Russian gymnasts reached the the event finals at the World Cup in Milan.European Championship medalist Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg will compete with the ball and ribbon, while Russian champion Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region will compete for medals in the clubs and ribbon events.In the individual all-around, Mariia Borisova placed 9th with 110.550 points, while Arina Kovshova placed 14th (108.350 points).Daria Varfolomeyev from Germany won the all-around with 119.400 points. Sofia Raffaeli from Italy placed second with 113.050 points. Italy's Tara Dragash placed third with 112.700 points.Masha and Arina are members of the National team's main roster and live and train at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Competitions

Mariia will perform with a ball and a ribbon, Arina with clubs and a ribbon.

Mariia Borisova and Arina Kovshova reached the event finals at the World Cup in Milan

&nbsp;Marina Malpica is preparing for the World Championships 2026.The Mexican gymnast is a long-time friend of the Sky Grace. She participated in all our five international tournaments.The Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy invited the athlete and coach Elisa Meza to a training camp in St. Petersburg, covering all accommodation and meal expenses.

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Training

The Mexican gymnast is a long-time friend of the Sky Grace. She participated in all our five international tournaments.


Marina Malpica arrived in St. Petersburg for training camp to prepare for the World Championships 2026

Before departing for the World Championships, our gymnasts and coaches visited a special place possessed of unique power.It is one of the most revered holy sites in St. Petersburg — the Chapel of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg at the Smolenskoye Cemetery.Archpriest Evgeni Shogenov, the rector of the parish of the churches at the Smolenskoye Cemetery, had a prayer service at the shrine holding the saint's holy relics. Father Evgeny blessed the gymnasts with icons of Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg and addressed them with words of encouragement.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/750/b6f/750b6f4c36b7ddcea8e28f7e049e332c.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/7ed/4e6/7ed4e6ff96c9558837531e68024c375a.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/218/15a/21815acb76e108f9ae41e5349ececba8.jpg"></figure>

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Academy Life

Archpriest Evgeni Shogenov, the rector of the parish of the churches at the Smolenskoye Cemetery, had a prayer service at the shrine holding the saint's holy relics. 

The gymnasts and their coaches visited the the Chapel of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg at the Smolenskoye Cemetery

The participants of the training camp from the Bryansk Region took a tour of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.The gymnasts and coaches visited the museum of rhythmic gymnastics history, and also chat with European champion Yana Zaikina from Volgograd and received gifts.The Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy regularly invites children from Russia's border regions to training camps.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/d4b/0f2/d4b0f2355612df9b73109a332dffe2f5.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/d62/825/d62825121fa2eddf14682ba21a98fb67.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/32a/f08/32af08d89172ef0a213bf2e66ab37c61.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/44e/429/44e429a06aa700fbff58802d027cb830.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/d22/d62/d22d626ad9b1572876072a2894049af6.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/0d4/25a/0d425ab4e99e155ca66f2f28657baf9c.jpg"></figure>

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The gymnasts and coaches visited the museum of rhythmic gymnastics history, and also chat with European champion Yana Zaikina from Volgograd and received gifts.


The participants of the training camp from the Bryansk Region took a tour of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy

Olga Ilyina, the coach of the Bryansk Region team, shared her impressions of the training sessions at the Martial Arts Academy:<blockquote>"We are thrilled to train in such a gorgeous gym, because rhythmic gymnastics in the Bryansk Region has only just started developing. Our Federation is very young; we have absolutely no facility conditions yet, we are just barely moving forward. So for us, it is simply an honor to train in such spectacular conditions and to watch the Sky Grace team perform their Candidate for Master of Sports group routines. By the way, one of my students is in that lineup."</blockquote>The specialist also spoke about supporting Russian gymnasts at the European Championships and thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva for the opportunity to participate in training camps and to travel to international competitions as fans:<blockquote>"I really like Arina Kovshova. I just absolutely adore her. Masha Borisova. Veronika Malinina. Yes, this is sort of the new generation, Eva Kononova too. First of all, we saw all of them at the European Championships. That was a moment, you know, when we were there with our flag and our anthem. It was just amazing, such an incredible drive, especially since we had just been allowed to compete. It felt like we were out-cheering everyone and everything there. And again, thank you. Alina Maratovna was the one who invited us. Yana Zaikina was our pioneer, winning the first gold, and then Sofia Ilteryakova won gold too. They did an absolutely incredible job, of course. We were so proud, and it felt like the entire arena was cheering for us. You know, you'd just be walking down the street, and people would stop you, we were still holding those Russian flags, saying, 'Thank you for coming. It’s so wonderful that you were brought back.' Huge thank you to Alina Maratovna Kabaeva because this year we had actually the Bryansk Region team attending the European Championships, and now we were able to come here solely thanks to the Sky Grace and the Alina Kabaeva Charity Foundation. Thank you also to our coordinators."</blockquote>Previously, Olga Iosifovna trained gymnasts in Severodvinsk. Among her students is Alina Chistyakova, a member of the junior national group exercise team.&nbsp;Thanks to the Sky Grace International Association, fans from various regions of Russia traveled to the European Championships.

