Young athletes travel thousands of miles for Recreation Services-hosted rhythmic gymnastics championship

Young athletes travel thousands of miles for Recreation Services-hosted rhythmic gymnastics championshipMarch 10, 2008SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

World-class amateur female athletes ages six and up will be competing in the Coaches Cup International Invitational Tournament and New York State Championships for Rhythmic Gymnastics, taking place March 14-16 at Syracuse University. The event will be held in the Women’s Building Gymnasium, with the venue and support provided by SU’s Department of Recreation Services. The event is sponsored by the USA Gymnastics Federation.

What makes this meet exceptional is that, for the second time ever, Central New York will host an international lineup of more than 200 rhythmic gymnastics competitors — hailing from such nations as Hungary, Ukraine, Holland, Russia, Germany, England and Norway — as well as competitors from all around the United States, including eight members of the U.S.A. National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.

The meet is organized by local coach and judge Elena Savenkova, who has been coaching in Syracuse since 1993. Savenkova is on the Technical Committee for U.S.A. Gymnastics; is the national team coach for group gymnastics; and is New York State Rhythmic Gymnastics chair. Savenkova has worked closely with numerous SU staff to organize the tournament, including Joseph Lore, director of the Department of Recreation Services, and Patricia Burak, director of the Slutzker Center for International Services, who is working to coordinate international students’ volunteer efforts and interest in the high-profile meet. Students from the College of Human Ecology’s Sport Management Program are also involved as event volunteers and hosts for traveling teams.

Admission is free for SU students with I.D., and parking is available in the University’s pay visitor lots.

For more information, contact Danica Bryant of the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau, an event partner, at 470-1903.