Welcome of the Delegations
In the evening all delegation leaders were invited to an official reception on the top of the ski jump of the Olympic Games in 1994. The guests were welcomed from traditional trolls and official representatives of the city of Lillehammer and the NGTF.

Tomorrow the 5th World Championsships in wheel-gymnastics will start with the Junior‘s All Around Competition and the official opening gala at night.
Report: S.Leisner

Two Federations, the ÖRHV from Austria and the VDT from Belgium, became new members of the IRV.
Both countries presented their applications for the World Championships in 2005. With a big majority the General Assembly gave the WC 2005 to Belgium. Austria will be ready to apply for 2007.
Peter de Jong (NED), who has been working more than 10 years for the international wheel gymnastics and who was a member of the presidency from the beginning of the IRV, became the first president of honour.

Synn?ve Brenden Klemetrud, Mayor of Lillehammer
'WELCOME TO LILLEHAMMER!
It is a great pleasure for me as Mayor of Lillehammer to wish all the participants, leaders and organisers welcome to the World Championship in Wheel Gymnastics in the Olympic H?kon Hall in Lillehammer 28-31 May 2003.
The Norwegian Gymnastics Federation and the organising committee are expecting 150 - 200 athletes from approximately 15 countries. I hope the young athletes, who will compete in three disciplines, will succeed according to what are their goals for this competition. But I also know that for many athletes, to be a participant in a World Championship is an own goal. Wheel Gymnastics is a young sport in Norway and the first World Championships was held as late as in 1995, but I understand that the interest for the sport is increasing and are now represented in 23 countries world wide.
The Olympic Winter Games in 1994 were really successful, and I think that even the biggest optimist among our inhabitants have to admit, that the success of the Games reached far beyond our highest expectations.

Today Lillehammer has about 25 000 inhabitants, and the town has lot of opportunities within culture, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife. In addition you find beautiful scenery and well preserved nature that has been so important to the inhabitants of Lillehammer in both summer and winter. And this is a quality I know our guests appreciate, too.

I hope you will have a successful World Championship, and that you will enjoy your stay in Lillehammer.

Yours sincerely,

Synn?ve Brenden Klemetrud
Mayor of Lillehammer

Host Norway is ready to go...!

Also the actives of the host are armed, waiting for the fierce competiton. The 13 members of the Norwegian team met 3 weeks ago for the last common training-camp, after most of them had been in Taunusstein at the international training camp, 5 weeks ago (GYMmedia report from April 16).
For the first time a male active of Norway will compete at the world-championships. Tor Olav Kjellberg will concentrate on the discipline 'vault' at his first world-championships

The Norwegian team is hoping to repeat its success of the last world-championships 2001 in Switzerland, where it became Vice-Worldchampion with the team.
Report: Monika Väthbrückner/Photo: gymmedia)

To keep on the tight schedule, mostly two, during the semi-finals even three, juries will be ready. Herman Markvoort (NL), responsible person for jury in the International Technical Comitee, is planning the disposition of the judges in Lillehammer.

... more Information:
>> Have a look to WCh Preview 2003

International Premiere for the USA
The teams from Israel, Japan and some gymnasts from Austria, France, USA, Norway and a lot of German participants will take the chance and challenge for a last competition before the Word-Championships.
The gymnasts from USA will perform in a international competition for their first time.
Japan will take part with 11, Israel with 10 gymnasts.

... more Information:
>> Challenge 2003 / Participants
>> PREVIEW: 5th World Champs 2003

Big Opening-Gala of the Worl-Championships on the 29th of May
A lot of prominent persons in politics and sports are expected to come to the Gala in Hakons Hall, e. g. all members of the presidency of the International Association of Wheel Gymnastics (IRV), record-world-champion Wolfgang Bientzle (GER) and the president of the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation, Stig Nilsen.

The heritage of this Olympic event is the Olympic Park;
where H?kons Hall, Lysg?rdbakkene ski jumping arena and Birkebeineren ski stadium are situated, just outside the town centre. H?kons Hall is a multi-purpose hall with a spectator capacity of 10 000, and has been chosen as the arena of the World Championship in Wheel Gymnastics.
H?kons Hall and the hotels accommodating the gymnasts and other delegation members are all within walking distance of the centre of Lillehammer.

Teams from Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland Japan and Norway are registrated for the Team competition.

Program / Schedule:
>> Thursday 29th May,
- 14:00-17:00 Combined score Junior Competition
- 20:00-21:30 Opening Gala

>> Friday 30th May
- 13:00-17:00, Combined score Senior Competition
- 19:30-21:30, Team Final

>> Saturday 31st May
- 12:30-15:00, Junior Finals
- 17:00-20:00, Senior Finals

>> Detailed Schedule

One week before the World Championship an International Competition will take place in Flensburg / Germany.
The teams from Israel and Japan and also some participant from Austria, France, USA and Norway will take part.
Source: IRV/Leisner)

... more Information:

>> 31-May-2003: Results, Overview, Medals

> 26-May-2003: Mayor of Lillehammer: WELCOME!

>> 25-May-2003: Challenge 2003-last WCh Test

> 22-May-2003: Norway ready for 'Take-off'

> 21-May-2003: Big Array of Judges at the World Champs

> 18-May-2003: Challenge 2003 - last test for World Champs

> 15-May-2003: Olympic Choreographer styles Opening...

Die Mehrkampfentscheidung der Junioren (L9) fällt am Samstag, die Schülerklasse (L8) kämpft am Sonntag um die Fahrkarten zu den Deutschen Meisterschaften, wo die Startplätze nach den Ergebnissen des Vorjahres nach folgender Quote vergeben werden:

L9 weiblich
16 Startplätze Süd: 8 Startplätze Nord
L9 männlich
11 Startplätze Süd: 13 Startplätze Nord
L8 weiblich
13 Startplätze Süd: 11 Startplätze Nord
L8 männlich
12 Startplätze Süd: 12 Startplätze Nord
Bericht: M. Väthbrückner

Astrid Graefe, former gymnast and coach at the club SKG Frankfurt, was initializing the taking over of these championships. It was also her, who started to do wheels gymnastics in Obertshausen in the year 2000. The championships will take place in 'Sportzentrum/Badstrasse'.
There will have their special highlight on Saturday evening, with the finals in each disciplines... (Report: M.Väthbrückner)