BENIDORM (ESP) FIG Office, October 3, 2008: The participation in the World Cup Final is based on the ranking of the World Cup Ranking list after the last qualifying competition. For Rhythmic Gymnastics, the last competition counting for this ranking list took place at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The 8 best ranked gymnasts and groups are qualified for the Final.

This qualification is nominative for the individual gymnasts, whereas the groups are qualified per federation.

The timing of the World Cup Final in Benidorm, at the end of the season, represents a problem for some gymnasts who are tired and therefore have to withdraw. Others do not want to participate because they already prepare their new routines for 2009. Inna Zhukova (BLR- silver medallist in Beijing) and Simona Peycheva (BUL), both qualified for the World Cup Final, could not participate. Irina Risenson (ISR), the next in line, was invited at the last minute to compete in this Final in Benidorm!

There is a general change in the Russian group. The Olympic champions and “golden group gymnasts” from Beijing were Margarita Aliychuk, Anna Gravilenko, Tatiana Gorbunova, Elena Posevina, Daria Shkurikhina, Natalia Zueva. In Benidorm the following gymnasts represent the Russian group: Ekaterina Ukrainskaia, Natalia Beklina, Margarita Goncharova, Kristina Vaidurova, Tatiana Ivanova and Ekatarina Logunova. A brand new group!

The Ukrainian Group performs with only five gymnasts: Okasna Petulko, Vera Perederiy, Alina Maksymenko, Olena Dmytrash, Kristina Cherepenina and Yulia Slobodyan. Vita Zubchenko who was part of the Olympic group does not participate.

The Spanish Group is composed of Isabel Pagan, Barbara and Lara Gonzalez, Ana Maria Pelaz, Veronica Ruiz and Elisabeth Salom who all performed in Beijing.

For Belarus, Glarifa Martinovich joined Anastasia Ivankova, Oleysia Babushkina, Zinaida Lunina, Xenia Sankovich and Alina Tumilovich who were present in Beijing.

Therefore it is difficult to anticipate the ranking and to know the real values of the different groups, considering also the withdrawal of some of the world’s best groups such as ITA, CHN, BUL and BRA. However, this Final will be interesting in any case, UKR, BLR and ESP being impatient to see the new faces of the Russian group.