29.10 pts.
- Golovina (GEO): Nice body positions. Clean execution. 30.30 pts.
- Moore (GBR): Nice execution despite some difficulty on skill 9. 29.20 pts.
- Hirota (JPN): Quality routine despite moderate height in the second half. 30.00 pts.
- Parker (GBR): Pretty good routine with nice execution. A little lack of height though. 28.50 pts.
- Yamada (JPN): Traveling on skill 4, and so-so skill 10 due to lack of heigth. 27.20 pts.
- Driscoll (GBR): Traveling on skills 6-7, but very nice routine. Good height and neat body positions. 28.50 pts.
- Terada (JPN): Some significant traveling on three different skills. 27.20 pts.

GROUP 3 - MEN - First routines
- Koshkadze (GEO): Good height. 30.30 pts.
- Gotschin (NED): Big traveling on skills 9-10, but very nice execution overall. 29.10 pts.
- Aloi (ITA): Decent routine despite some traveling on skills 2-3. 28.50 pts.
- Cardoso Pinto (BRA): Struggled on skill 2, but recovered nicely for a pretty good routine overall. 28.40 pts.
- Ito (JPN): Beautiful routine. Amazing execution and body positions. All skills landed within the rectangle. 30.80 pts.
- Kaslander (NED): Skills 6-7 very near the mat, but recovered nicely. Good execution overall. 28.40 pts.
- Cannone (ITA): Sharp body positions despite some late twisting sometimes. A little traveling here and there. 29.60 pts.
- Andrade (BRA): Pretty good routine despite some traveling. 28.90 pts.
- Nagasaki (JPN): Nice execution and good height for a routine concluded in randy out pike. 29.10 pts.
- Crastolla (ITA): Alright routine with some struggle here and there. 26.20 pts.
- Pala (BRA): Quality routine with height and good execution. 29.50 pts.
- Ueyama (JPN): Superb routine concluded by a double full in full out straight. All skills landed in the rectangle besides a lateral traveling on skill 2. Great execution. 30.90 pts.
- Sotomura (JPN): Nice height and beautiful positions. Landed all skills within the rectangle. 31.30 pts.

GROUP 3 - WOMEN - Optionals
- Guchashvili (GEO): Lost herself in the air on skill 2 (half in half out pike going into half in triffis).
- Gallagher (GBR): Had to stop to refocus before doing her routine. Landed skill 10 on the mat. Had traveled on skills 3-4 too. 31.50 pts. 59.90 pts total.
- Kishi (JPN): Nice routine despite traveling on skills 5 and 8. 35.10 pts. 64.20 pts.
- Golovina (GEO): Started with half triffis tuck. Skill 2 was very close to the mat. Skill 6 too and may have touched the mat. She stopped on skill 7. 18.50 pts. 48.80 pts.
- Moore (GBR): Skills 3-4-5 near the mat, she had to modify her routine, before she interrupted it. 18.50 pts. 47.80 pts.
- Hirota (JPN): Big traveling on skill 7. Struggled on the last three skills. 36.30 pts. 66.30 pts total. 9th. She is in a qualifying place for now. .
- Parker (GBR): Skill 3 landed very close to the mat, before she crashed on the mat on skill 4.
- Yamada (JPN): Traveled on all her backwards skill. Struggled on skill 10. 33.60 pts . 60.80 pts.
- Driscoll (GBR): Routine starting with half out triffis tuck. Nice routine despite a traveling on skill 4 and lack of height on skill 10. 36.30 pts. 66.30 pts. 10th for now. She takes the last qualifying place for now, but could miss the final.
- Terada (JPN): A lot of traveling throughout. Also lack of height. 33.40 pts. 60.60 pts total.

No changes to the women's top 8 after Group 3.

