On the Men’s side I really shouldn’t refer to this meet as most bloggers do: The Scam Cup.
It’s a bloody impressive field, assuming all these great gymnasts make it:
Colombia, Jorge Hugo Giraldo Lopez
France, Benoit Caranobe
Germany, Fabian Hambuechen
Great Britain, Daniel Keatings
Japan, Koji Yamamuro
Romania, Flavius Koczi
Russia, Maxim Devyatovskiy
United States, Jonathan Horton
United States, Tim McNeill
I’d happily pay $35 for entry. That’s a bargain.
Reigning Tyson American Cup champion and 2008 Olympic horizontal bar bronze-medalist Fabian Hambuechen of Germany highlights the international list of participants that includes seven 2008 Olympians and four 2009 World medalists for the 2010 Tyson American Cup on March 6 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. …
One reason this meet is oft ridiculed, however, is that the number of competitors is so small. It’s near certain that medals will be awarded to gymnasts with falls. And that’s a shame.
Another reason it’s called a “Scam” is that the U.S.A. can enter two gymnasts, all other invited nations only one. The results tend to look good for the host, though that’s far from guaranteed on the Men’s results sheet.
Yet, on the women’s side, there’s one thing I’m really looking forward to … the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, a new competition held the day prior to American Cup. It’s intended to be a a competitive opportunity for the country’s top Junior Olympic gymnasts, though some Elites will be in the field too.
That’s going to be a fantastic event.
Women’s American Cup?
As usual, I’m personally disinterested. Everyone knows the American girls are supposed to win. That will boost TV ratings.
No use listing the female competitors either as the list always changes in the weeks and days leading up to the meet.
It is a great experience for a young up-and-coming gymnast. Canadian Dominique Pegg, for example, is a good choice for this event.
Leave a comment if you disagree. Many enjoyed the Scam Cup last year.
Read some less cynical commentary on Gymnastics Examiner – Analysis: 2010 American Cup will be exciting, especially for men’s gymnastics fans
UPDATE: A thread on IG forum discussing ideas to improve the Scam.
9 comments ↓
Even though the roster for WAG isn’t competitive with the USA women, I do like it. On top of Pegg, Japan is sending Yuko Shintake (the second best senior AA-er in Japan, even though Japan usually stinks this time of year and she won’t score that well), and Elsa Garcia will make the competition really nice to watch.
if they only allow 2 U.S. gymnasts, how come at the 2008 American Cup there were 4 from the U.S?
Wow, alexa.
I’d forgotten that. But you are right:
http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/2008/amcupw.html
… Did American gymnasts replace internationals last minute? I can’t recall.
In 2009 there were only two:
http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/2009/usa/tysonac2009wag.html
for the past two Olympic years the US always has had four gymnasts for both the men and women
Are countries invited to send athletes? Do Canadian men ever compete at this meet?
Canada often has a male gymnast. But not this year. With that small field they cannot invite every nation, every year.
the 2003 american cup also had four americans. i really don’t get why the number of u.s. competitors and the format of competition (they used to have prelims) keeps changing from year to year!!
[...] you want it to be referred to as the Scam Cup [...]
[...] pundits refer to the American Cup as the (ScAm)erican Cup on the women’s side as historically it’s been staged as a TV promotion where everyone [...]
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