John Orozco wins Winter Cup

1. Orozco (180.700)
2. Legendre (175.200)
3. Wynn (175.000)

4. Danell Leyva
5. Chris Brooks
6. David Sender
7. Paul Ruggeri
8. Jesse Silverstein
9. Sho Nakamori
10. Adrian de Los Angeles

… not the greatest Winter Cup of all time. 😦

But things look good for Team USA looking forward to Olympics. No need to peak in February. I’m still ranking USA 3rd behind #1 Japan and #2 China … at this point.

There is no American to challenge Uchimura. But they have a lot of depth. With young stars still improving. Like John Orozco.

He’ll stay focused at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. No NCAA to distract.

related – Examiner – 2012 Winter Cup: Final results

Brandon Wynn – Rings 15.750

You’ve got to count this guy one of the favourites for London. He’s no Rings Olympic finalist, but would certainly be top 3 for USA in team. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Score looks too high to me.

Best Ring men of the strong all-arounders: Horton, Maestas, Sender, Silverstein … who else?

Rings and Pommels are the weakest apparatus for USA.

Orozco H Bar – 15.750

USA Gymnastics on Facebook:

QUICK VID: John Orozco shook off a mistake on the first day of competition on the high bar to nail this 15.750 routine in the first rotation of Winter Cup finals!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

@Gymnastike
Orozco is proving himself invaluable for the US team as a strong all all-arounder who can also swing horse. 15.35 (6.8/8.95) for today’s PH

Orozco is young, consistent, strong on both Rings and Pommels. And he’s still being cautious with his legs. So far he looks like the U.S. #1 for Olympics.

Putin: $130,000 for Olympic Gold

via Grace Chiu GraceClick on Faceook:

… Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to make provision for the reward funds to be handed to the medalists of this year’s Games.

The gold medal holders are set to receive 4 million rubles (about 130,000 USD). Silver medalists will be rewarded by 2,5 million (82,500 USD), while the owners of the bronze will receive 1,7 million (56,000 USD). Notably, the same scale applies to the holders of both Olympic and Paralympic silverware.

A special clause of the governmental order implies that the coaches and staff of the Russian national team will also be rewarded according to the achievements of their disciples. …

AIPS

Blythe:

… If Aliya Mustafina were to do as well as she did at the 2010 Worlds (two gold, three silver) she would earn $507,500. …

Examiner

She, Komova and Sidorova are scheduled to compete February 14-17 at Moscow Dinamo.

Putin loves sport. 🙂

official Olympics video game

Check out some preview footage of the official video game of the London 2012 Games!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

details

(via Full Twist)

strength legend Jasper Benincasa

MARCH 25, 1921 – JANUARY 6, 2012

Jasper did a 1-arm chin-up at age-89. Not bad.

… His two most extreme accomplishments were doing one chin with a 265 lb man held between his legs, and a C.T.I. (Close to Impossible – arms parallel to the ground while holding a bar with his hands) from a horizontal bar …

Read a profile by Jack Arnow – JASPER BENINCASA, A LIFE WELL LIVED on Beast Skills.

Close to impossible? 🙂

Ellen vs Michelle Obama

Ellen is 54 and Michelle is 48.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The U.S. economy is improving, by the way. That bodes well for Michelle’s hubby.

(via Masters Gymnastics)

AcroYoga

A natural for retired gymnasts.

AcroYoga is a physical practice which blends elements of yoga, acrobatics, and healing arts. …

The term was put into popular use by Jason Nemer and Jenny Klein in 2006. They co-founded the practice and wrote the first manual …

There are three primary roles in an Acro-yoga practice: base, flyer, and spotter. …

CHIP FIEBERG and LAURA FIEBERG teach AcroYoga out of Patagonia, Arizona. Here’s a video for beginners.

They are YogaSlackers, too. Practicing Yoga slacklining.

ChipAndLaura.com or LIKE their Facebook page.

Acroyoga.org (Berkeley, CA)

Tide 197.725 rolls over Florida 196.9

Alabama’s 197.725 is the second highest team score in the nation this year and the highest for the Crimson Tide since 2004.

Click PLAY or watch the meet promo on YouTube.

#4 Georgia at #1 Utah

Two teams have been surprisingly impressive so far this season. Which is more likely to win it all come April?

… the competition I’d most like to see this weekend. NCAA showtime at its finest. A crowd loud and proud.

SEASON AT A GLANCE: Georgia comes off its highest scoring output in two years with 197.25 against LSU last week.

Utah has set season highs in back-to-back meets, including 197.55 against BYU last week.

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Utah — Georgia Dabritz is ranked No. 2 in the nation on floor exercise with a 9.917 average. … Corrie Lothrop is ranked No. 9 in all-around (39.383 average) and No. 8 on bars (9.867 average). … Stephanie McAllister is a three-time All-American and Utah ’s MVP from last season.

Georgia — Gina Nuccio ranks seventh nationally on bars with an average score of 9.875 and hit 9.9 last week against LSU. … Kat Ding is eighth in the nation on vault at 9.906 and the defending NCAA champion on bars. Freshman Chelsea Davis is tied for seventh on beam with a 9.863 average. …

read more – Salt Lake City not so kind to Gym Dogs

related – GYM DOGS NOTEBOOK: Georgia looks to knock off No. 1 Utah on the road in ‘electric atmosphere’

Tickets for the 2012 NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships in Duluth, Ga. April 20-22, are on sale now.

UPDATE: Utah defeats Georgia 197.150-196.95