GROUP 3 - MEN - First routines
- Koshkadze (GEO): Started with three triffises, but struggled on skills 5-6-7, and had to interrupt his routine. 26.30 pts. Total 56.60 pts.
- Gotschin (NED): Nice routine with good execution before he crashed on the mat on skill 10. 34.80 pts.
- Aloi (ITA): Skill 2 landed by the mat and he had to interrupt his routine. 7.70 pts. 36.20 pts.
- Cardoso Pinto (BRA): Some struggle and traveling.
- Ito (JPN): Unbelievable routine. All skills landed on the cross. Great height and sharp body positions. Really nice routine. 41.40 pts. 72.20 pts. Takes the 5th place so far.
- Kaslander (NED): Crashed on skill 1. 0.00 pts. 28.20 pts.
- Cannone (ITA): Nice routine until a traveling on skill 5. Skills 8-9 were by the mat, and he modified his last skill into a double back. 38.50 pts. 68.10 pts. He will miss the final.
- Andrade (BRA): Landed skill 4 by the mat before crashing on the mat. 11.90 pts. 40.80 pts total.
- Nagasaki (JPN): Nice height and good execution. Lateral traveling on skill 9, and skill 10 traveling too. 39.30 pts. 68.40 pts. He will miss the final.
- Crastolla (ITA): Struggled in the second half of his routine and had to interrupt it.
- Pala (BRA): Nice beginning but crashed on the mat on skill 7. 23.50 pts. 53.00 pts total.
- Ueyama (JPN): Brilliant routine with all skills within the rectangle. Great performance with splendid execution and limited traveling. 41.40 pts. 72.30 pts. He takes the 5th place over, bouncing Ito to the 6th place.
- Sotomura (JPN): Traveling outside the box on 4-5 skills. Nice execution despite that. 39.80 pts. 71.10 pts total. He takes the 7th place but will miss the final.

Changes to the men's top 8: Ueyama in 5th place with 72.30 pts and Ito in 6th place with 72.20 pts, Sotomura in 7th place with 71.10 pts. Behind them, still Ganchinho, Martin, Jensen, and Pennes, still within the qualifying places. However, there are 4 groups left to go.

UPDATE 15

We have now access to the live scores thanks to Michel Bontemps, Longines-Swiss Timing, and Philippe Silacci from the FIG. Thanks to them.

Standings so far: 1. Dong (CHN) 74.30 pts. 2. Lu (CHN) 73.20 pts. 3. Tu (CHN) 73.20 pts, 4. Ye (CHN) 73.10 pts, 5. Ganchinho (POR) 70.10 pts, 6. Martin (FRA) 70.00 pts, 7. Jensen (DEN) 69.70 pts, 8. Pennes (FRA) 69.70 pts.

Under the tie-breaking rules, Lu beats Tu as his optional scored more.

In the women's: 1. He (CHN) 70.20 pts, 2. Huang (CHN) 69.60 pts, 3. Zhong (CHN) 69.50 pts, 4. Cockburn (CAN) 68.90 pts, 5. MacLennan (CAN) 68.10 pts, 6. Li (CHN) 67.60 pts, 7. Khilko (UZB) 66.80 pts, 8. Kyiko (UKR) 66.40 pts.

UPDATE 14

Scores are now announced in English.

Comments on Group 2.

GROUP 2 - WOMEN - First routines
- Brodelet (BEL): Pretty good first routine but some struggle on the final full in full out tuck. 27.30 pts.
- Savkina (UZB): Nice body positions for a routine concluded with a full in full out straight. A little traveling. 28.10 pts.
- Moskvina (UKR): Pretty good routine. Good execution and limited traveling. 29.60 pts.
- McLeod (CAN): Decent routine. A couple of traveling. A little lack of height on the last two skills. 27.60 pts.
- Khilko (UZB): Very nice execution. One skill outside the rectangle though. 30.30 pts.
- Kyiko (UKR): Good execution and very limited traveling. 29.90 pts.
- Sendel (CAN): Pretty good routine, despite some lack of height and some traveling on the last two skills. 29.20 pts.
- Cockburn (CAN): Routine starting with a half out triffis tuck. Beautiful routine performed within the rectangle. 30.70 pts.
- Movchan (UKR): Very nice execution for a strong first routine. 30.20 pts.
- MacLennan (CAN): Very good routine concluded by a miller straight. The last skill landed outside the box.

