The 27th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were held in Minsk, Belarus, from 25 to 29 May 2011. In a non-Olympic year the senior programme focused on a team competition and individual apparatus finals.
Seniors: shared honours
Russia won the senior team title. The four apparatus finals were split between two gymnasts. Evgenia Kanaeva of Russia won hoop and ribbon, while Liubou Charkashyna of Belarus won ball and clubs in front of her home crowd.
Two titles for a home gymnast at a championship otherwise dominated by Russia made Minsk 2011 one of the more memorable editions for the host federation. Charkashyna went on to win Olympic all-around bronze in London the following year.
Junior groups
Belarus also won the junior group all-around. Russia took the junior final with 5 ropes, so the two leading group nations left with one title each.
What to take from Minsk 2011
– Apparatus finals give specialists a real chance, even against a dominant all-arounder. – Belarus showed depth in both individual and group work, which is why it remained Russia’s main rival for years. – The meet was part of the build-up to the London Olympic qualification season later in 2011.
Related
Minsk hosted again in 2015: see the 2015 Europeans. The following year’s edition was in Nizhny Novgorod.