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Opinion

The specialist also spoke about supporting Russian gymnasts at the European Championships and thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva for the opportunity to participate in training camps and to travel to international competitions as fans. 


"It is an honor for us to conduct training in such magnificent conditions." Olga Ilyina, coach of the Bryansk Region team, talks about training at the Martial Arts Academy

The Academy discovers talented athletes, even if they haven't achieved truly high results yet. In Sirius, they are offered everything necessary for their development and helped unlock their potential. Daily work with leading specialists in modern training environment allows the gymnasts to reach a new level. And if the athletes' coaches have the opportunity to relocate as well, the Academy always supports this.The achievements of Yana Zaikina from Volgograd and Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina are featured in the cards:<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/f03/49c/f0349cb4396847baa703a744681cc935.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/014/588/014588e712aad8961f05495833f80d80.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;The girls' coaches are Evgenia Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.Yana is the European champion and the silver medalist of the Russian Junior Championship. Ksyusha is the silver medalist of the European Championships and the Russian Junior Champion. They are&nbsp;the main national team roster.

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The Academy discovers talented athletes, even if they haven't achieved truly high results yet. In Sirius, they are offered everything necessary for their development and helped unlock their potential.

How do gymnasts' athletic results change after moving to the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy? The achievments of Yana Zaikina and Ksenia Savinova

Jojo Tawinun from Thailand and her coach, Zhou Tianke, shared their impressions of training at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.Zhou Tianke talked about how she and her student came to the training camp in Sirius and noted the good conditions for training:<blockquote>"Jojo started training at our club when she was 6 years old. She is half-Chinese and half-Thai. Last year, in 2025, we traveled to participate in the Sky Grace Cup and Beijing Top Open tournament. We met Alina Kabaeva at those competitions. This time, we were able to come and participate in this training camp specifically at her personal invitation. It is our first time in Sochi, and also the first time we have visited the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.&nbsp; We received a very warm welcome from the staff here, and we were also provided with very good training conditions. The training facilities and conditions at the Sky Grace Academy are very good. Having the opportunity to train alongside outstanding athletes is a great honor for us. On top of that, the staff here takes very good care of us; both the accommodation and meals are of a very high standard."</blockquote>The specialist shared her goals and thanked the Academy and Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva:<blockquote>"Our goal for this visit is that we hope Jojo will be able to improve her level through these training sessions. We also want to adopt some useful and highly effective Russian rhythmic gymnastics techniques and continue to develop them back in Thailand. First of all, I want to thank the Sky Grace Academy and Alina Kabaeva for giving us this opportunity. I would also like to thank the staff here for their help and for the excellent conditions they created for us, both in terms of accommodation and training. Additionally, I want to thank Jojo, thank her family, and also thank the coaches of our Bangkok club — everyone has been a huge help to us."</blockquote>Jojo also shared her impressions:<blockquote>"I went to two Asian Championships these past two years. And last year, I also went to the Sky Grace Cup. I really like it. It’s very nice and like this country is also like very clean and beautiful. I am trying to work on execution more of like, the neat and tidiness of my routine."</blockquote>The gymnast shared what she’s preparing for at the Academy and thanked everyone for the opportunity to come to the training camp:<blockquote>"Trainings go well. And the training schedule also changed a lot. I am training to compete in Thailand for the Thailand Championships happening in September. I would like to thank my parents and my coaches and Alina for inviting me to come to the Sky Grace Academy to improve my skills. Thank you."</blockquote>The athlete was invited to the training camp by Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva. The Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy covered all accommodation and meal expenses for the duration of the camp.

