The start of an atypical and compressed season is what is experienced from tomorrow, March 4, until Sunday at the facilities of the Jump Gymnastics Club. The stage has been chosen for the celebration first phase of the Iberdrola League of artistic gymnastics clubs, with the competitions of First, Second and Third Division. Unlike other years, and to recover the routine that the pandemic was responsible for disrupting two years ago, only two phases will be contestedinstead of the usual three, apart from the Grand finale. There you want to present the Salta club, which this weekend has selected in 18 gymnasts to compete with his first and second team. The goal is to get off to a good start, avoid injuries and add more than acceptable points and performances to face the next test with guarantees, which will take place from 6 to 8 May.
To avoid a busy schedule, after the last season ended last December, this year things are changing. Nothing to start in September and stretch as if it were a school year. What had been the usual. Now it’s not his turn. With the most controlled coronavirus and its diminishing effects, the 2022 Iberdrola League will run from March to June. A few months, a couple of phases and the long-awaited finale. The first chapter is written in Salt. Saturday, turn for the Second and First Division, with wide representation of the local club. And on Sunday, morning to see the third category in action.
Parallel, jump, ground and balance bar tests, all four modalities, await Laura Bechdejú, Aida Valencia, Laia Masferrer, Nicole de Miguel, Tanit Oller, Èlia Ribas, Mariona Vila, Emma Oberto and Aslhey Bancada. The nine gymnasts who will compete with the first team in the highest category. BechdejúOlympic in Tokyo last year, he is not yet one hundred percent at fault for a physical problem but he will be there. However, Marina González cannot say the same, also in the last Games, because she is studying in the United States and a trip from there to here for this first phase did not come to anyone’s mind. Nine more gymnasts will have the challenge of doing their best in the second category competition. It will be the turn of Jana Faixò, Jana Morales, Carla Ballada, Paula Carmona, Júlia Ramonet, Abril Mora, Carla Manzaneda, Martina Bes and Martina Cassà.
“After such a tough pandemic, what we want is to return to the final, as we have done for the past four seasons.”
The goals? From the club they are very clear. In Second, being among the top five teams and not having to play permanence. There is a lot of youth, which also means inexperience, so you will have to spin thin to try to maintain the category. And the elite, to compete and, if possible, be in the final. As has always been the case, so far. The Iberdrola League is just celebrating its fifth year of existence and the Salt Gimnàstic Club has been a finalist in the First Division in all of them. In 2019, even winning the championship. Add to that a couple of fourth places and also the second position of the strange 2020, when the outcome would come in online format, due to the virus and the strong restrictions that then existed. “After such a tough pandemic, what we want is to return to the final, as we have done for the past four seasons. And with the second team, try not to go down because we have very young people who are the future of this club. We will have to compete and see how things go. If we recover the people we have injured and move forward, things will surely go well for us “, he reflects Montse Hugasfounder of the club and at the same time its Technical Director.
The competition does not give up. Rivals, either. In the elite, it will be up to the Catalan gymnasts of CGE Les Moreres, EGIBA, Las Salle Gràcia and Terrassa, all Catalan. The Balearic Xelska, the Valencian Gym-Val and the Madrid Los Cantos-Alcorcón are added. Most, clubs that have been strengthened. “We are the only ones who do not sign, but that also means that we bet on the people at home, who feels it even more. What we are doing is quite commendable. When we compete, we will see what level we have. And above all, don’t fail, because every mistake is very expensive “, adds Hugas.
The operation of the test, easy to understand. For each apparatus, a team of five gymnasts competes. The worst note is removed. It doesn’t count. The top four scores are therefore added together. This, with each of the four devices. Then the numbers are sorted and the clubs are ranked according to who has the highest, in descending order. This happens in each of the two phases. This weekend and May. Then, the teams that succeed will have the right to access the grand final, which will be from 17 to 19 June. The Salt Gimnàstic Club has never failed, which has the umpteenth clear challenge: to be there again.
