Gymnastics Coaching.com

Results, so far, on an About.com Gymnastics poll:

About.com Gymnastics

Tasha Schwikert, UCLA 39.6
Ashley Postell, Utah 39.55
Melanie Sinclair, Florida 39.525
Katie Heenan, UGA 39.525
Tiffany Tolnay, UGA 39.525
Kristina Baskett, Utah 39.525
Susan Jackson, LSU 39.5
Ashley Reed, FL 39.425
Amanda Castillo, FL 39.425

Tabitha Yim, Stanford 39.5
Nicole Ourada, Stanford 39.425
Kiara Sturms, OK 39.4
Corey Hartung, FL 39.4
Morgan Dennis, Alabama 39.4
Daria Bijak, Utah 39.375
Emily Parsons Nebraska, 39.35

Almost ignored in the excitement of the preliminary Team competition is the All-Around.

The NCAA has included “specialists” for decades. Indeed, the FIG is only starting to move towards the NCAA in this regard.

In future it will be increasingly unusual to compete the AA, I think. At high level meets like World’s, Olympic’s and NCAA Championships, the All-Arounder may one day be as rare as the decathlete in Athletics.

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The Men’s NCAA system for the All-Around is better, I think. Under Men’s rules, top AA gymnasts would be invited to compete again on day 2 to determine the champion.

Recall that Sho Nakamori led the AA on day one in 2008. But that Casey Sandy edged him for the Championships on day 2. Having 2-days to decide the AA Champion made that contest more exciting.

Click PLAY or watch Daria Bijak’s handspring front layout vault (earlier this season) on YouTube:

Only six remain in the chase for a national title. Georgia, Utah, Stanford, Florida, Alabama, and LSU survived tough competition Thursday, and will face off Friday night in Stegeman Coliseum.

From an Alabama fan:

(Georgia) were the best team Thursday, are the best team this year, and likely will win and deserve their 4th consecutive championship.

But this is what makes it so ridiculous that they ALSO getting a boost from favorable judging. …

College Gymnastics Board

Will Georgia be overscored tonight? Because they are 3 time defending Champions? Because they are home with a raucous crowd?

Perhaps. Slightly.

Due to the strange judging system used in the NCAA — everyone at Championships gets 9.85 if they “stick” and have no other blatant error — Georgia could easily lose. If they count one fall on one apparatus, it’s over.

This is a judging system that gives Alabama an excellent chance to win. It’s the reason NCAA competitions are so thrilling.

Team Finals Draw

Terrible news.

Aleksas J. ‘Lex’ Trotter, 21, formerly of Racine, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, April 19, 2008, at his residence in Madison.

obituary – The Journal Times

Aleksas had impeccable taste. I was a big fan of his work.

Blythe posted a thoughtful tribute:

Lex made montages and webpages and photographed some of the best American gymnasts of his generation. The gymnasts he loved most were the ones who brought something extra to the competition floor in terms of personality, spirit and choreography — Yvonne Tousek, Tabitha Yim, Terin Humphrey, Allyse Ishino, Shantessa Pama and Chellsie Memmel.

He also had a supreme sensitivity to the not-so-wonderful stories that gymnastics produced. …

Aleksas Trotter, 1986-2008 – Gymblog

No word on the cause of death.

The Lightbulb Hands blog is reporting on an in-gym competition in China.

Thanks to Wenshuli for the information.

A couple of highlights:

Jiang Yuyuan – Amanar vault

Cheng Fei won Floor and Vault

He Kexin broke 17 on UB

Read the details and follow the links for photos – China Internal Test Event

Georgia: 197.625
Utah: 196.950
Stanford: 196.900

UCLA: 196.725
Michigan: 196.075
Denver: 194.200

Host Georgia, Utah and Stanford qualify to the Super 6 Friday night. Congratulations.

Right from the start you had the feeling that Utah and Georgia were not to be denied. That it might end up being a fight between rivals Stanford and UCLA for the third and final spot into the Super 6.

Stanford looked relaxed. Had the best team spirit in the gym. And the Cardinal went with smart, clean routines that judges find difficult to deduct.

UCLA in the first rotation rocked bars for a season high score. But in the second rotation on beam Jordan Schwikert had a fall after a delayed judging discussion resulted in a low score for Niki Tom.

