Make sure to check out the official British Gymnastics Facebook page. There’s some excellent photos from the European Championships

As we all know due to the volcanic ash disruption, some teams have not been able to make the European Championships in Birmingham. An updated list of competitors has been released. They are as follows:

MAG Seniors (updated Thursday 12.00)

Armenia – Austria – Azerbaijan – Belarus – Belgium – Bulgaria – Croatia – Cyprus – Czech Republic – Denmark – Espana – Finland – France – Great Britain – Georgia – Germany – Greece – Hungary – Ireland – Iceland – Israel – Italy – Latvia – Lithuania – Luxembourg – Netherlands – Norway – Poland – Portugal – Romania – Russia – Slovenia – Serbia – Switzerland – Slovakia – Turkey

MAG Juniors (updated Thursday 12.00)

Armenia – Austria – Azerbaijan – Belgium – Bulgaria – Croatia – Cyprus – Czech Republic – Denmark – Espana – Finland – France – Great Britain – Germany – Greece – Hungary – Ireland – Iceland – Italy – Lithuania – Monaco – Netherlands – Norway – Poland – Portugal – Romania-Slovenia – Serbia – Switzerland – Slovakia – Turkey.

It’s great that so many nations have been able to make it!

**Update**

UEG released a statement, Belarus, Georgia, Israel and Russia are unable to make the competition. What a pity!

The BBC have posted a video on the website with Paul Garber (Vice President of European gymnastics and President of British gymnastics) speaking about how some teams have managed to over come the disruption the volcanic ash has caused.

Competitors have shown great “spirit and camaraderie” by endeavouring to get to Birmingham ahead of the European Gymnastic Championships despite the volcanic ash cloud that has grounded planes around the continent.

BBC have posted information on their website of the sport they will be covering on television over the weekend. The coverage details are subject to change but below is the proposed coverage. Unfortunately it is only available via the red button, which is pretty crap for those of us in the UK and Ireland who don’t have it. Hopefully we can catch it online.

Men’s European Championships

Saturday 24 April
1350-1730, BBC Red Button/online

Sunday 25 April
1335-1730, BBC Red Button/online

Women’s European Championships

Saturday 1 May
1500-1730, BBC Red Button/online

Sunday 2 May

1500 – 1730, BBC Red Button /online

For those who have British Eurosport, they will also show coverage.

Saturday 24 April

1730 – 1900 Mens Team Final

Sunday 25 April

1700 – 1800 Mens Individual Final

Sunday 2 May

1815 – 1945 Individual Womens Final

If you know of any other television coverage, please feel free to post in the comments below.

With all of the travel chaos that’s going on at the moment, I’ve been keeping an eye online to see how it all pans out for the upcoming European Championships. The All Around is posting some great updates on their Facebook fan page.

British Gymnastics are also doing great at keeping their site updated this weekend with reports of who has arrived etc.

New Blog (at least to me!) GymFinity

Research suggests that Americans are becoming fatter younger

BBC Sports Ollie Williams was at Lilleshall last night with a film crew, taking footage of the British National Squad who are in preparation for the European Championships later this month

I must congratulate Blythe on her excellent coverage of the French International last weekend. There’s lots to read about the whole weekend on the Gymnastics Examiner

BG have posted an update on their website announcing the Nominative Women’s Teams to represent Great Britain at the 2010 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Senior Gymnasts

Beth Tweddle (Liverpool)
Rebecca Downie (Nottingham)
Nicole Hibbert (Heathrow)
Niamh Rippin (Nottingham)
Danusia Francis (Heathrow)

Junior Gymnasts

Laura Mitchell (Heathrow)
Lizzie Beddoe (Cardiff Central)
Rebecca Tunney (Liverpool)
Ruby Harrold (The Academy)
Venus Romaeo (Cardiff Central)