Welcome to Off the Mat, the podcast about the people behind acrobatic gymnastics. Athletes, coaches and families share their stories — the hard work, the passion, the challenges and the joy of growing through sport. Because the most important moments don’t always happen on the mat.
This podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù and produced by Marco Palella
OK Off the Mat - AcroMonsters BULGARIA, with Elena Bosilkova, Radost Bosilkova, Viktoria Aleksandrova and Tea Nacheva
EP. 04 — ACROMONSTERS | The Road to Turin
A routine lasts only a few minutes. Getting it ready takes months.
Coach Elena Bosilkova and gymnasts Radost Bosilkova, Viktoria Aleksandrova and Tea Nacheva of Bulgaria’s Sports Club of Acrobatics AcroMonsters join Off the Mat to tell the story of their journey to Turin.
They talk about preparation, routines and all the work that happens before an athlete finally steps onto the competition floor.
The Turin experience would end with Aleksandrova, Bosilkova and Nacheva taking second place in the Youth Women’s Group — but this episode is about everything that comes before the result.
Recorded during the Turin Acro Cup 2026.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Carlow Gymnastics IRELAND, with Kayla Brown, Rachel O'Grady, Emma O'Neill, Charlotte Hendy, Ella Hendy
EP. 02 — CARLOW GYMNASTICS | Growing Together
Through AcroFive young athletes, one club and a shared passion for acrobatic gymnastics.
Kayla Brown, Rachel O’Grady, Emma O’Neill, Charlotte Hendy and Ella Hendy join Off the Mat to share the experience of being young athletes at Carlow Gymnastics in Ireland.
International competitions are only the visible part of their sporting life. Behind them are training sessions, friendships, teamwork, travel, expectations and the challenge of combining everyday life with a demanding sport.
A conversation about growing up through acro and experiencing an international competition together.Recorded during the Turin Acro Cup 2026 in Turin, Italy.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Una famiglia nella Ginnastica Acrobatica, con Fabrizio Tortonese, Roberta Vercellino, Nina Tortonese and Eva Tortonese
EP. 13 — SOCIETÀ GINNASTICA GRUGLIASCO | Acro Is a Family
Behind every young athlete there is often an entire family living the experience with them.
In this special episode of Off the Mat, Fabrizio Tortonese and Roberta Vercellino join young gymnasts Nina and Eva Tortonese from Società Ginnastica Grugliasco.
This time the story of acrobatic gymnastics is told not only from the mat, but from home: the time, commitment, organisation, emotions and support that surround the life of young athletes.
At the Turin Acro Cup 2026, sisters Eva and Nina went on to win first place in the Beginners Women’s Pair.
Because sometimes acro is more than a sport. Sometimes, it is a family affair.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Acrostar Academy Italia, con Gaia Donno e Viola Carabotta
EP. 06 — ACROSTAR ACADEMY | Life as Young Acro Athletes
What is life really like when gymnastics becomes part of your everyday routine?
In this episode of Off the Mat, Gaia Donno and Viola Carabotta from Acrostar Academy talk about their experience as young acrobatic gymnasts.
Training means learning skills and preparing routines, but also managing effort, expectations, school, friendships and all the other parts of growing up.
A conversation about the side of sport that spectators rarely see: the work behind the performance, the relationship between athletes and the pleasure of sharing a passion with someone else.
Recorded during the Turin Acro Cup 2026 in Turin.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Carlow Gymnastics Ireland, with Clara Duffy and Tara O'Neill
EP. 12 — CARLOW GYMNASTICS | The Road to the World Championships
Turin is part of a much bigger journey for Clara Duffy and Tara O’Neill.
The two athletes from Carlow Gymnastics Club, Ireland, join Off the Mat while preparing for one of the biggest challenges of their season: the 2026 World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships.
They talk about preparation, competition and what it means to work towards an international goal that is still months away.
At the Turin Acro Cup, Duffy and O’Neill took third place in the Youth Women’s Pair — another step on their road towards the World Championships.
An episode about ambition, patience and learning to enjoy the journey as well as the destination.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Harriers Acrobatics Gymnastics Club, GREAT BRITAIN, with Sofia Hutchfield, Raina Rees and Sarah Bateman
EP. 11 — HARRIERS ACROBATICS | First International Steps
You never forget your first international competition.
Young athletes Sofia Hutchfield and Raina Rees join coach Sarah Bateman from Harriers Acrobatics Gymnastics Club to talk about the experience of entering their first Pre-Youth international competition.
New surroundings, new opponents and new expectations turn a competition into much more than a routine on the floor.
Their Turin experience became even more special when Hutchfield and Rees won first place in the Pre-Youth Women’s Pair.
A conversation about nerves, excitement, preparation and those first important steps into international sport.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Akrobaatika Kool ESTONIA, with Liisi Laagus , Matthias Kann and coach Heidi
EP. 10 — AKROBAATIKA KOOL | The Story of a Mixed Pair
Every acrobatic partnership has a story. Estonian athletes Liisi Laagus and Matthias Kann join Off the Mat to talk about theirs: how a combination is built, how two athletes learn to trust each other and what happens when training becomes difficult.
The hardest moments are often as important as the successful ones.
They test motivation, communication and the ability to keep working together.
