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Who’s headed south?

Stanford-bound Kristina Vaculik won the Canadian Championship last night in Kamloops, BC. Vaculik defeated preliminary leader Madeline Gardiner. UIC signee Catherine Dion was 9th and Utah signee Nansy Damianova was tied for 11th. UCLA incoming frosh Sydney Sawa was 14th while San Jose State Spartan signee Cassandra Harrison was 16th.

College Gym Fans

photo by Grace Chiu, adjusted by Kristina

… Vaculik is the stuff gymnastics fluff pieces are made of. A prodigious talent sidelined for the Olympics comes back after struggling for the finances and resources (according to Davydova) to treat a long-term injury properly, returns to elite with even better form and a scholarship to an excellent college under her belt. If she was a US gymnasy, NBC would be sketching out its voiceover as we speak. …

The Couch Gymnast – Girl Most Likely …

Kristina plans to compete a year of College, then return to Canada to try for the Olympics. Easier said, than done.

Any other Canadian girls going to the NCAA this Fall?

Leave a comment …

Update: Laurie-Eve Gagne will be going to the University of Arizona.

Camille Santerre-Gervais to Iowa State. Nicole Pineau to Iowa.

One of my favourite routines at the 2010 Canadian Championships. The video doesn’t really do it justice.

Click PLAY or watch Madeline Gardiner on Floor on YouTube.

Sweet swing.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

There are many more on the Gymnastics Canada YouTube channel.

1. Helody Cyrenne – QC – Gym-Fly
2. Kennedy Sterenberg – AB – Champions
3. Tara Mauchel – ON – ASF

WAG National Novice full results (PDF)

This is only Helody’s first year at Nationals. She’s coached by Jacinthe Emard.

Merci Stephane for the photo.

The most interesting and talked about division.

1. Jordyn Pedersen (Oakville)
2. Shallon Olsen (Omega)
3. Maegan Chant (World Class)
4. Elise Bolger (Oakville)
5. Kassondra Lepik (Gemini)
6. Victoria-Kayen Woo (Gym-Richelieu)
7. Annie Sheridan (Oakville)
8. Brianna Clark (Gymnix)

High Performance AA Finals full results (PDF)

Shallon had problems on Bars, dropping her to second all-around.

Gymnastics Examiner – LIVE blog

Aunt Joyce has been following (via interwebs) the Chinese Nationals.

Click PLAY or watch He Kexin’s Bars on YouTube.

There are more on the Komova2012 channel.

Kyle Shewfelt updates us:

… Of note on the men’s side, 2009 Canadian All-Around Champion Casey Sandy is missing in action due to a torn achilles tendon suffered at a training camp in Mexico in early 2010. Also missing is 2008 Olympian and 2005 World Championship Silver Medalist, Brandon Oneill, who suffered a devastating injury to his ACL at the same training camp which requires a full reconstruction. This injury will keep him sidelined for quite some time which is a huge disappointment for the program.

There have been a couple of retirements as well with Canadian great and 2 time Olympian, Adam Wong, making the tough decision to chase his professional goals and Jared Walls, a strong member of the Senior Canadian National team for almost a decade, deciding to hang up his grips and pursue life after gymnastics as well. …

Kyle Shewfelt’s blog – Canadian Gymnastics Championships

That was posted Wednesday, before the start of competition. Very, very interesting insights along with video.

Sr. MAG results:

Nathan Gafuik – 89.550
Jackson Payne – 84.350
Kevin Lytwyn – 84.050
Hugh Smith – 84.050
Jayd Lukenchuk – 82.700
Ken Ikeda – 81.950

full results (PDF)

Kyle’s certainly correct that Nathan is one of the very best AA gymnasts in the world. But our team, rebuilding, will have a very difficult time qualifying for London. We’d need Casey and Brandon back and healthy to have a chance.

From the Facebook album: 2009 Worlds – Men’s Qualifying by Grace Chiu GraceClick

Does Jackson actually “pull” his legs straddled on that skill? … I’m going to have to watch for that.

Justin Karstadt, age-13, from Futures Gymnastics won the extremely competitive High Performance Argo division at the Canadian Championships.

Here’s my interview with Justin immediately after the meet. He hit 12 for 12. And stuck a lot of landings.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://c1403192.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player.swf

That’s the rumour.

The 2009 Vault World Champion will Roll Tide.

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

From Twitter. Thanks Sher.

… nothing is official yet.

But everyone is wondering what’s happening with the first ever Youth Olympic Games. Only 1 male and 1 female gymnast / nation will compete.

Of the age eligible girls, Canada will most likely send Mikaela Gerber (left) or Madeline Gardiner (right), both born 1995.

Photos by Grace Chiu GraceClick.ca

It may be decided by coach availability. Injury is always a factor, too. Which of the girls will be in the best routine shape come August?

I’m not sure when the official announcement will be made.

I’m guessing our MAG gymnast will be Robert Watson from B.C.

Mikayla is sister of Aisha Gerber, now at UCLA.