1st Annual Portugal World Cup

Portugal is playing host for its first FIG World Cup this coming weekend. The competition features the first ever men’s and women’s Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Portugal. There will be 100 gymnasts (68 men and 32 women, listed below) from 29 different countries represented this weekend. Upon the conclusion of this event, the FIG series will take a three-month break. The World Cup will return in September with events in Ghent (Sept. 11-12), Kiev (Sept. 18-19) and Ostrava (Sept. 22-Oct. 2).

International Gymnast Magazine reports: World bronze medalist Sui Lu (pictured below) of China headlines a smaller female lineup, which also includes three-time Brazilian Olympian Daniele Hypolito. Venezuelan Olympian Jessica Lopez, third on uneven bars at the 2010 Moscow World Cup, and Slovenia’s Teja Belak, first on vault at the 2010 Maribor World Cup, will be in contention for more hardware in Portugal.

Other 2008 Olympians in the women’s field are Tina Erceg (Croatia), Hannah Whelan (Great Britain) and Do Thi Ngan Thuong (Vietnam). The host team women’s lineup includes four-time national champion Zoi Lima (pictured above)— the silver medalist on floor exercise at the 2009 Osijek World Cup — and Russian-born Ekaterina Kislinskaya, 16. Neighbor Spain is sending four first-year seniors: Marta Cuesto, Sara Cuso, Claudia Vila and Elena Zaldivar.

The FIG series will take a three-month break after this event. The World Cup will return in September with events in Ghent (Sept. 11-12), Kiev (Sept. 18-19) and Ostrava (Sept. 22-Oct. 2).