Asian gymnasts swept the titles Saturday at the first day of the Toyota International in Japan. Japan won four gold medals, while Vietnam and Korea each picked up a title. …
Disappointed that none of the Japanese teams performed at Gymnaestrada 2011, I was extremely happy to see this performance before the awards of the Junior Japan International, September 24th in Yokohama
On my Recreation Gymnastics blog I make the argument that Montreal should be the first North American host of the World Gymnaestrada:
• a bilingual city with easy, inexpensive access for Europeans
• Cirque du Soleil might partner
• Gymnaestrada in Europe is not growing
• the event needs to modernize, North America would help
• Canada has a strong and growing Gymnastraeda base
• Gymnastics Canada strongly supports the event
Lausanne, Switzerland 2011
Click through for the details … especially the part on why it won’t happen any time soon.
USAG has been generous in posting many of the Jr. Women’s routines on their YouTube channel. … But for some reason decided against posting Sr. Women night 1 competition.
With no competition, no awards on the line, you’d think there would be comparatively few injuries.
Yet I saw many people there in casts. And a few in wheelchairs.
This girl was injured 2 days before travel to Switzerland. (She came with her group, anyway.)
In Switzerland this summer, 154 people (as an example) were treated on Wednesday, July 13th, with 19 people evacuated that day to hospitals for small trauma (sprains, strains, etc.).
Organizers had 82 medical staff on duty each day to care for the 19,000+ on site.
Overall, I felt Gymnaestrada performances were fairly safe. One Acrobatic Gymnast from Portugal had a bad fall on a double back. He was taken out in a stretcher, the worst injury I saw personally.
Next day a Canadian Acrobatic gymnast (who was also showing double back) told me that he was OK.
He was the first president of the European Gymnastics Union, eventually evolving into the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
He started all thisJuly 23, 1881, 130yrs-ago today.
Cupérus held the post of President for 43yrs, perhaps the only FIG President to have made more changes than our current leader, Bruno Grandi.
Cupérus argued with Pierre de Coubertin against the idea of bringing back the Olympic Games. Cupérus felt that events like Gymnaestrada would better serve health, fitness and peaceful relations between nations:
“… I dream of the day when competitions will be superfluous, when gymnasts will compete for the infallible prize of their own effort, the exact equivalent in health, strength, flexibility, tenacity.”
Later he was to concede to the majority opinion, and join the Olympic movement:
“I admit defeat, and accept mankind and the things of this life as they are”.
The first FIG international competition took place in 1903 in Antwerp.
The act that I best recall, however, is not shown. A joyous dance troupe from South Africa (VIDEO). So unexpected. So different than all the other spectacular acts.
If I had any criticism, it’s that the GALA is just a wee bit sanitized of any real originality.
At Gymnaestrada there were plenty of Swiss athletes who could dismount double back (or more). I watched the new World Record, within some random Guinness time frame (750 seconds).
… 78 gymnasts, including three woman, took up the challenge and performed 790 somersaults (dismounts) in the required space of time. It was a great success. They even have exceeded the requirements for the record and will now enter the Guinness Book.
National Evenings are designed to give participating FIG member federations an opportunity to present a range of Gymnastics for All activities, featuring a blend of folkloric and culturally specific characteristics.
Of the 5 National Shows I’ve seen so far at the World Gymnaestrada, Portugal was easily the best. Congratulations.
Though Portugal has a population of less than 11 million, they are a Gymnaestrada super power having hosted the largest ever in 2003. They have the 3rd largest delegation in Lausanne.
The theme was Fado, originally the folk music of the Lisbon urban poor. The soundtrack was fantastic.
Even better was the accompanying video / photo slide show. It competed with the athletes at times. At other times it complimented perfectly, the comedy ladder act, for example.
The one clown act in this show was the best I’ve seen in many years. And Portugal includes more Acrobatic Gymnastics than any other nation, always entertaining.
It was conspicuously faster paced than most other performances. Smart.
Leave a comment if you know the name of the choreographer. I’d like to extend my congratulations personally.
Great pic. I`m not sure what show this is from, however.
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Canada made me proud, opening the PAGU (Pan American nations) show. Nobody in the audience will forget the choreographed Mounties. Happily, the Dreamcatcher prop lost in transit to Switzerland was found in time. In fact, they had manufactured a second, just in case.
Chile was the other outstanding PAGU nation, closing the show.
Germany I missed, but they got a rave review, as well.
Over the coming weeks I will post specific show highlights over on RecGymnastics.com.
