Courtney Kupets – 2008 Beam

An interesting thread on College Gymnastics Board asks:

Who in NCAA does a skill the best?

Nansy Damianova’s double tuck on Floor …

Emily Wong’s triple full …

Courville’s arabian on beam …

… see more

It includes a link to this routine from the fearless one, Courtney Kupets. The greatest College gymnast all time.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

returning U.S. National competitors

Double Double:

2013 Returning Competitors

At the moment, it appears only 8 gymnasts will be returning. They are…

Kennedy Baker
Brenna Dowell
McKayla Maroney
Abigail Millet
Elizabeth Price
Kyla Ross
Mykayla Skinner
Sabrina Vega

McKayla Maroney - Impressed
McKayla Maroney – Impressed

In this group, we have 2 Olympians, 1 Olympic Alternate, and 6 national team members.

That’s speculation. But the total number may be close.

2012 Returning Competitors = 10

2011 Returning Competitors = 7

2010 Returning Competitors = 7

Click through here for names. Shout out to @CordeliaGymFan.

Elite Women’s Artistic Gymnastics is a difficult and dangerous sport. It’s not easy to compete Championships multiple years in series.

related – Gymnastike – McKayla Maroney: More Than a One Trick Pony

why the Code does NOT work

Execution judges are not doing their job.

For example …

Watch the new Chinese Champion Shang Chunsong.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.


6.2 + 8.467 = 14.667 – 1st

Where are the 1.5+ in deductions?

Now watch Liu Tingting in the same Beam final. Same judges.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.


5.2 + 7.5 = 12.7 – 8th

Difference between those routines is less than a point.

Yet it’s obvious to anyone. Any 8 year old gymnast — that Shang’s routine was HIT near perfect. That Liu’s routines had many major wobbles and balance checks. Both had a landing deduction.

There should be a far greater difference in E Score than 1.0.

The new Code doesn’t work because FIG allows judges to box the scores. The cleanest gymnasts in each competition suffer. It’s not fair.

Bruno Grandi so often talks about justice.

Why doesn’t he mandate the FIG Technical Committees to start applying the rules as written?

(via Brigid Couch Gymnast McCarthy on Facebook)

Yana Kudryavtseva – next GREAT one?

Yana became the youngest gold medalist at the Europeans since Alina Kabaeva won also at 15 years of age. …

Click PLAY or watch her artistry on YouTube.

That’s being shared on Facebook by Artistic Gymnastics coaches.

How much superior are the leaps, jumps and turns in Rhythmic?

Makes our crappy switch split halfs look … crappy. 😦

Enrico Pozzo not happy

Six-time Italian champion Enrico Pozzo has filed a legal inquiry into the judging panel at last weekend’s national championships in Ancona, Italian media reported Tuesday.

Pozzo filed his complaint with a federal prosecutor over the presence of one judge, “La Stampa” newspaper reported. One of the judges in Ancona was a regional director, although the Italian Gymnastics Federation’s rules forbid regional directors from judging at national championships

Pozzo came just shy of capturing his seventh national all-around title in Ancona, finishing second all-around to Ludovico Edalli by .05. After Saturday’s competition, Pozzo did not mince words and said the scoring was politically motivated. He also withdrew from Sunday’s apparatus finals.

Pozzo’s six titles (2003-2005, 2007, 2011-2012) put him in tie with the legendary Jury Chechi (1989-1993, 1995) and Franco Menichelli (1960, 1962-1966) as Italy’s second-most decorated national champion in men’s gymnastics. Guido Figone holds the all-time record with eight titles, won from 1948-1955.

IG – Pozzo Files Inquiry After Italian Championships

Enrico+Pozzo+Olympics+Day+1+Gymnastics+Artistic+QNEDHBSMU5Xl

I like this trend where gymnasts and coaches are appealing loudly. And speaking to the media when they feel they’ve been wronged.

Judges are far too unaccountable for their scores, in my opinion.

related – Hambuchen – German Championships Erupt Into Scandal

Free Coaching Clinic New York

James Parent, host Tony Retrosi and myself will be leading a fast paced practical workshop Friday, June 21st in Huguenot, NY.

This is the second Tumbl Trak sponsored Choose Your Habits Clinics for coaches of kids who do not compete. Or who do not yet compete.

schedule

habits

How to register.

Here’s the NY registration page.

Grayson: Earth One – episode 1

The first episode of the new Batman fan film is online now. Production values look good.

It stars Olympians Raj Bhavsar and Steve McCain in the title role.

Edgy, dark, violent and loud.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

To continue the series, they are looking for contributions totaling $40,000.

For a $1000 you can get a walk-on part in the show. You’d FINALLY be a movie star.

(via Gymnast Crossing)