The Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix Series is an annual competition of tournaments for rhythmic gymnastics, open to athletes from all over the globe. The series consists of a number of stages, culminating in the final event, usually referred to as Grand Prix Final. The final event has become one of ements in gymnastics by nation|most important]] rhythmic gymnastics events in the history of the sport, usually gathering some of the best gymnasts on the planet.
Contents
History
The person responsible for the creation of the Grand Prix Series was the then vice-president of the International Gymnastics Federation, Hans-Jürgen Zacharias, in 1993. The rules were drafted in the course of many meetings with the UEG, and in 1994 the first Grand Prix Series was organised in the Netherlands, Ukraine, France, Germany and Austria, with the Grand Prix Final event being held in Innsbruck. As of 2016, gymnasts from countries in Europe and Asia, including Russia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, have won medals at the Grand Prix Final. Gymnasts from countries in the Americas, like Brazil, have won medals at the Grand Prix stages.
Grand Prix Final
The final stage of the event, also commonly referred to as Grand Prix Final, is considered a prestigious event in which usually only the best ranked gymnasts from previous stages are allowed to compete.
Grand Prix Series
Grand Prix Final medalists
Overall winners
After the Grand Prix Final event, points are added up and overall winners of the Grand Prix circuit are decided. From 1994 to 1997, the gymnasts who gathered the biggest number of points in the all-around competitions was declared the winner. Starting in 1998, winners of each of the four apparatus were declared.