Florida 197.725, Georgia 196.600

GAGymDogs, a huge Georgia fan, on the public College Gymnastics Board forum:

Congrats to Florida for an excellent meet tonight. Florida was on fire, and they are the real deal. I know it’s a long way off until NCAAs, but I really think they are the team to beat this year. The 1-2-3 punch of all-arounders Johnson, Caquatto, and Dickerson is amazing. Alaina Johnson is an absolutely gorgeous gymnast on every event. Here is a brief comparison of the teams on each event:

Vault: Florida’s amplitude far surpassed Georgia’s. Their body positions were also better on their vaults than UGA. Even when the Florida gymnasts took a step or hop, it was controlled & they landed with their chests up. Couch and Cheek both landed with chests down, and I feel like their scores were too high.

Bars: I think every Florida gymnast stuck her dismount if I remember correctly. I did not see any deductions in Johnson’s routine from my angle & I felt like her routine was better than Ding’s that received the same score. From where I was sitting, it looked like Ding had a slight hesitation on her half pirouette on the low bar.

… click through to read more – Congrats to Florida

That’s the graphic on the private Gymnastics Gossip Message Board.

Oklahoma season-high 197.225

In the flurry of big numbers last night, I neglected OU.

The fifth-ranked Oklahoma women’s gymnastics squad set a season-high score for the second consecutive week as the Sooners defeated No. 25 Iowa State, 197.225-195.375. …

Sooner Sports

Still undefeated.

I felt last year was some kind of miracle season for the Sooners and Hollie Vise. But they are a contender to win Championships (again) in 2011 without Hollie.

Sooner Sports

(via The All Around)

gymnast Paul Ruggeri injured

Bad news for Team USA.

The 2010 World’s Team member with the unusual round-off is done for NCAA’s 2011. Recall he recently showed Liukin to Geinger.

Illinois senior standout Paul Ruggeri will be out for the season, as an MRI on Friday confirmed a ruptured peroneal ligament on the lateral side of his left ankle.

The Manlius, N.Y., native was competing on vault on the final day of the U.S. Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas on Feb. 5 when the injury occurred. He will have surgery known as peroneal retinaculum repair on Tuesday, with recovery time estimated at two and a half months, and will likely be eligible to redshirt and return for the 2011-12 season.

“Paul is truly irreplaceable as an athlete,” head coach Justin Spring said. …

Fighting Illini

Click PLAY or watch his vault (day 1) on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/MzgxNDUxNDA0

Watch more video of 2011 Winter Cup Challenge on gymnastike.org

vault – Amanar montage

MostepanovaFan has updated her history of this skill.

… all the gymnasts who have successfully performed the Amanar Vault (2.5 Twisting Yurchenko) in competition in chronological order of their first successful performance of it (as far as I know)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I saw this linked by International Gymnast Magazine on Facebook.

Leave a comment if you have a favourite.

support strength on Rings

Nice drill from Scott Burns …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Check the Gymnastics Minute YouTube channel for more. And GymSmarts for DVDs.

Utah rolls to 196.975

Cameron was at the meet an posted a detailed blow by blow.

I just got home from the AMAZING atmosphere created by fans, athletes and coaches inside the Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah …

On n the Uneven Bars, freshman stronghold Corrie Lothrop competed two release skills in her routine for first time this season, adding a nice Tkatchev after her usual Jaeger and sticking her double-layout dismount to bring in a massive 9.900.

Stephanie McAllister continued to shine on the Uneven Bars, scoring a 9.925 for a routine that includes a Weiler-kip with 1/2 pirouette into overshoot and a stuck tucked full-in dismount. Canadian Olympian Gael Mackie was strong on the Bars as well, bringing a 9.900 …

read more – World GymnasticsUtah Strong, Washington Shaky.

Like Alabama, Utah knows how to bring in the fans. Their house is electrifying.

There hasn’t been this much excitement in Salt Lake City since the last time they hosted Championships.

… The Utes earned a season high for the fifth consecutive week Friday, living up to what Utah coach Greg Marsden calls an ‘ideal season.’

“We haven’t counted a miss …

Sounds like a great night to host potential recruit Bridget Sloan.

The former world champion is still undecided if and when to make the jump to College gymnastics. Though Bridget’s touring some of the top schools, Aunt Joyce predicts she’ll end up at Alabama Georgia.

Tide rolls to 197.075

Alabama defeated Auburn. Again.

This was their 101st victory in a row against the SEC rival dating back to March 13, 1979.

… Who says the NCAA is boring and predictable?

… Coaches Sarah and David Patterson notched their 400th regular-season victory Friday night as the No. 7 ranked Alabama gymnastics team beat No. 21 Auburn 197.075-194.850 in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,075 fans in Coleman Coliseum Friday night.

… going 24-for-24 for the first time this season, and posting its high score of 2011. …

This is impressive since the team self destructed a week earlier vs #1 Florida.

… Friday marked the eighth time in program history that Alabama has sold out the Coliseum ….

Prior to the meet the A-Club, the UA athletic department’s letter-winners organization, announced the donation of $50,000 to establish the Sarah Patterson A-Club Scholarship. …

Roll Tide

We don’t have to worry about Alabama terminating this team. They know how to bring in the fans and dollars.

Kayla Hoffman won the AA with 39.525

Sam Pezek’s NCAA debut

@samanthapeszek: Tonight was so much Fun! First time competing in a college meet! Can’t wait for more of this!

Click PLAY or watch her Bars on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/MzY3NDU2NzI0

Watch more video of 2011 Chicago Style College Session: UCLA, Stanford, and OSU on gymnastike.org

9.90 with a big step. Welcome to the NCAA.

Stanford, Oregon State, UCLA

Tight competition.

Stanford 196.475
Oregon State 196.35
UCLA 196.3

… Four Bruins took home first-place finishes, with Frattone winning vault (9.9), Peszek and Hopfner-Hibbs tying with three others for first on bars (9.9), and Courtney tying for first on floor (9.9). UCLA claimed the highest team totals on vault (49.2), bars (49.275) and beam (48.975, tied with Stanford). …

UCLA Bruins

Oklahoma went 197.225 away at Iowa State.

The season is building nicely. Teams are improving, counting very few falls.

But – as Aunt Joyce keeps pointing out – there is a lack of ‘star’ power this year.