Year: 2011

That’s the debate.

Both had one fall at American Cup. Who should have won? (results)

It’s close, but a majority of experts will agree with Aunt Joyce, the World Champion should have won, narrowly.

On the other hand, the routine of the meet for me was Jordyn’s Beam.

I blame coach Alexander Alexandrov, actually. He and the Russian program don’t have the discipline any longer to decide what their gymnasts will compete.

When he told Aliya to do her easier Floor routine for the easy win, she insisted she’d do the new, more difficult set.

… Actually she fell on the relatively easy pass, not the new 3 1/2 twist. But Mustafina still gave away the win on the last routine.

Wieber on Floor had 6.0 difficulty, 9.0 execution, and 0.1 out of bounds. Mustafina had 5.8 difficulty and 7.866 execution including 1.0 for the fall.

Mustafina is the better gymnast right now, mainly because of Bars. This embarrassing loss may be good motivation for Aliya. … And result in some improved discipline in the Russian team.

USA is organized and disciplined. Russia not.

No doubt Team Russia will try to make this all about whether or not a gymnast from the host country should be able to replace a last minute injury, as happened with Wieber and Dalton.

That’s a separate issue.

Or is it still the SCAmerican Cup?

Let’s ask Russian WAG Coach Alexander Alexandrov.

Jordyn Wieber (59.899) won over Aliya Mustafina (59.831) and Alexandra Raisman (58.565).

Jonathan Horton (90.198) won over Mykola Kuksenkov (90.032) and Jake Dalton (88.497).

more results and links on GymNiceTic.

Follow LIVE action @intlgymnast and @USA_GymEvents. Or International Gymnast Magazine on Facebook. Or LIVE on Gymnastics Examiner.

Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev., who won the 2011 Winter Cup Challenge, has been added to the field for the 2011 AT&T American Cup, an International Gymnastics Federation World Cup event, which begins at 11:15 a.m. today at the Jacksonville (Fla.) Veterans Memorial Arena. He replaces Russia’s Sergey Khorokhordin, who withdrew due to injury.

Dalton joins an already impressive field that includes 2010 World all-around champion Aliya Mustafina of Russia, 2010 World all-around silver-medalist Philipp Boy of Germany, 2010 World all-around bronze-medalist Jonathan Horton of Houston and 2010 World all-around finalist Alexandra Raisman of Needham, Mass.

USAG

On Gymnastics Examiner’s The Discussion: Who’s going to win the American Cup? (men) … I picked Jon Horton … IF he hits Pommels for 13.50, or more.

Most others chose Philipp Boy.

But with this change … I’m throwing in for the NEW kid, Jake Dalton.

The 16 gymnasts who are confirmed to compete in Jacksonville are listed below.

Men

* USA: Jake Dalton, Reno, Nev.
* USA: Jonathan Horton, Houston
* France: Cyril Tommasone
* Germany: Philipp Boy
* Great Britain: Samuel Hunter
* Great Britain: Daniel Purvis
* Japan: Koji Uematsu
* Ukraine: Mykola Kuksenkov

Women

* USA: Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass.
* USA: Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich.
* Australia: Lauren Mitchell
* China: Huang Quishuang
* Great Britain: Hannah Whelan
* Russia: Aliya Mustafina
* Switzerland: Ariella Kaeslin
* Venezuela: Jessica Lopez

Show me the money!

1st AA–$16,175.13 (15,000 Swiss francs), 2nd–$12,940.10, 3rd–$8,626.73, 4th–$5,391.71, 5th–$4,313.37, 6th–$3,235.02, 7th–$2,156.68, 8th–$1,078.34 for a total purse of $107,834.16

NEW, produced by an Idaho company.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Two variations are being used by Mismo and IEGA.

(via RecGymnastics.com)

We are still looking for Rec Gymnastics experts to post on that site.

Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice. …

… after years of training and racing, … accepted to represent Great Britain in the 1924 Olympics in Paris. …

Liddell learns the news that the heat for his 100 metre race will be on a Sunday. He refuses to run the race — despite strong pressure from the Prince of Wales and the British Olympic committee — because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on the Sabbath. …

It’s still an issue in 2011, more so in some nations than others.

Each athlete, each family, must make decisions when there’s a conflict.

Because of the Jewish sabbath, 7-year-old gymnast Amalya Knapp of Teaneck missed Saturday’s New Jersey state competition.

Sabbath Holds Back Jewish Athlete In New Jersey

One of the many life lessons of sport for Amalya.

One comment on that post:

USAG parent:

When should the meets be held? During the week? For one religion Friday nights are not good, for another Saturday is no good, for another Sunday is not good. How about Tuesday would that work for everyone? …

(via Unorthodox Gymnastics)

Crazy.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Kinesthesist)

Jordyn Wieber’s teammate won Nastia. … Does this auger well for Jordyn?

1. Grace Williams, Linden, Mich., 38.525
2. Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio, 38.150
3. Rachel Spicer, Highland Village, Texas, 37.975
4. Kayla Williams, Huntington, W. Va., 37.900
5. Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz., 37.675
6. Kassandra Lopez, Tucson, Ariz., 37.450
6. Alyssa Jackson, Belton, Mo., 37.450
8. Caitlin Mann, Tucson, Ariz., 37.425
8. Kiersten Wang, Monument, Colo., 37.425
10. Asi Peko, Henderson, Nev., 37.325
10. Georgia Dabritz, Newburyport, Mass., 37.325

Grace Williams of Linden, Mich., won the all-around title at the second annual Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup at the Jacksonville (Fla.) Veteran’s Memorial Arena. Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio, and Rachel Spicer of Highland Village, Texas, finished second and third, respectively, in the 36-gymnast field …

via Leslie King from USAG

commentary on Between the Olympics

LIVE video here is working for me in Canada. Free.

Bloggers weigh in on whether or not the world champion, Aliya Mustafina, can hold off Jordyn Wieber, Huang Qiushuang and the rest of the (small) field.

Examiner.com: The Discussion: Who’s going to win the American Cup?

Are 8 gymnasts enough for a proper all-around competition?

Andy Thornton:

Newly crowned world champion Aliya Mustafina was absolutely invincible less than five months ago at her first Worlds outing in Rotterdam, and was expected to dominate this weekend’s American Cup, particularly after fellow world medalists Jiang Yuyuan and Rebecca Bross declined invitations to compete.

Great Britain’s Nicole Hibbert, a solid all-arounder who placed 22nd overall at the 2010 world championships, was recently injured at the British nationals and forced to withdraw from this weekend’s competition. She’ll be replaced by a gymnast whom many consider to be one of only three women in the world capable of challenging the reigning queen from Russia – American sensation Jordyn Wieber. …

read more – Special to Universal Sports – Mustafina might need ‘A-game’ after all

In such a small field normally you compete conservative routines. But with Wieber looking good and getting stronger …, Aliya may need her full difficulty after all.

First up, however, is the the SuperNastia Cup.

_____

P.S. For your amusement, a history of the SCAmerican Cup on Big Fake Smile. It’s not always been a SCAm. That nickname picked up popularity starting 2002.