GROUP 2 - MEN - First routines
- Castela (POR): Nice first routine even though the execution of the last skill was not optimal. 28.70 pts.
- Tu (CHN): Amazing routine concluded by full in randy straight - half in ady out pike. Great execution. No skill outside the rectangle. 31.90 pts. From the top of our head, we believe it might be the world record of the highest scoring first routine.
- Neves (POR): Pretty good routine but some traveling on skills 8-9. 28.10 pts.
- Lu (CHN): Beautiful height. First 6 skills on the cross. Skill eight may have landed outside the box though. Amazing overall though. 31.60 pts.
- Ganchinho (POR): Nice execution. Some traveling, but most of the landings were still within the rectangle. 30.60 pts.
- Dong (CHN): Amazing routine. Every single skill landing on the cross. 31.80 pts.
- Merino (POR): Neat routine despite landing skill 9 outside the box. 29.00 pts.
- Ye (CHN): Routine concluded by half in randy out pike. Great execution. Skill 7 landed outside the rectangle. 31.20 pts.

GROUP 2 - WOMEN
- Brodelet (BEL): Routine starting with half out triffis tuck, but the second skill landed on the mat. 31.30 pts total score.
- Savkina (UZB): Nice height at the beginning. Nice execution at the beginning. But some lack of height in the second half caused her to modify her routine. 34.10 pts. 62.20 pts.
- Moskvina (UKR): Struggled on skill 4, and then had to modify her routine. Struggled throughout. 31.70 pts.
- McLeod (CAN): Some waiting time before she can jump. Alright routine but some lack of height in the second half. 34.00 pts. 61.60 pts.
- Khilko (UZB): Nice execution for a routine starting with half out triffis pike. Some traveling in the second half of the routine though. 36.50 pts. 66.80 pts.
- Kyiko (UKR): Pretty good routine despite some execution in the second half that may have been better. 36.90 pts. 66.40 pts.
- Sendel (CAN): Routine starting with half out triffis tuck. Some lack of height in the second half caused some struggle. 31.90 pts. 60.70 pts. The judges may have ruled that she touched the mat at the end of the routine.
- Cockburn (CAN): Great routine starting with half out triffis pike. Nice forms. A little lack of height in the second half, but very nice routine overall. Loud cheers from the crowd afterwards. 38.20 pts. Total score 68.90 pts.
- Movchan (UKR): Struggled on skill 6 and crashed on skill 7. 30.00 pts. Totoal 60.20 pts.
- MacLennan (CAN): Two triffises. Landed skill 8 very near the mat, but recovered. 37.40 pts. 68.10 pts.

GROUP 2 - MEN - Optionals
- Castela (POR): Crash on the third skill on the lateral pad. 8.10 pts for the routiune.
- Tu (CHN): Amazing routine starting with three triffises and half in randy out pike, randy out pike. Skills 5-6 landed outside the rectangle, but very strong routine overall. 41.30 pts. 73.20 pts total.
- Neves (POR): Nice beginning, but some struggle on skills 8-9, which forced him to do a simple back as last skill. 35.60 pts. 63.70 pts.
- Lu (CHN): Nice routine but some struggle on skill 7. Very nice overall though. 41.60 pts. 73.20 pts. Same score as Tu Xiao. Tu Xiao ahead under the tie-breaking rules.
- Ganchinho (POR): Pretty nice routine despite some lack of height in the second part of the routine. Good execution. 39.90 pts. 70.10 pts total.
- Dong (CHN): Skills 2 and 8 outside the rectangle, but beautiful execution and very limited traveling overall. 42.50 pts. 74.30 pts. Takes the lead.
- Merino (POR): Lateral traveling on skill 4 caused him to battle traveling throughout the routine. Landed the last skill by the mat before crashing. 35.70 pts. 64.70 pts total.
- Ye (CHN): Routine starting with rudy out triffis pikeand four other triffises. 17.40 pt routine we believe. A little traveling on the second half but great execution and height. Loudest cheers so far. 41.90 pts. Total score 73.10 pts.