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The athlete was invited to the training camp by Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva. The Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy covered all accommodation and meal expenses for the duration of the camp.



Jojo Tawinun from Thailand and her coach, Zhou Tianke, share their impressions of training at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy

At the Crystal Rose international tournament in Minsk, Academy coach Elizaveta Zorkina returned to her home gym for the first time, not as a gymnast, but as a coach. She shared her emotions about this return:<blockquote>"Honestly, it brought up very joyful emotions for me. It felt unusual. I had never experienced anything like it before. But it's a very pleasant feeling because this gym is filled with so many memories for me. I kept remembering different moments. The girls gave me a very warm welcome, and I got to see the coaches here and I was just really happy to come back."</blockquote>The expert summed up the results of the gymnasts from the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy at the tournament:<blockquote>"It went quite well. Of course, there are mistakes that we need to work on and fix, but every competition is an experience, and it is always important to compete. Ksyusha did quite well in the all-around. We had a small mistake in clubs, but we corrected everything. And she is the champion, good for her, she pulled herself together and executed everything. Yana's first day didn't go quite as planned, but she gathered herself on the second day and made it into two finals. Evelina really made me proud at this tournament; she performed everything well and also took first place. She did a great job and will keep working on maintaining that kind of stability. Diana had a bit of a rough time on the first day with some mistakes on her risks, but on the second day, she pulled herself together for the ribbon routine, executed it, and won the silver medal in ribbon. She did an amazing job too."</blockquote>Elizaveta admitted that now, during each of their performances, she feels more anxious than she did when she herself stepped onto the carpet:<blockquote>"I felt probably proud, first and foremost, of the girls, and naturally, I felt nervous. I don't know, for me, as a coach, this is probably my first big, high-stakes competition. And I felt a kind of nervousness that was even greater than back when I competed in this tournament myself. I also want to thank the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy for giving me the opportunity to come here. Thank you very much to Alina Maratovna for her trust and Evgenia Mikhailovna. This is deeply valuable to me, and I will keep giving my best and working further."</blockquote>The coach also recalled the happiest moments in this hall:<blockquote>"When absolutely everything went perfectly during my training sessions, I was incredibly happy. And for some reason, the preparation for the European Championships really stands out in my memory. Those were happy days for me. I worked very hard, and that effort paid off. To this day, it remains such a happy memory."</blockquote>

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The specialist shared her emotions about this comeback, recapped the performance of the gymnasts from the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy at the tournament in Minsk, and admitted that she now feels more nervous during each of their performances than she ever did when stepping onto the mat herself.


"This hall is filled with different memories for me." Elizaveta Zorkina talks about the Crystal Rose international tournament in Minsk

Lyubov Cherkashina, the chief judge of the Crystal Rose competition, explained why the order of the gymnasts’ performances at the international Crystal Rose tournament was determined using a four‑type rotation system:<blockquote>"If we look at how the all-around went, I feel it was two very action-packed days and as the chief judge, I always try to introduce something that breaks away from the usual format yes. I actually really love the four-apparatus carousel, because until the very last moment, you never know which apparatus will be a hit. It gives the gymnasts an extra opportunity to learn how to open their performance with any type. No matter if you are a champion or not, the first performance is always about like testing the waters. So, it’s really interesting to learn how to step out onto the carpet as a champion from any type."</blockquote>The specialist noted the progress have European champion Yana Zaikina from Volgograd and silver medalist Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina made since 2023, when they first represented the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy at the tournament in Minsk:<blockquote>"Without a doubt, the girls' class on the carpet increased because they’ve learned to present themselves, they’ve learned to fight, how much more complex their routines have become, what difficult elements they do, how many rotations, the kind of fouettés they spin, how they’ve upgraded their risks, how Zaikina just flutters out there. She truly floats above the carpet. That lightness is amazing. Of course, it’s natural, but this nature needs to be developed, and they are doing a phenomenal job with it. Because of this, I believe these kids have a very bright future ahead. They will definitely come back to our Crystal Rose tournament more than once."</blockquote>She also talked about the junior athletes who had just started competing in this age category:<blockquote>"I also want to highlight the juniors who only started competing in the junior program this year. By now, in the summer, we can already see what a massive leap they’ve made, how well they've learned to hold their own alongside the older girls, and they are putting up some very serious competition. An example of this is our Belarusian gymnast, Ksyusha Evdokimova. I don't think many juniors can pull off four rolls under a flying apparatus. She did it, and it was awesome. I love that these junior gymnasts keep that drive and excitement of being completely fearless, fighting hard, and learning new things. Well, that is probably the path to success."</blockquote>