Photo Galleries:

Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor

At the press conference following the competition Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan reminded all that her team had had a “peak performance” in qualifying. There is not much more that her lineup can do to improve. They had only 3 small mistakes in prelims.

No one should assume that Georgia has this competition won. Remember what happened to Stanford at the Men’s NCAA Championships last weekend.

I think it will come down to who sticks the most landings between Florida, Utah and Georgia, assuming they each have a “peak performance” meet.

And would be quite happy to have Alabama or one of the other teams prove me wrong.

Officially …

Ashley Postell (Utah) finished 2nd with 39.55. (This is the third season in a row Postell has finished as runner up.)

Still, Tasha was disappointed as her UCLA team was eliminated from the Super 6. Only the top 3 teams qualify.

Stanford did an excellent job to get through.

“Bittersweet” was the word Tasha used in a post-meet interview. Winning the All-around but having your team eliminated is no fun at all. I had not realized that Tasha came in ill. Has Achilles tendon pain. Did not warm-up Floor or Vault to “save” herself in order to count for the team score.

Recall that Tasha was on the 2003 World Championship team that became the first U.S. team in history to ever win the gold medal at Worlds. And that she won the NCAA Championships in 2005. This is her second title.

Tasha Schwikert – UCLA bio

Tasha Schwikert – Wikipedia

… live from Athens, Georgia.

Happy us.

That will certainly get Kristina through to event Finals. Top 4 scores from each of the two sessions (plus ties) qualify for Finals Saturday. Ashley Postell, also from Utah, scored 9.90. That might not make it, but probably will.

So far (end of 2 rotations) Anna Li (UCLA) with the world’s biggest Tkachev is the only other 9.95

Kristina is the girl to beat, I think.

Tony Pizza in the Daily Utah Chronicle has a terrific in depth article on Utah’s most charismatic gymnast: Baskett is having a ball

This article hits the nail on the head. People love watching Kristina because she loves performing. Simple.

AP Photo by Douglas C. Pizac – 2007 Championships

Kristina Baskett reminds me of past NCAA great Kate Richardson (UCLA).

PS …

Am I crazy, or did Brandi Personett from Penn State in the first session compete double layout with 1/1 twist on Floor? (fall)

UPDATE: She did. And has no regrets about attempting the super skill.

My favourite team from Championships last year — Florida Gators — has won me over again, so far. I’ve only seen half the teams.

What a wonderful group of athletes. Melanie Sinclair, Ashley Reed, Corey Hartung. The whole team, in fact. They have everything.

Florida Gators bios

But if I had to pick one athlete to show my gymnasts the best of the NCAA, I’d choose Amanda Castillo. She is so enthusiastic. So energetic. And so good. A pleasure to watch.

Oh yes, she’s also on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Amanda is a role model for young gymnasts.

She came out of the fantastic Orlando Metro club. Why am I not surprised.

Florida gymnast Amanda Castillo reacts after finishing her floor routine during the first day of competition in the NCAA Gymnastics Championships Thursday April 24, 2008 …

(AP Photo/John Amis) – ESPN

Florida: 196.900
Alabama: 196.650
LSU: 196.575

Oklahoma: 196.075
Arkansas: 195.825
Oregon State: 195.475

Florida, Alabama and LSU qualify to the Super 6. Congratulations.

The competition was incredible, I thought. Notably stronger than last year. More difficulty. Better execution. Very few “missed” routines.

Scores were lower than at SEC Championships, for one example, but Head Coach Rhonda Faehn stated that the best 3 teams got through. And she’s right.

Florida Sophomore Melanie Sinclair was the surprise #1 in the preliminary All-Around. Melanie was quoted:

“It’s exciting (to be competing in the all-around). I haven’t been on top in all around in a long time. To be able to compete in all events this year is an incredible feeling. It’s great to be healthy enough to get out there and compete in all four events.”

The favourite, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney from LSU, had a fall on beam and did not show her best vault. Her coach, D-D Breaux, noted that Ashleigh will be back on the Floor Friday. D-D is asking her team to “compete with reckless abandon” in their first Super 6 Final.

For the first time since the NCAA moved to a two-round format in 1993, the LSU gymnastics team and head coach D-D Breaux have advanced …

LSUsports.net

Photo Galleries

Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor

watch video of Session 1

Second session goes tonight. Host Georgia will bring the home team advantage. It’s going to be NOISY.