IAF International ACRO Foundation

Last weekend, the 2025 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Cup Series commenced in the small Belgian town of Puurs, nestled between Brussels and Antwerp.

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Twelve nations gathered to compete in the first World Cup of the cycle and showcase how they began the new year. In addition to the familiar faces from Europe, the United States was well-represented with a sizeable delegation, participating both in the World Cup and the simultaneously held Flanders International Acro Cup (FIAC).

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After a voluntary training session on Wednesday for the teams that had already arrived, podium training began on Thursday. Each nation was allocated a specific time slot to familiarize themselves with the arena and the competition floor, using this "dress rehearsal" to fine-tune their elements before the competition officially began on Friday. From 3:30 PM onward, the senior athletes of the World Cup were asked to vacate the floor, as the doors to the venue opened to welcome teams, athletes, and spectators of the FIAC.

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Friday marked the official start of the competition: the judges' meeting began at 5:15 PM, followed by the procession of judges and nations at 5:50 PM. At precisely 6:00 PM, the first team stepped onto the floor, with the women’s pairs opening the competition. Right away, there was a notable highlight: of the seven pairs, three hailed from the United States, with one of these pairs making their debut in the senior category – Sydney Padios and Willow Noble, who had been crowned Junior World Champions at the 2024 Junior and Youth World Championships in Portugal. All the women’s pairs impressed with phenomenal elements, impressive difficulty, and expressive choreography. In the end, the reigning World Champions from Belgium, Maysae Bouhouch and Silke Macharis, triumphed on home soil, convincing the judges with a flawlessly executed final routine. They took the gold medal at the first World Cup of 2025 in Puurs. The US pair of Maya Lissenkova and Katherine Borcherding claimed the silver, with the commentator revealing that the two women had been performing together for over a decade. This vast experience and synchronization paid off, earning them the second-place finish. The Portuguese pair secured the bronze medal.

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Next came the mixed pairs. In the dynamic routine, the mixed pair from Ukraine and the pair from Azerbaijan battled neck and neck for the top spots. The same spectacle of elite acrobatics had been witnessed at the World Championships in Portugal, and this time, Ukraine narrowly emerged on top by just 0.13 points. The German mixed pair followed closely in third with an equally impressive performance. Despite some less-than-perfect balance routines, where a few wobbles were visible, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Germany, along with pairs from Portugal, France, Austria, and Poland, all advanced to the final. In the combined routine, as in qualification, the Ukrainian pair dominated, earning the highest score of the entire competition. The final rankings shifted slightly, with Germany securing silver and Portugal claiming bronze.

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The men's pairs field was the second smallest, after the men’s groups, but the quality of their performances was undeniably top-tier. The Spanish men, who had won medals at the previous World Championships – marking Spain’s first-ever world championship medal in acrobatic gymnastics – demonstrated once again that they are contenders for the world’s best. With energetic choreography and flawlessly executed elements, they fought for the silver medal and second place on the podium. Portugal rounded out the top three, with the two partners – notably the same height – proving that with excellent technical training, even physical challenges can be easily overcome. The gold medal went to the United States, with the Ossolodkov brothers making their senior debut and impressing once again, having shown their promise at last year's Junior World Championships. Their routines combined outstanding technical, artistic, and creative choreography and elements, along with solid difficulty, securing them the top spot.

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The women's groups competition was a true test of triumph and defeat, as demonstrated by the Azerbaijani trio. On the second day of qualification, after an outstanding dynamic routine on day one, they were in first place, only for their balance routine on day two to falter, with two unfortunate falls preventing them from advancing to the final. The French athletes, however, surprised everyone with their solid routines and strong artistry, claiming the bronze medal. The Netherlands secured second place, and the Portuguese trio, comprising Ema Fernandes, Alicia Santos, and Leonor Carreira, took home the gold.

Lastly, on every World Cup day, the men's groups took to the floor. As usual, all four teams displayed breathtaking elements and body control at the highest level. Dynamic elements soared four to five meters into the air, while balance elements were held at the same impressive height – a spectacle for every viewer. In the end, the Belgian hosts secured third place, Germany took silver, and the Portuguese men claimed the World Cup victory with a narrow half-point lead over the second-place finishers.

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Looking at the competition from a team perspective, one notable observation stands out: Portugal entered five disciplines and came away with five medals. According to the medal table, Portugal dominated the World Cup in Puurs.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the participants. We hope everyone is satisfied with their performances and wish them continued success in their training.

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We look forward to seeing another strong field of competitors, breathtaking performances, and razor-thin decisions at the next World Cup in Burgas (BUL).