Gymnastics Coaching.com

ZAIA is the name of the young female heroine who journeys into space.

… Cirque’s first permanent show in Asia …

The Gala premiere on August 28, will not only celebrate the official launch of Cirque Macau, but is even more likely to be a star-studded affair because it coincides with the 1st anniversary of The Venetian …

more photos from the sneak preview – Macau.com

The Criss Angel Cirque show Believe opens a few days later on Sept. 1st, 2008 in Vegas.

disclosure – I love Cirque du Soleil

Arguably the best gymnast in the world too young to qualify for the Beijing Olympics will not compete in Boston.

Rebecca Bross, who trains at Plano’s World Olympic Gymnastics Academy, won’t defend her junior national all-around title at the Visa Championships next week in Boston because of a broken foot.

Coach Valeri Liukin said Bross, 14, suffered the injury on the balance beam recently and should return to training in about three weeks.

Dallas News

more photos from Rebecca’s win at VISA Championships 2007 – WOGA official website

Gymnasts at NCAA championships qualified for apparatus finals with one vault. You need a near perfect landing to get into Finals.

Once in Finals, however, girls were required to show “2 different vaults”. In some cases gymnasts had not trained their second vault all season as it was not high priority.

I decided to videotape only landings and, as expected, there were problems.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Even the best landings are not superb technically, in my opinion. And the tradition of pivoting to present to judges on both sides of the landing podium — then rushing away — is also inelegant.

Better we study the landings shown on Floor (video) by Daria Joura 2008 at Australian Nationals.

Leave a comment if there are any other female gymnast who shows excellent landings.

I love the concept of “open” and “drop-in” gymnastics. It attracts an entirely different kind of customer than does regular structured gymnastics class.

The cost and commitment required of the family is low.

Many clubs do not offer “open” workout due to safety and liability concerns. Those concerns are valid.

It is possible to run a large open workout program. For example, check the weekly OPEN GYM schedule at Progressive Power Tumbling in Utah:

… Each participant will be asked to sign a liability release before being allowed on the gym floor. …

Shared Gym – $6 per person, $60 minimum (at least 10 people in your group)

When you schedule as a shared reservation, other groups or individuals will be allowed up to capacity. It’s a great way to meet new people!

Progressive Power Tumbling

They don’t fill every class, of course. But that is a lot of options for someone just wanting to try out the club.

It’s been successful. In fact, the club is planning on expanding their facilities.

(via Doug Davis in the Tumbl Trak May newsletter)

Thank JJ for pointing us to another great montage video by ClayBabe6.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

more videos by ClayBabe6

Her blog is Live.Breath.Love.Gymnastics

You know … what I really notice watching those quicky clips is just how LOUSY is the execution in these difficult routines. The B-panel judges have to be more severe.

related: our Olympic predictions

Zohan is a bit of an acrobat. Have you seen the full trailer for You Don’t Mess With The Zohan?

Looks much better than the usual Adam Sandler flick.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

53 young women are registered (29 juniors and 24 seniors) for the 2008 Visa Championships, June 5-7, at Agganis Arena at Boston University. What a show this will be!

Arizona
Melissa Metcalf, Mesa, Ariz./Desert Devils (Junior)

California
Desi Borgese, Los Gatos, Calif./Airborne (Junior)
Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Precision (Junior)
Sophina DeJesus, Temecula, Calif./Precision (Junior)
Mattie Larson, Los Angeles/All Olympia (Senior)
Katelyn Mohr, Carmichael, Calif./Byers (Senior)
Hallie Mossett, Los Angeles/All Olympia (Junior)
Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles/All Olympia (Junior)
Ashley Stott, Temecula, Calif./SCEGA (Senior)

Florida
Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla./Bieger’s (Senior)
Olivia Courtney, Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro (Senior)
Morgan Smith, Clermont, Fla./Brandy Johnson (Junior)
Shayla Worley, Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro (Senior)

Hawaii
Randi Lau, Honolulu/What’s Up (Junior)

Iowa
Shawn Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s (Senior)

Illinois
Bridget Caquatto, Naperville, Ill./Aerials (Junior)
Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill./Aerials (Senior)

Indiana
Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeau’s (Senior)
Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp’s (Senior)

Massachusetts
Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass./Brestyan’s (Senior)