This means that Tu Xiao and World Champion Ye Shuai might miss tomorrow's final.

UPDATE 13

The scores are not shown in the competition hall. Supporters, media, and athletes do not know the scores.

There is some background music playing while the trampolinists compete.

We lost some data due to the crash, but here are some comments on the optionals of the athletes from the first group. The crash was due to heavy traffic on the site.

GROUP 1 WOMEN:
- Prokesova (SVK): Decent routine starting with half out triffis tuck. Had to fight throughout the routine, but finished it.
- Simoes (POR): Had to modify her routine. May not have done 10 skills.
- Meyer (AUS):
- Zhong (CHN): Half out triffis pike and triffis tuck. Beautiful routine where the skills landed within the rectangle. Very nice.
- Pacheco (POR): Landed on the mat at the end of her routine.
- Bailey (AUS): Unfortunately had to interrupt her routine after four skills.
- Huang (CHN): ROutine starting with half triffis tuck. Struggled a little on skills 5-6-7, but recovered nicely. 38.40 pts announced. Total score 68.60 pts.
- Rente (POR): Decent routine with good difficulty, but some lack of height. 35.80 pts. 64.70 pts.
- He (CHN): Routine starting with half out triffis pike. Very nice execution. May be a little traveling near skills 6-7. 70.20 pts total.
- Li (CHN): Big traveling on skill 2. Battled traveling throughout. Nice execution and high difficulty though. 67.60 pts.

GROUP 1 - MEN
- Exner (CZE): Struggled throughout his routine and landed very near the mat at the end of the routine.
- Jensen (DEN): Routine starting with three triffises. His second skill landed near the springs. Another traveling on the 8th skill.
- Wyler (SUI): Struggled after the third skill but completed his routine.
- Jala (FRA): Had to stop jumping to refocus before starting his routine. Struggled due to lateral traveling on his second skill, and landed the fourth skill on the lateral pad.
- Dufek (CZE): Struggled with traveling and some lack of height throughout, but concluded his routine. 34.20 pts.
- Praest (DEN): Good beginning but struggled on skills 6-7 due to traveling. Recovered nicely. 37.00 pts. 66.20 pts total.
- Schir (SUI): Big traveling on skill 3 (half out triffis tuck). Skill 4 landed near the mat, before crashing. 11.90 pts. 40.70 pts total.
- Martin (FRA): Great body positions. Nice quality routine. 39.80 pts. Total 70.00 pts.
- Andersen (DEN): First skill lands near the mat before he rolls back on the mat.
- Schori (SUI): Crashed on his 4th skill. 12.80 pts. 41.80 pts total.
- Martiny (FRA): Struggled a lot. His fifth skill landed very near the mat. Had to modify his routine, and continued to struggle. Did 10 skills but his final vertical jump landed on the mat. 34.20 pts. 63.90 pts.
- Ehlers (DEN): Struggled in his last three skills but finished his routine. 34.90 pts. 63.10 pts.
- Pennes (FRA): Nice routine with a lot of difficulty. A little traveling here and there. Very nice overall. 39.00 pts. Total of 69.70 pts.

Some notes from memory on the first routines: Zhong, Huang, He, and Li had great routines landing almost every skill near the cross.

Jensen had a nice first routine despite a couple of traveling. Martin had a nice first routine with great body positions. Martiny and Pennes had nice first routine. Dufek crashed early in his first routine.

