BENIDORM (ESP) FIG Office, October 3, 2008: At this morning’s official orientation meeting of the 7th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final in Benidorm (ESP) the FIG representatives and the Local Organising Committee welcomed the participating delegations.

Ms Slava Corn (CAN), FIG Vice-President and President of the FIG Media Commission, is taking over FIG President Bruno Grandi’s (ITA) function at this event, who for health reasons will not be able to be present in Benidorm. Special thanks were addressed to the federations participating in the group competition from Slava Corn as well as from Ms Egle Abbruzini (ITA), President of the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee. This event in Benidorm is the last she attends in this function. It takes particular effort for the gymnasts and groups to participate in this World Cup Final only a few weeks after the Beijing Olympic Games. In the future this problem will not occur anymore, since this is the last World Cup Final, said Ms Abbruzini.

Mr. André Gueisbuhler, FIG Secretary General, thanked especially the Federación de Gimnasia de la Comunidad Valenciana for their great efforts in hosting this World Cup Final and is looking forward to a fantastic competition and wishes all participating federations good luck.

Representing the Real Federatión Española de Gimnasia (RFEG) in the function of Technical Director Mr. Jesús Carballo (ESP), World Champion at the Horizontal Bar in San Juan (PUR) in 1996, announces the presence of Mr. Antonio Esteban Cerdan (ESP), RFEG President, at the competition and thanks the Local Organising Committee for their great work in preparing the event.

On behalf of the Organising Committee, Ms Conceptión Rico (ESP), Vice-President of the Federación de Gimnasia de la Comunidad Valenciana, Mr. Sergio García Alcazár and Ms María del Carmen Martínez (ESP) wish all participating gymnasts good luck and a successful competition!