Maryland
Alexis Carroll, Olney, Md./Hills (Junior)
Corrie Lothrop, Gaithersburg, Md./Hills (Senior)
Britney Ranzy, Gaithersburg, Md./Excalibur (Senior)

Michigan
Kamerin Moore, Bloomfield, Mich./Geddert’s (Junior)
Jordyn Wieber, Dewitt, Mich./Geddert’s (Junior)

Missouri
Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE (Junior)
Ivana Hong, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE (Senior)

North Carolina
Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C./Superior (Senior)
Sarah Persinger, Charlotte, N.C./Southeastern (Senior)

New Jersey
Darling Hill, Mt. Laurel, N.J./Will Moor (Senior)

Nevada
Asi Peko, Henderson, Nev./Brown’s Las Vegas (Junior)

New York
Sabrina Vega, Carmel, N.Y./Dynamic (Junior)

Ohio
Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics (Junior)
Ashley Priess, Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics (Senior)
Cassie Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics (Junior)

Pennsylvania
Lauren Beers, Warren Center, Pa./Southern Tier (Junior)
Cassandra Hanley, Danielsville, Pa./Parkettes (Junior)
Madeline Hanley, Danielsville, Pa./Parkettes (Junior)
Annette Miele, Easton, Pa./Parkettes (Junior)
Elizabeth Price, Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes (Junior)
Amber Trani, Richlandtown, Pa./Parkettes (Senior)

Texas
Caitlin Atkinson, Houston/Cypress (Junior)
Briley Casanova, Dallas/WOGA (Junior)
Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas/Texas Dreams (Senior)
Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas/Texas East (Senior)
Sophia Lee, Plano, Texas/WOGA (Junior)
Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas/WOGA (Senior)
Christa Tanella, Lucas, Texas/WOGA (Senior)
MacKenzie Wofford, Spring, Texas/Stars (Junior)

Virginia
Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va./Excalibur (Junior)
Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va./Capital GNTC (Junior)
Randy Stageberg, Chesapeake, Va./Excalibur (Senior)

Wisconsin
Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis./M&M Gymnastics (Senior)

USAG

Both California and Texas have 8 competitors.

Looks like defending Jr. Champion Rebecca Bross is not entered.

photos of Rebecca from Championships 2007 – sitesbyspeedle

Everyone wants Sasha Artemev on the U.S. Olympic Team.

If he hits, Sasha is a near certain Olympic finalist on Pommel Horse. His routine is brilliant and unique. He’s got style and artistry on the other apparatus too.

Bus Sasha fell on Pommel both days at the VISA Championships. He had problems hitting other routines.

I don’t think the Olympic Team selectors will vote for him unless he can prove consistency over the coming weeks, especially in competition situations. Perhaps he should compete in the next World Cup meet.

(AP Photo/Dave Einsel) – ESPN

I am very happy to report that Jason has secured the Canadian spot in the Olympics. He’s done more crazy things on trampoline than anyone else in history — but has had an inconsistent record in competition. I was afraid he might not qualify for 2008.

For example, here’s his 10 triple somersault routine on Super Tramp.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That was Jason age-18 in 2004. A wonderkind.

Check Related Videos on YouTube for more astonishing Jason Burnett clips.

The Canadian woman, not surprisingly, will be Karen Cockburn who took Bronze in both 2004 and 2008. Both are coached by Dave Ross.

(via Gymnastics Canada)

Recommendations from recent FIG meetings in Cape Town, South Africa:

only 8 teams from World Championships 2011 will qualify for the 2012 Olympics

… in the past, this has been 12 teams. The final 4 teams would qualify through a different system.

team size to be reduced from 6 gymnasts to 5
… opening up additional spaces for more individuals

The source of this information is GYMmedia (in German).

These changes will be controversial. But are inevitable, I think. Given the current code of points.

TRENDS:

decline of the importance of the Team competition

decline in the importance of the all-around gymnast

increased number of excellent specialists (Van Gelder, Pegan, etc.)

more opportunity for the “weaker” gymnastics nations to be competitive

It’s good and bad, I think. Perhaps more good than bad.

Of course these are only rumoured recommendations. Leave a comment if you know more. Or have an opinion on what FIG should do instead.

(via Lightbulb Hands)

Dreadful logo, wot?