Entries from January 2010 ↓

She’s going to Stanford, enrolled for Fall 2010.

… After that, I plan to defer a year and return to Canada to prepare for the 2011 worlds. The goal is to qualify a full team for the 2012 Olympics. …

John Crumlish – International Gymnast – Online Interview: Kristina Vaculik (Canada)

More commentary and video from weekend #3.

Gymnastike has Women’s College Gymnastics Rankings with links to videos from those meets. Nice!

And from Blythe Lawrence:

Just when you think that UCLA is looking like a prime contender for the 2010 NCAA title, the Bruins lose. To Stanford, which was defeated by Georgia during the first week of competition. But Georgia has lost to Utah, which has already been defeated by UCLA. So what are college gymnastics fans supposed to think now?

Well, we know that Alabama looks good. …

read more – Gymnastics Advisor – NCAA: The plot thickens with UCLA’s loss to Stanford

Erin Davis - Nebraska

I got this email today.

1. Collect some dead flies from the office windowsills.

2. Put them in the sun to dry for one hour

3. Once they are dry, pick up a pencil and paper… Let your imagination run free

What to do when you are bored at work …

Thanks George.

Gymnastics Canada is tentatively scheduling a combined Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Level 2 Technical and Practical and 3 Level Technical Coaching Course immediately following Elite Canada 2010 (March 1-4th).

Either in the Gatineau / Ottawa region or Montreal. This is a tremendous opportunity to complete both Level 2 and 3 Technical in a very concentrated period of time!

Confirmed instructors are Dr. Keith Russell and Guy Lavoie so instruction will be of the highest level.

contact – jthomson AT gymcan.org

The Oregon Beavers NCAA Gymnastics 2010 media guide online is the best use of internet technology I’ve ever seen.

It’s one of those emagazines that are getting so popular. The ones where you flip pages as if it’s a real magazine.

But this one has integrated video. Gymnasts literally tumble across the pages!

Here’s a screen shot:

You need a fairly fast internet connection. After flipping each page, allow time for the video overlay to load.

Go Beavs.

Shout out to Oregon’s Bar coach, John Carney. I hadn’t noticed that last year Oregon set their team record Bar score. CONGRATS on that.

One of the many tidbits I learned from the Oregon Gymnastics emagazine.

It’s got an unusual name: Quitters Try: The Best in Gymnastics Montages

Dedicated to finding the best gymnastics montages out there – a tribute to great song choices, clip selection, subjects, and editing.

Suggestions/submissions always, always welcome!

UPDATE: You cannot comment on that blog. Instead, leave comments on the Quitters Try YouTube Channel.

Great idea.

They linked to a super edit from NastiaFan101.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Check out the new site – Quitters Try

(via LIVE.BREATHE.LOVE GYMNASTICS)

UPDATE: Blythe Lawrence thinks the name of this new blog refers to a negative comment made by Parkettes coach Donna Straus in the CNN documentary The Perfect 10.

by site editor Rick McCharles

On this site I try to give you a choice between watching videos on the same page. Or by jumping to YouTube or another site.

It’s faster to watch the embedded video. AND embedded YouTube videos normally do not have those annoying overlay ads.

note - ad text is sometimes inappropriate

If you’re in a hurry, just watch the embedded video.

But when you jump over to YouTube you have the option of watching a higher resolution version. You can comment. Rate videos. And see more links to related videos.

It’s nice to have a choice.

The future looks bright. YouTube and Vimeo have begun replacing “memory hog” Adobe Flash format videos with the new HTML5 standard.

The sooner that happens, the better.

Here are your top 4 College Women’s Gymnastics Teams after weekend #3.

full list

LSU’s Susan Jackson’s had a near perfect season, so far. She stay’s #1 in the all-around.

full AA list

Note: These lists seems to be up early. Perhaps there are a few more scores to be added before Monday morning.

Both teams had a good meet. But both teams made errors.

Falls on Floor Exercise for UCLA was their downfall this time out.

Carly Janiga, with the top score on two events, helped the Cardinal defeat the #1 ranked team in the NCAA.

Anna Li won the all-around for the Bruins.

• Stanford Gymnasts Topple No. 1 UCLA

• UCLA Loses To Stanford

1. Stanford – (VT- 49.075; UB- 49.325; BB- 48.450; FX- 49.575; FINAL- 196.425)

2. UCLA – (VT- 49.300; UB- 49.200; BB- 49.300; FX- 48.025; FINAL- 195.825)

Alabama is now the #1 ranked team, I believe.

This season looks to be the most competitive it’s been in years.

From @theallaround on Twitter:

Current USA tumbling champion, Kalon Ludvigson, to compete in MAG at 2010 Winter Cup with Olympians Horton, Aremev and Tan.

That would be awesome.

But can a super back tumbler actually put together an FIG Floor Routine?

Click PLAY or watch Kalon on YouTube.

UPDATE: Confirmation on USAG.

It has no “name” in the Code of Points:

UPDATE: Marcus points out it is named on another page of the Code. Click on the thumbnail image below to see the full list including Ezhova. (Ejova)

Liudmila Ezhova 2004 Athens Olympics Team Qualification Uneven Bars.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’d forgotten what stiff swing she had on this apparatus. Great bar transfer, though.

I got thinking about this skill after reading that Petrina Yokay (Auburn) is competing it in the NCAA.

Update: One Romanian commenter recalls that Ana Balanca competed this skill earlier than Ezhova, but not successfully in a major international competition.

The 25yr-old 2006 Olympic silver medalist finished 4th at trials U.S. Nationals.

fan site – sasha-cohen.com

The U.S. will now be represented in Vancouver by two comparatively inexperienced teenagers: Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt.

We think the judging in Artistic Gymnastics is problematic. Figure skating is still worse.

The story of the American Olympic Trials was, as usual, criticism of the judging system.

This is Brian McKeever, winner of seven medals at the Paralympics in Salt Lake City and Turin.

He’s just made Olympic history.

… The 30-year-old cross country skier from Canmore, Alta., who is legally blind, was one of six men and five women named to the Canadian Olympic team Friday, making him the first athlete to compete in both the Winter Games and the Paralympics.

He’ll also be the first Canadian – winter or summer – to do so in the same year.

McKeever, who will race in the 50-kilometre event, won the Canadian trials last month. …

Vancouver 2010 – Blind skier makes Olympics history

Do you think he should withdraw from the 2010 Paralympics, having now qualified for the Olympics?

Should he have to choose between the two? … Or be allowed to compete both?