Europeans - ready to roll in Berlin

With the World Cup events wrapping up, the first major gymnastics championship of 2011 is set to go next week in Berlin. The event takes a similar format to the 2009 worlds with just 4 competitors from each country (6 in the men's event) and no team competition. There will be individual all around and event finals.

The schedule (abridged) is below
April 4th - Women's podium training
April 5th - Men's podium training
April 6th - Women's qualification (4 subdivisions)
April 7th - Men's qualification (3 subdivisions)
April 8th - Men's and Women's AA final
April 9th and 10th - Event finals

The women's teams from some of the major nations are
Russia - Mustafina, Nabieva, Dementyeva and Belokobylskaya
Romania - Izbasa, Porgras, Chelaru, Racea
GB- Tweddle, Whelan, Pinches, Francis
Youth olympian Carlotta Ferlito will join veteran Vanessa Ferarri on the Italian team. Germans Elizabeth Seitz and the immortal Oksana Chusovitina will challenge in event finals.


The most recent European all-around champion and silver medals (Ksenia Semenova and Afansyeva) will not be there to defend their titles, barring major catastrophe all safe bets will still be on Mustafina (she doesn't after all have a Jordyn Wieber of Viktoria Komova to watch out for here.)