During the control training for the SCO Open Cup, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva helped the Russian National team’s and the Academy’s group gymnasts address shortcomings in their routines.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/d20/3e3/d203e3e2d26bc3600cdcbb6ae61f418e.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/95e/08f/95e08f37ef6b32b487aeb97e153ffd36.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/308/2fb/3082fbbca14126b248d79d4824f1419f.jpg"></figure>

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Competitions

The tournament is taking place in Moscow from November 13 to 15.

During the control training for the SCO Open Cup Alina Kabaeva helped the Russian National team’s and the Academy’s group gymnasts address shortcomings in their routines

The gymnasts have returned to the Academy following the Cup of the Strongest final and the Wings Cup. The athletes brought back 26 medals from international tournaments to Sirius.Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina won three gold medals and one bronze at the Cup of the Strongest final; Alesya Naifonova from Vladikavkaz earned one silver and two bronze medals; and Yana Zaikina from Volgograd secured two gold medals, three silver medals, and the overall championship title based on the results across all stages. Veronika Malinina from St.Petersburg returned from the Wings Cup with three gold medals and one silver; Evelina Tandalova from the Tyumen Region brought back one gold and three silver medals; Diana Kotlovskaya from St.Petersburg earned one gold and two bronze medals; and Alisa Shunina from Volgograd won three gold medals.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/2e9/c14/2e9c149e9423741331ba98376e72523e.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/9bb/a03/9bba03d7621a31c9757d01b31418fd7c.jpg"></figure>

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Academy

The athletes brought back 26 medals from international tournaments to Sirius.

The gymnasts have returned to the Academy following the Cup of the Strongest final and the Wings Cup

Vera Konopatskaya from Belarus shared her emotions after her performance in the Cup of the Strongest final:<blockquote>"Everything went very well for me. I’m very pleased with my performances. Everything that was planned basically worked out. And the main thing is that the coach is happy. She praised me, gave me a big hug, and said that everything is fine and that we’ll keep working and making the programs more challenging."</blockquote>The gymnast revealed the features of her programs:<blockquote>"In the hoop exercise do Latin, tango, and something unusual. The music is a mix of styles: there’s a slow part and a fast part. I really like this look; it helps me feel more free. With the ball, I have a very gentle routine&nbsp;—&nbsp;calm, so restrained. With the clubs, I’m flirtatious. I do everything at speed&nbsp;—&nbsp;fast, interesting. And my ribbon routine is tough, strict; I love it a lot, and in it I really relax and give my all."</blockquote>Vera talked about the challenges and the work on her artistry during the preparation for the competition:<blockquote>"The preparation was intense. We worked a lot, made things more difficult, changed some things, and added more artistry. They changed the fouetté in my program. Now I’m doing it with a bent leg. I like it better and I’m better at it. We made the risks more challenging, added more rotational movements."</blockquote>The athlete also shared her plans for the near future — the show "Limits of the Impossible" will soon take place in Minsk:<blockquote>"I’ll be participating in it too. It will take place at the Minsk Arena. We’re preparing for it very actively, and we’re already eager to show what we’ve got. I won’t reveal all the secrets, but keep an eye on it&nbsp;—&nbsp;it’s going to be awesome."</blockquote>At the tournament, the gymnast showed the fourth‑best result in the all‑around competition.

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Opinion

A gymnast from Belarus revealed the specifics of her routines and spoke about the challenges she faces, her work on artistic expression, and her preparations for the "Limits of the Impossible" show in Minsk.

"Everything that was planned worked out!" Vera Konopatskaya talks about her emotions after performing in the Cup of the Strongest final

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:10508,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Триумф гимнасток из&nbsp;академии «Небесная грация» Алины Кабаевой в&nbsp;финале «Кубка сильнейших»_1080p_Сайт&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;5c3/881&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;5c3881701cc18d73fa4a1e.mp4&quot;}}"></div>Find out more about the Cup of the Strongest final in this Channel One news segment.

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The competitions took place from November 6 to 8.

Channel One news segment about the Cup of the Strongest final

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:10506,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Эфир 09.11.2026 · 11_00_1080p_Сайт&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;034/5cc&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;0345cc6fd76d11fca4c501.mp4&quot;}}"></div>The Rossiya 1 TV channel news segment about the Cup of the Strongest final.

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The tournament was held in Moscow from November 6 to 8.

The Rossiya 1 TV channel news segment about the Cup of the Strongest final

Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina summed up her performance in the final of the Strongest Cup:<blockquote>"The competition went quite well, though there’s still room for improvement. We’ll likely focus more on managing risks. Overall, though, I really enjoyed it. Alina Maratovna supported me. She said some important things before I went out, to help me do my best. I want to thank the entire Academy for cheering for me and offering their support."</blockquote>The athlete shared her emotions from the end of the junior season:<blockquote>"We’ve come a very long way with Evgeniya Mikhailovna and Alina Maratovna, and I’m so grateful to them. It’s a bit sad to say goodbye to my junior programs, moving up to the senior level means taking more risks, performing more complex elements, and generally tackling more challenging routines. There were a few memorable tournaments: the Russian Junior Championships, the European Championships, and the European Cup. As for my favorite routines, those would be the hoop and the ribbon."</blockquote>At the tournament, Ksyusha won gold medals in all-around, exercises with clubs and ribbon, as well as bronze with hoop and silver with ball. Her coaches are Evgenia Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, and her choreographer is Elena Egorova.Ksyusha is a champion of the Russian Championship and a silver medalist of the European Championship. The gymnast is a member of the Russian National team’s main roster and lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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At the tournament, Ksyusha won gold medals in all-around, exercises with clubs and ribbon, as well as bronze with hoop and silver with ball. Her coaches are Evgenia Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, and her choreographer is Elena Egorova.