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The expert explained why the order of the gymnasts’ performances at the tournament was determined using a four‑event rotation system and noted the progress made by Yana Zaikina and Ksenia Savinova.

"It’s interesting to learn how to appear like a champion, no matter the apparatus." Chief judge Lyubov Cherkashina talks about the format of the Crystal Rose competition

Following the Crystal Rose international tournament, Diana Kotlovskaya from St. Petersburg shared her impressions of her performances:<blockquote>"I really liked it here. The atmosphere here is very pleasant and beautiful. It's so cool when you see the viewers and perform for them to show all the beauty. At this competition, I successfully completed Alina Maratovna’s backward turn and did the Raffaeli turn well in my ribbon routine. I want to thank Evgenia Mikhailovna, Olga Dmitrievna, and Ekaterina Medorovna for their support and belief in me. I also want to say a big thank you to all the Academy staff. And, of course, a huge thank you to our beloved Alina Maratovna, who stayed in touch with us. She psyched us up and supported us."</blockquote>The gymnast spoke about the advice she received from Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva before stepping onto the carpet:<blockquote>"Alina Maratovna told me to perform everything boldly, not to leave anything out, and that there are no minor details. To do everything one after another. Evgenia Mikhailovna told me to do everything boldly, with energy, and with artistry, to have the mat 'burning'."</blockquote>Diana’s father came to support her at this event. She noted that family support is important to her:<blockquote>"I am very happy that he came here to support me. The support of my nearest and dearest is very important to me."</blockquote>The athlete also described how she has changed over the past six months at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy:<blockquote>"I’ve gotten stronger in my pivots, made my risks more difficult, and improved my artistry. I really love training there, and every time I go to practice, I am in a great, positive mood. The most memorable moment was when we went to the Russian junior championship. I performed well there and won my first medals at the Russian Junior Championship."</blockquote>At the competition, the gymnast won the silver medal in the ribbon among pre-juniors. Diana's coaches are Evgenia Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.Diana lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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At the competition, the gymnast won the silver medal in the ribbon among pre-juniors.

"I have become stronger in turns, increased the difficulty of my risks, and improved my artistry." Diana Kotlovskaya talks about her progress at the Academy and the Crystal Rose tournament

Vera Larichkova from Belarus is the pre-junior all-around silver medalist from the Crystal Rose tournament.The young gymnast shared what she remembered most about the international tournament in Minsk:<blockquote>"Basically, I managed to pull off everything. I am happy with my result. We will keep working to add more rotational elements and things like that. I went through all my routines well, both clubs and ribbon. I am generally happy with my scores. The Crystal Rose tournament is always such a summer, beautiful, and highly atmospheric event, the one where you can showcase yourself, watch other girls, look at their difficulty level, and maybe review and change something for myself."</blockquote>The gymnast shared who she remembered from among the other gymnast:<blockquote>"The most memorable one is probably Sofia Ilteriakova. She performed her routines beautifully and artistically, without any mistakes, and with very nice, extended legs. I really liked it. Also, our national team members did a great job and performed beautifully. Dasha Grokhotova had a really strong performance."</blockquote>In the exercise with the ribbon, Vera saved the ribbon during the risk. She talked about it:<blockquote>"Actually, I am supposed to do three forward rolls there, but because it flew too far forward, I had to run a little bit and save that risk. But generally, all of this is practiced over and over again during training, and you just have to learn how to save it every single time."</blockquote>The athlete also said what she dreams of:<blockquote>"My dream is to become an Honored Master of Sports, to go to the Olympics, to visit many countries, and to leave my name in the history of rhythmic gymnastics."</blockquote>

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Vera is the pre-junior all-around silver medalist from the Crystal Rose tournament.
