Gymnastics Coaching.com

The Gymblog posted a rundown of some of the big stars of our sport missing at Worlds in Stuttgart:

Anna Pavlova (Rus), Jana Bieger (USA), Justin Spring (USA), Ashley Preiss (USA), Chellsie Memmel (USA), Kyle Shewfelt (CAN), Pang Panpan (CHN), Ana Maria Tamarjan (ROM), Irina Isayeva (ROM), Marian Dragulescu (ROM), Shavahn Church (ENG).

Worlds absentees « WordPress Gymblog – videos and photos

I’d hoped World and Olympic Champion Li Xiaopeng (CHN) would again be competitive. But he was out with, I think, an injured toe.

Are there more athletes injured out of World Championships than in the past?

I think so.

The demands of 10 counting skills on each routine is too difficult for an all-arounder, I feel. FIG should drop the number of counting skills to eight.

From Bill’s Letter to the Membership of the United States Elite Coaches Association for Women’s Gymnastics newsletter Sept. 2007.

He’s saying something that many, many coaches have been thinking. Congress needs to be improved:

It was interesting for me to observe the Congress activities since I’ve been attending for over 35 years. …

… it may sound like I’m being negative when in fact I’m just trying to make an already good thing better. As I stopped in from lecture to lecture I noted that almost everyone had something to sell. Either they were trying to drum up consulting business or they were trying to sell videos, books, and so forth. … I find this disquieting because there is a place to sell things which is in the vendors area. I’m troubled by people trying to set themselves up as gurus on some topical area and then provide a website, order blanks, brochures, and so forth to acquire more business clients – as part of an “educational” presentation.

… I worry that USA Gymnastics is giving tacit approval and support to these people, services, products, and whatnot by providing them a forum and a captive audience.

… In closing, I have one more issue – quality control. I’m not going to pretend that I’m an expert in everything, but even with limited knowledge in most areas I knew that some of the information being tossed out as fact was anything but. … There seem to be every more self-appointed gurus who have neither the credentials nor the experience to be offering their ideas as facts. Almost invariably they are enthusiastic to the point of wondering if they need a sedative, they name-drop in nearly every sentence, they tout something that is “highly successful” with absolutely no data to back up the statement, and they like to use scientific words strung together in meaningless sentences. …

Bill Sands

I agree. The general level of presentations in Australia and Canada, for example, are better. Also, there seems to be no incentive to bring in new people, new voices, especially from out-of-country.

On the other hand, Bill continues:

Congress remains the single best place to see the most gymnastics education and a great competition (where of course learning should happen also). … Be sure to check credentials of the people who are speaking, ask them where their data or supporting information is (not just who they’ve worked with) …

I’d love to link to the full, original letter. But sadly it is not posted on the USECA website. Email Bill at Bill.Sands @ USOC.org if you want a copy.

UPDATE: Bill sent me his entire Letter to the Membership and I posted it separately.

Truth is … the USECA website is not useful to non-members. For one thing, you feel “tricked” into clicking on links that then say: “This is one of those “teasers” to show you what MEMBERS receive.”

If you want to enjoy the many, many benefits, you need join USECA. Membership starts at US$150 / year. It is excellent value at that price.

After problems at Artistic Worlds, Russia was cruising in Greece.

PATRAS, Greece — Russia dominated the last day of the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, winning both group apparatus finals to give it eight gold medals at the competition.

Russia earned 17.650 points in the five ropes event, and 17.525 in the three hoops and two clubs routine.

Italy came second in both events, scoring 17.300 in the five ropes, and 17.350 in the three hoops and two clubs. Bulgaria was third in both.

Russia won eight of the nine golds and a total of 14 medals in the eight-day championships. …

ESPN – Russia exits Rhythmic Worlds with 8 gold medals – Gymnastics

Once again, ESPN posted the best photos:

The Russian team performs with ropes in the group apparatus final during the 28th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Patras, Greece, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007. Russia won two gold medals at exercises of ropes and hoops/clubs.

(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

ESPN

“Travelling Rings” is slightly related to the antiquated American sport of Flying Rings (Swinging Rings) — but the acrobat travels from single ring-to-ring as they do on a playground.

A much better description would be “free running (Parkour) on rings”.

I took gymnasts to try it in 2004 in Santa Monica, California after the Vidmar competition. It’s very tough!

Click PLAY or watch the craziness on YouTube.

RingFlyers is a website devoted to the travelling rings and the community of swingers. The travelling rings have been an athletic pastime for well over a hundred years. …

On the beach in Santa Monica California a thriving community of rings enthusiasts spend an inordinate amount of time exerting themselves in this largely unknown pasttime resembling something like gymnastics. Hundreds of people from all over the globe consider the Santa Monica beach scene a touchstone and as a result the culture of the rings have spread far and wide. Recently a rings rig was built in New York City’s Riverside Park. …

These pages are largely devoted to the discussion board which ties together the ring communities of Santa Monica and New York City. It also serves to tie together our far flung bretheren throughout the world who check in periodically as they plan their next trip to the travelling rings rig closest to them. Also contained in these pages are tutorials, photos, and videos that swingers have made to spread the love of what we do. Enjoy!

RingFlyers – about

larger original photo – flickr – Hughes Leglise-Bataille

More photos on the RingFlyers VISUALS page.

Related post – DVD – Wild Rings – very COOL

“MUTINY ON THE RINGS II” with Bruno Angelico.

3 minutes Trailer/ preview of a 40 minutes Extreme Sport Cult Instructional Documentary.

