Success at the POSA European Championships
July 7th, 2024
Our association's representative, Lilli Luukkaa, achieved an impressive second place in the Junior B hobby category at the POSA Sports Federation's European Championships in San Severo, Italy, yesterday.
Despite the intense heat, Lilli kept her cool and performed brilliantly in her first international competition, scoring 109.100. You can read about Lilli's and her coach Milka's feelings before and after the competition at the end of the text.
In addition to Lilli, other representatives from our association, Iida Sulonen (Junior B competitive level) and Hilma Nurmi (Junior B hobby level), had earned their spots in this year's European Championships based on their previous placements. Unfortunately, they were not able to participate in the competition this time.
Competition Vibes
Lilli's Own Updates
Before the Championships
I was looking forward to the European Championships and the trip to Italy, but of course, my first international competition was nerve-wracking. I was particularly worried about the hot weather forecasted for San Severo, wondering if there would be enough grip on the poles on the day of the competition. Fortunately, the last run-through at our home gym on Tuesday went well, which eased my biggest worry. Lilli's father, Heikki, also commented that Lilli seemed very relieved after the successful run-through on Tuesday! The preparation for this year's competition season has gone really well. We've progressed calmly, and everything has gone according to plan, even though there have been breaks in training. We started practicing the choreography in November 2023, and I competed for the first time with the new choreography in April.
In Italy
Everything has gone well in Italy! It has been hot, with daily temperatures ranging between 29-34 degrees Celsius. We've eaten well, and the company has been excellent. And, of course, the competition went brilliantly!
The Competition Itself
Performing in Italy felt good, and it was fun to be on stage. The feeling was super when I got onto the podium at an international competition for the first time. The hot weather required some unusual measures before going on stage, and we had to be careful with the grips, but fortunately, the grip was reasonably good in the end.
What's Next
Now, it's time for a little break, as the season has been long. After the break, my thoughts will turn towards the next competitions and hopefully the World Championships in Sassuolo, Italy, at the turn of November-December.
Coach Milka's Comments
It has been wonderful to follow Lilli's development over the years, and I am so proud that many years of training culminated in a silver medal at the European Championships! I have been coaching Lilli since 2019, and our journey has included several competitions and successes, but also the darker sides of sports, such as injuries. Despite the injuries, Lilli has always returned to training with great motivation, and the hard work was rewarded on Saturday in Italy. The trip went very well, and the travel company was excellent. Thanks to Lilli's family for allowing me to support Lilli and for making all of this possible.
The competition day was exciting. The intense heat was a source of anxiety, as we already knew that Lilli's grip problems tend to surface in hot weather. The advice for this was ice cubes bought from a nearby supermarket, a washed ready-made salad bowl, and a borrowed towel from a competition friend, Fanni. Thanks to these tricks, the grip was better than expected, and the day ended in success!
I am extremely proud of Lilli and her performance at the European Championships! After a short rest, we're setting our sights on the next competitions and the upcoming autumn season. Hopefully, the hobby category will be represented at the World Championships again, and Lilli will have the opportunity to represent Finland and, of course, our club 🧡
