We also went to this tournament last year, when we got the invitation through the Dutch federation.
We had great memories of it, so when we got a personal invitation this year, we didn't hesitate! We went with exactly
the same delegation as last year; coach Lisette de Meza, judge Karen Duran and Maaike and I.
Our plane to Lisbon left at half past six, so we had to be at the airport at five o'clock in the
morning. When we were five minutes away from our house, we discovered that I left my hoop at home
and we had to go back... great start!
When we arrived at the gate, we had to wait until the boarding started. When we almost passed
passport and ticket control, they decided to close the gate. There was a lot of snow in Holland
that morning and there was something wrong with a runaway. We weren't happy, since we had only 45 minutes
in Lisbon to move to our next flight, to Madeira. After a while we could go into the plane, but then again we had
to wait some time before the runaway was free.
After a flight of 2.5 hours we arrived in Lisbon. Beautiful wetter! There was sun and a nice temperature.
We missed our next plane, but it was very easy to get another one and we had almost no extra delay.
When we were waiting for our baggage at the airport in Madeira we saw Raissa Feldmann, who was going to the competition also.
The organisation waited for us with flowers like last year and they brought us to the hotel with a mini-van.
When we arrived there at half past one, we heard that our training had already started and there was no possibility for us to
train at a later time... That was a pity. Lisette decided that we would do some ballet and flexibility in the hotel then.
First we had lunch which was really good, like last year, especially the fruit.
We wanted the 'training' as soon as possible, so we would have some free time left that afternoon. It was really weird, we did ballet
in the hall by the room of Lisette and Karen. After warming up we also did some little things and difficulties with ball and clubs (the hall
was to small to do hoop or ribbon).
After the training we went to the swimming pool. The sauna and jacuzzi were really nice too, although the jacuzzi didn't seem really warm
compared to the one in Boston.
After dinner Lisette and Karen had to draw lots for the working order of the competition. We hoped that we would be in the same group, but Lisette
wanted us to be in seperate groups. When they were finished, they would put a little letter under the door of our room, so we could see it the next morning.
We were still awake, so we noticed immediately that we were in seperated groups... Maaike was number 4 in group A and I was number 4 in group B.
We had the possibility to have breakfast between 8 and 10, in our case it was a quarter to ten... Today was the competition for hoop and ball. Group A had
to start. We both had to do ball first and then hoop. Valerya Kurylskaya and Liubou Charkashyna from Belarus competed, they are good!
Maaike had a pretty good competition, she had some mistakes and insecure things in ball but hoop was ok. My ball wasn't really good, but not bad. I had no drops or something. but
ther were some insecure things in execution and I skipped some artistic bonusses. I didn't have drops in hoop either, only two slow turns that were really bad.
After the competition there was a competition for little girls and there were not so many so there was a whole free carpet... Great opportunity to have some training. Later Raissa Feldmann
and Maaike came to train too. Then we had to stop because the bus was leaving. We had dinner in the hotel and after that we went back to the sports hall for the opening ceremony and the group competition.
It was really cold in the sports hall, and we were just waiting in our leotard for the openings ceremony to begin.
We also saw the ranking list after two routines. We were having really good ranks, I was nineth and Maaike 15th if my memory is right. But Karen and Lisette warned us that we probably would end lower after clubs and ribbon.
The groups did ribbon this evening. Especially Belarus and Spain were great. After the competition we went to the hotel, took a quick shower and went to bed.
Today we had the competition for clubs and ribbon. The order had changed and group B was first today, also I wasn't the fourth anymore but the 14th.
The wetter was beautiful, so after breakfast we went to the swimming pool outside and had some sun. Competition was awful today, don't ask... First routine was ribbon
and I got wrapped in it constantly. Also pirouettes weren't good and they are so important in ribbon. In clubs the beginning of my routine went good, only a balance that wasn't perfect,
but then I had to catch a little throw during a pirouette and I didn't just dropped it but I hit the club with my hand and throw it out of the carpet... A little bit further in the routine I
drop a very simple roll of the club over my arm and there was another balance where I fell out too. My coach wasn't happy and I even less.
Maaike did good today, her ribbon had one stupid drop and she lost her balance once but her clubs routine was very good.
Eventually Maaike ended 18th and I 19th.
We decided not to go to the group competition for hoop-ball, since I had to do hoop in the apparatus final on Sunday.
We could have breakfast untill half past ten today, but we didn't want to be the last ones to eat every day so we were there
at a quarter past nine. And we were the first! After a while Lisette came too, Karen was still asleep, the competition yesterday had ended really late.
After breakfast we went to the swimming pool again, the wetter was still very nice. There were temperatures around 23 degrees Celcius.
We had to lunch at twelve o'clock since Lisette and I had to take the bus to the competition hall at half past 12. Maaike and Karen had one bus later at half past one.
At half past two there was a opening ceremony and the hoop final started at a quarter to three. I was the second gymnast with hoop, so I could still see almost everything of the
apparatus finals. The first half of my routine wasn't really good, but I was happy with the second part.
We watched the apparatus finals and saw some beautiful routines, especially those of the Belorussians. After the ball final they speaker anounced that ther would be an award ceremony in a few minutes.
But first there was an award ceremony. I ended last, as expected,
but I got flowers and a certificate and it was really nice and instructive.
Maaike and I bought a cool t-shirt of the tournament.
The Dutch Artistic gymnasts did very good, Epke Zonderland even ended first in one final.
The banquet after the tournament was very nice, only I liked the food that we used to get at the other days more.
The next morning we had to leave at a quarter past nine, so unfortunately we couldn't do anything anymore.
The organisation of the tournament was great and I really enjoyed the time in Madeira. Hopefully we can go again next year!