The first and only DVD ever produced and distributed in the world about this underground but growing discipline: the wild traveling rings.

Quote: “Angel or Pirate, the amazing, intriguing and controversial Bruno Angelico, featured by Nike, LA Times, NY Times, Discovery and more explains and demonstrates more than 28 stunts out of 40 he created.

The creator of the insane, extreme and wild swing breaks away from classic gymnastic moves and bring a mix of grace, beauty, technique and danger on the sleeping traveling rings transforming them into the “Wild rings”.

After a violent car crash he spent one year in a bed during 2003 swinging between wheel chairs and crutches, left arm and leg paralyzed, couples of spinal court surgeries later… He’s back.

Don’t miss this one! Watch the trailer on YouTube.

The DVD is available for US$15 plus shipping via MutinyOnTheRings.com

related post – RingFlyers – travelling rings

Rhythmic Gymnastics continues to be one of the weakest of all Olympic sports for the USA.

PATRAS, Greece — Only those who managed to keep their heads survived this incredibly tensed, last day of the individual contest in Patras. It has ended with the long-awaited coronation of the Ukrainian Anna Bessonova as the the 2007 all-around champion.

What seemed to be disastrous Championships for Ukraine last Sunday, finished as a fully deserved triumph Bessonova fought for this title as a real Gladiator — the music for her Clubs routine — and in the end, was received the standing ovations with tears in her eyes.

The Silver went to Vera Sessina or Russia, and 2005 champion Olga Kapranova won bronze.

The list of the top 20 gymnasts who won the Olympic visas for Beijing is also, finally clear. The nations which will be represented by two gymnasts in 2008 are: Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Israel, Azerbaijan and Ukraine while Canada, Spain, Greece, Korea, Uzbekistan, Austria, Estonia and Poland will be represented by one gymnast in the individual event.

Three more places will be designated by the FIG and one by the IOC.

The group all-around will be decided on Saturday and group finals on Sunday.

WCSN.com: News

UPDATE: FIG allocated three wild cards to Xiao Yiming of China, Odette Richard of South Africa and Naazmi Johnston of Australia. A fourth wild card will be announced by the IOC.

Gold medallist Anna Bessonova from Ukraine, center, stands on the podium with silver medallist Vera Sessina from Russia, left, and bronze medallist Olga Kapranova after the individual final at the 28th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships…, Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

ESPN

We all know this kind of gym Mom.

larger original – flickr

(via Dark Roasted Blend)

International Gymnast has results and a good update on the Rhythmic World Championships:

Russia Takes Control of Rhythmic Worlds

September 19, 2007

Russia’s Olga Kapranova and Vera Sesina each won two titles in the event finals at the 28th Rhythmic World Championships, taking place in Patras, Greece.

Kapranova, the 2005 world all-around champion, won the gold medal with hoop and the silver medal with rope on Monday. Sesina won the gold medal with rope and the the silver medal with hoop.

Kapranova added her second gold with the clubs on Wednesday. Sesina won the ribbon title and bronze with the clubs.

Ukraine’s Anna Bessonova picked up silver medals with the ribbon and clubs and the bronze medal with hoop. Inna Zhukova of Belarus won the bronze medal with the rope and 2004 Olympic champion Alina Kabayeva won the brone medal with the ribbon.

Canada’s Alexandra Orlando was the only gymnast from North America to qualify for the finals. Orlando, winner of six gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, finished seventh with hoop.

The all-around final will take place Friday, and group finals will take place Sunday. …

International GYMNAST Magazine Online

Olga Kapranova, Longines Sports Ambassadress of Elegance – Longines

more artistically edited Rhythmic photos – FotoGym

French actor, stuntman, gymnast, martial artist Cyril Raffaelli was most recently seen in the film Live Free or Die Hard (2007).

Click PLAY or watch the stuntman highlight video on YouTube.

Music : Lex B

Cyril Raffaelli – official website

(via Jump Club)

Wright Thompson of ESPN posted a comprehensive, balanced profile of one of the world’s most successful coaches, Al Fong of GAGE Gymnastics in Missouri.

Al and his partner wife Armine Barutyan-Fong coached one of my favourite gymnasts of all time, Courtney McCool, and dozens of other fantastic athletes. Currently they coach the brilliant Ivana Hong.

I would love to travel to GAGE to see how they develop such superb athletes.

On the other hand, for old-timers like myself, the name Al Fong is one of the darkest clouds on our sport.

He reminds us of his gymnast, 15-year-old Julissa Gomez, who was tragically paralyzed at a competition in Japan leading up to the 1988 Olympics. Julissa died three years later. Her mother still blames Fong.

Another of his gymnasts, Christy Henrich, missed making that 1988 team by 1/10th of a point. By 1991, anorexia had whittled her down to 61 pounds. Christy died of multiple organ failure three years later, at age-22.

Was that Al’s fault?

He might not have been guilty, but he was hardly innocent.

The ESPN article intimates Al is a changed man. A more balanced, rational person than he was in the past:

Gymnastics, of course, is notorious for fanatical, overbearing coaches, but the old Fong was the worst. He pushed. He insulted. He started practices at the crack of dawn and late at night. …

Much of the article speaks of the near bankruptcy of GAGE and the Fongs personally after building a wonderful new gym.

I hope Al Fong has things much more in perspective in 2007.

Our community has much to learn from Al. He is dedicated. And a fantastic technical coach.

Do you agree?

Read the entire article for yourself: ESPN – Al Fong’s iron fist – Olympics