"It’s sad to say goodbye to junior programs." Ksenia Savinova talks about the results of the final of the Cup of the Strongest

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:10504,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;РЕН_09.11&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;56b/6ff&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;56b6ff12c9e1f64b27649b.mp4&quot;}}"></div>A news segment from the REN TV channel covers the results of the Cup of the Strongest final, which took place in Moscow from November 6 to 8.

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The competition was held from November 6 to 8.

The Cup of the Strongest final was held in Moscow. REN TV news reports

Yana Zaikina from Volgograd shared her emotions from competing in the Cup of the Strongest final:<blockquote>"I’m very glad that, overall, things went quite well today, with the exception of the clubs, where I had a loss. But that’s okay; it’s something I can work on, and I think everything will be even better during the master-level program. After the European Championships, there was such a heavy sense of responsibility, the feeling that I simply couldn’t afford a poor performance — and that affected how I performed. But eventually, I managed to let that go. I tried to focus solely on my own routine, on how to execute it well and make sure I didn’t let my coaches down. Alina Maratovna was in touch with us the whole time, offering guidance and encouragement via video call. That’s incredibly valuable and highly motivating. And when she arrived today, it was as if I’d caught a second wind, it made me want to perform even better. I already had a good cry today. It was just so painful to realize that this was the very last time I’d be performing these programs. I really didn’t want to let them go. So, I made sure to go out there today and give it my absolute all, doing risks at every turn."</blockquote>The gymnast thanked everyone who helped her:<blockquote>"I want to say a huge thank you to Evgeniya Mikhailovna and Olga Dmitrievna for supporting me so much during this phase. I am incredibly grateful to them, they’ve truly become like second mothers to me. I love them so much! Thank you for everything you do for me; it’s so valuable and absolutely wonderful. And, of course, a big thank you to Alina Maratovna, who came to support us and walked us out onto the floor. That was such a fantastic, atmospheric moment. I also want to thank the entire Academy staff for everything they do for us."</blockquote>Yana also spoke about the support of the fans and the gift from them:<blockquote>"A huge thank you as well to the fans who threw me posters and stuffed toys. I truly cherish these, and I keep them in my room. At this competition, I was even given a painting, it shows me in mid-air, performing with the clubs! I’m definitely going to hang it up in my room. Thank you all so much!"</blockquote>At the competition, Yana won gold medals in the hoop and ball finals, and silver medals in the all-around, as well as in the clubs and ribbon finals. She also became the champion based on the results of all stages.Yana is a European champion and a silver medalist of the Russian Championships. Her coaches are Evgeniya Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, and her choreographer is Elena Egorova. The gymnast is a member of the Russian National team and lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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At the competition, Yana won gold medals in the hoop and ball finals, and silver medals in the all-around, as well as in the clubs and ribbon finals. She also became the champion based on the results of all stages.


Yana Zaikina shares her emotions from competing in the Cup of the Strongest final

Yana Zaikina from Volgograd is the 2026 Cup of the Strongest champion in the junior category.The Russian junior National team, representing the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy, are the 2026 Cup of the Strongest champions in group exercise.The rankings were determined based on the results across all stages and the tournament final.

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The rankings were determined based on the results across all stages and the tournament final.


Yana Zaikina and the Russian junior national and the Academy team became champions of the Cup of the Strongest in 2026

The Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy gymnasts won medals in individual events at the Cup of the Strongest final.The hoop routine earned our gymnasts three medals. Yana Zaikina from Volgograd took the title of champion. Second place went to Alesya Naifonova from Vladikavkaz, and third place to Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina.In the ball final, Yana Zaikina became the best. Ksenia Savinova won the silver medal, and Alesya Naifonova took the bronze.Ksenia Savinova and Yana Zaikina took first and second place in the clubs routine. Alesya Naifonova sustained an injury and was unable to continue her performance. Anna Repina from Moscow won the bronze medal.In the ribbon exercise, Ksenia Savinova won, and Yana Zaikina came in second. Anna Repina took third place.Yana and Ksenia are coached by Evgeniya Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, with Elena Egorova serving as their choreographer. Alesya’s coaches are Alina and Irina Gusarova, with Ekaterina Belova as her choreographer. Yana is a European champion and a silver medalist at the Russian Championships. Ksenia is a Russian champion and a silver medalist at the European Championships. All three gymnasts are members of the Russian National team; they live and train at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Yana Zaikina, Ksenia Savinova, and Alesya Naifonova won awards on the final day of the competition.

The Academy gymnasts won medals in individual events at the Cup of the Strongest final

During her clubs routine in the Cup of the Strongest final, Alesya Nayfonova from Vladikavkaz sustained an injury and had to withdraw from the tournament.&nbsp;Alesya, we are with you! We wish you a speedy recovery and a quick return to the competition floor!&nbsp;Earlier in the event, the gymnast won bronze in the all-around and with the ball, as well as silver with the hoop.

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Earlier in the event, the gymnast won bronze in the all-around and with the ball, as well as silver with the hoop.