At the Turin Acro Cup 2026, Kann and Laagus went on to take second place in the Senior Mixed Pair.
An episode about partnership, resilience and what it takes to keep moving forward together.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Acrostar Academy ITALY, with Sara Ciubotaru, Vanessa Bulgari and Nicole Miriam Marro
EP. 05 — ACROSTAR ACADEMY | Three Athletes, One Team
Three athletes have to become one unit.Sara Ciubotaru, Vanessa Bulgari and Nicole Miriam Marro of Italy’s Acrostar Academy join Off the Mat for a conversation about training, competing and growing together through acrobatic gymnastics.
Behind the synchronization and precision of a women’s group there is something that cannot simply be measured by a score: trust.
At the Turin Acro Cup 2026, the Acrostar trio went on to take second place in the Open Women’s Group.A story about teamwork, commitment and the satisfaction of seeing months of training come together on the mat.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Società Ginnastica Grugliasco - con Erica Loiacono, Cloe Palella, Michela Federico, Sofia D'Errico e Camilla Poerio
EP. 07 — SOCIETÀ GINNASTICA GRUGLIASCO | Competing at Home
For the athletes of Società Ginnastica Grugliasco, the Turin Acro Cup is an international competition — but it is also home.
Coach Erica Loiacono joins Cloe Palella, Michela Federico, Sofia D’Errico and Camilla Poerio on Off the Mat for a conversation about preparation, competition and growing as young athletes.
Their home event would become a memorable one: Federico and Palella won the Youth Women’s Pair, while D’Errico and Poerio took first place in the Junior Women’s Pair.
Behind those results are training, responsibility, trust and the particular emotion of performing in front of a home crowd.
Discover more:
(https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - UAB Vienna AUSTRIA, with Helena Verdino, Lea Novotny, Helena Karner, Mia Buxbaum and Lorenz Bauer
EP. 09 — UAB VIENNA | The Austrian Acro Experience
Different ages, different partnerships, one shared experience of acrobatic gymnastics.
Coach Helena Verdino joins Lea Novotny, Helena Karner, Mia Buxbaum and Lorenz Bauer from UAB Vienna for this episode of Off the Mat.
The conversation offers a glimpse into the daily work behind international competition and into the relationships that make pairs and partnerships work.
Turin also brought strong results for the Austrian club: Karner and Novotny finished third in the Pre-Youth Women’s Pair, while Bauer and Buxbaum took second place in the Open Mixed Pair.
A story of teamwork, training and international sport.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is Hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Akrobaatika Kool ESTONIA, with Kirke Arukaevu, Mette Klaas, Simone Selge and Heidi Kann
EP. 08 — AKROBAATIKA KOOL | Our Road to Turin
From Estonia to Turin: every international competition begins long before the first exercise.Kirke Arukaevu, Mette Klaas and Simone Selge join coach Heidi Kann to tell Off the Mat about their road to the Turin Acro Cup.
Preparation, teamwork, routines, travelling and learning to face competition together are all part of the journey.
And in Turin that journey brought a major result: Arukaevu, Klaas and Selge won first place in the Junior Women’s Group.
An episode about the work behind success — and about why the road to a competition can matter just as much as the final score.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
This episode includes AI-generated content.
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Malmesbury Gymnastics SOUTH AFRICA, with Marno Crafford, Marlene Woolls, Antwan Dicks and Chloé Daniels
EP. 03 — MALMESBURY GYMNASTICS | From South Africa to Turin
Acrobatic gymnastics can connect people from opposite sides of the world. In this episode of Off the Mat, coaches Marno Crafford and Marlene Woolls join athletes Antwan Dicks and Chloé Daniels from Malmesbury Gymnastics in South Africa.
Their journey to Turin becomes an opportunity to look at acro from both sides of the training floor: the athletes who perform and the coaches who prepare, support and guide them.
Sport, commitment, travel, preparation and the experience of becoming part of an international acrobatic gymnastics community.
Recorded during the Turin Acro Cup 2026 in Turin, Italy.
Discover more: https://turinacrocup.com/ https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/
This podcast is hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/
Instagram & Facebook: @turinacrocup
#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
2 Sept 2026
Off the Mat - Lunar Gymnastics Club GREAT BRITAIN, with Alana Bradshaw, Lara Gourlay, Daisy Somerville and Sarah Marshall
EP. 01 — LUNAR GYMNASTICS CLUB | Our Journey as a Partnership
What does it really mean to grow together in acrobatic gymnastics? In this episode of Off the Mat, Alana Bradshaw, Lara Gourlay and Daisy Somerville from Lunar Gymnastics Club, together with coach Sarah Marshall, talk about their journey as a partnership.Trust, training, communication and friendship are all part of a discipline where nobody performs alone. Behind every routine are countless hours spent learning how to move, improve and face challenges together.Off the Mat is the podcast about the people behind the routines, recorded during the Turin Acro Cup 2026 in Turin, Italy.
Discover more:
https://turinacrocup.com/ (https://turinacrocup.com/)
https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/ (https://turinacrocup.com/podcast/)
This Podcast is Hosted by Gianluca Orrù - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-orru/)
Instagram & Facebook:
@turinacrocup#OffTheMat #TurinAcroCup #AcrobaticGymnastics
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