Midway through the first routine, the announcers started mentioning the scores to the public as no scores are shown in the arena. The scores we indicate are based on that. We do not guarantee their accuracy.

UPDATE 12

We tried to post the updates on the Group 1 but the site seemed to have crashed.

UPDATE 11

The trampolinists of Group 1 are entering. Pictures are taken. A large of the French supporters is hanging in the stands.

The trampolinists of the first group are warming up. 30 seconds of warm up per trampolinist.

UPDATE 10

The opening ceremony is closing with a performance by contortionists and jugglers. Children joined the performance.

The performance is followed by a performance by eight drummers. The drummers are then joined five dancers. The drummers then do some break dancing and acrobatics before returning to more drumming.

UPDATE 9

The athletes with the flags of each country are walking in in the following order: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Spain, France, Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, and host country Russia.

The athletes were officially greeted by an official from the local government of St Petersburg, FIG President Bruno Grandi, and Russian Federation President Nikolai Makarov. With the help of the bear, they greeted the athletes with bread and salt, following a Russian tradition.

The greeting speeches of the officials followed. Bruno Grandi declared the 26th World Championships in trampoline, tumbling, and DMT officially open, which was followed by the Russian anthem.

It was followed by a moment of silence in memory of those who recently passed away: Kurt Hack, founder of Eurotramp, as well as gymnasts Yuri Ryazanov (RUS) and Alexander Zhurov (UKR). The moment of silence was followed by the pledge of the athletes, before the athletes walked out.

UPDATE 8

The 26th World Championships in trampoline, tumbling, and double mini-trampoline are officially open. It is the first time that the World Championships are taking place in Russia.

The opening ceremony features dancers in traditional costumes dancing on traditional Russian music, as well as a bear doing back and front rolls, stand ups, and walking on a barrel. The bear, who was sporting shorts and a tutu-like collar, bowed at the end of its performance.

UPDATE 7

The judges are in place. The athletes clear the competition area. The opening ceremony will start in five minutes.

UPDATE 6

It was officially announced that the warm up would end in five minutes, making place for the official opening ceremony.

Three days of exciting competition are upon us.

UPDATE 5

We have started putting pictures of the event here. We add some more and from Tuesday as well as competition permits.

The competition is supposed to kick off in about five minutes.

UPDATE 4

The first group of competition will feature the Czech, Danish, Swiss, and French teams in the men's. In the women's, the first group will star the Slovak, Portuguese, Australian, and Chinese teams.

No tumbling or DMT today.

UPDATE 3

It is confirmed that Yulia Domchevska (UKR) had to withdraw from the competition due to her crash in training yesterday. She was not replaced on the Ukrainian roster. As a result, the women's Ukrainian team will feature only three trampolinists.

Li Dan (CHN) is on the start list for China in the women's rather than Wang Yun (CHN). This should make the Chinese team even more lethal.

The Chinese are pretty impressive in the open training sessions with optionals performed on or near the cross in the middle of the bed. For instance Tu Xiao (CHN) and Li Dan (CHN) just did exactly that.

UPDATE 2

Today started as a cloudy day in the former imperial capital of Russia. Snow and/or rain may fall a little this morning. The afternoon is supposed to be sunnier though. The temperature is about 35 degrees F, which is about 2 degrees C.

UPDATE 1

AcrobaticSports.com will be providing onsite live updates of the 26th World Championships in trampoline, tumbling, and double mini-trampoline (DMT) held today at the Sports-Concert Complex in St Petersburg, Russia.

The day starts with an open training session from 9 am local time, followed by a training session specific to groups 1-4 from 9.50 am through 10.50 am.

The qualification round in men's and women's individual trampoline kicks off at 11.20 am. The four groups will compete until 2.40 pm.

A training session specific to groups 5-7 starts at 2.45 pm. The last three qualification groups will compete from 3.35 pm to 6.05 pm.