Second update to elite qualifiers

No info yet

Jan. 15, 2016 - Coaches Spectacular Elite Compulsory qualifier - Cincinnati, Ohio(registration closed)
jan 15 Brestyan’s Invite Compulsory Qualifier (registration closed)
Jan. 22, 2016 - Parkettes Invitational and Elite Compulsory Qualifier – Allentown, Pa.(registration closed)
Jan. 22-24, 2016 - Palm Springs Invitational Compulsory qualifier- Palm Springs, Calif.
Feb. 4, 2016 - Buckeye Classic and Elite Compulsory Qualifier - Columbus, Ohio
March 4-6, 2016 - Tim Rand Invite and Elite Compulsory Qualifier - Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
March 10-12, 2016 - KPAC Cup - Charlotte, N.C. ( National qualifier) (registration closed)
April 15-16, 2016 Hopes qualifier -Auburn Gymnastics
May 13/14 National qualifier at Ranch

Second update to elite qualifiers

Top Gym 2015

Anyone have news or information about the Top Gym competition in Belgium this weekend? It starts tomorrow, right?

Top Gym 2015

The Video On The Site

Is there any way to set so the video doesn't come on automatically when I go to the main page? It's really distracting.

The Video On The Site

Myrtle Beach Compulsory Elite qualifier

There will be two sessions o fElite compulsory competitions No Info on gyms but 12 Gymnasts per session

Myrtle Beach Compulsory Elite qualifier

Brestyan 's las vegas elite qualifier

The website announced the there will be 8-10 Hopes/Elites qualifier sessions
More info to come
Capebreton586

Brestyan 's las vegas elite qualifier

Toyota International Cup | 12-13 December

http://ift.tt/1MG4nIy

Quite an impressive roster. Of course both Japanese teams are killer, but Russia is sending its top WAG and USA sending a strong men's team.

Toyota International Cup | 12-13 December

Test Event Team Predictions

So I know the Test Event is a good 5 or so months away but I find myself thinking about which teams are going to advance pretty much on a weekly basis. I'm already a little anxious about it because I know it's going to be a really tough battle. Here are the totals from the teams in Glasgow.

9. Brazil 221.861
10. France 219.919
11. Belgium 219.78
12. Germany 219.261
13. Romania 217.220
14. Australia 214.812
15. South Korea 213.744
16. Switzerland 213.494

Right off the bat I'm counting out Australia, South Korea, and Switzerland. They are already far behind and I can't think of any talented juniors turning senior next year that would make a dramatic impact. So that leaves five with only four able to go through. This is where I get anxious because I know one of these great teams won't make it through. Romania and Brazil are at a disadvantage on one end because they don't have any juniors turning senior next year that will boost their scores, whereas France, Belgium, and Germany will have at least one if not two or three juniors join the team and up their score. But at the same time, Brazil will have Andrade back to at least some extent and Romania will have Ponor and possibly Izbasa. Plus Romania had the most mistakes out of any of the five teams. As of right now my three going through are Romania, Brazil, and France. I am having a really hard time deciding between Belgium and Germany right now because they along with France were basically tied in Glasgow and both teams have two really talented juniors joining the team next year. Of course as we get closer to the event it will become a little more clear but right now it could be really any of those five with Romania and Brazil having an advantage IMO.

Test Event Team Predictions

Al Trautwig?

As I sort of lost interest in gymnastics after Svetlana Khorkina retired, and have just recently started to get it back, there are gaps in my knowledge concerning certain things. I know some of you can enlighten me about this. Just why is Al Trautwig commentating on gymnastics? And how long as he been doing so? From what I have read on this site, and online, he seems to creep a lot of people out, including me, with his questionable comments. Am I remembering right, or is he the one who said the grandfathers watching a certain gymnast should remember that "she's only (however young he said)." I remember being out of the room when whoever said that, but I remember thinking that that kind of crack was tasteless, at best, and sounded like something out of "To Catch a Predator," at worst. Is he just there to fill air time with meaningless comments like, "She's a Chinese gymnast, and she's young!"? Do they really need him? All you AT fans, speak up LoL

Al Trautwig?

Morgan Reynolds Hospitalized

Does anyone know what is going on with Morgan Reynolds (UGA)? I've only read that she has been hospitalized for about a week or so with a "serious E. coli infection." That could be so many different things given that many different strains of E. coli infections can cause pathologies for many different organ systems.

Morgan Reynolds Hospitalized

American Cup Tickets

What is the likelihood that deals or discounts will show up closer to American Cup? I would like to go, but I just don't want to spend $250 for good seats. I also don't want to spend $50-$75 for nosebleed seats.

American Cup Tickets

Amazing to think London team would have been just as strong with Price as with Wieber

I know it doesn't mean anything but it is funny to think you have easily subbed Elizabeth Price in for Jordyn Wieber in London and not only would they still have won, but it probably wouldn't have hurt the team total one iota. Price if she hit would probably score atleast as high as Wieber on all of vault, bars, and floor (considering Jordyn didn't do her best on floor in any round). Wieber was overscored on bars substantialy in the U.S meets, but an international panel would probably score Price higher if both hit. Price generally was super consistent and hit all her routines too. The huge difference between the two is beam and Jordyn wasn't even used on beam in team finals. Price might have made floor finals and won a silver or bronze too, and if she somehow learnt a 2nd vault by London (unlikely) she could have won vault gold with Maroney's fall.

I know it doesn't mean anything and realistically Jordyn is the last person who would have been left off the team, but it is funny to think nonetheless.
Wieber was almost rendered irrelevant in London after being the dominant star only 6 months later. To her credit she did a very good job in team finals on all 3 of her events, yet was the lowest score on all 3 still.

Amazing to think London team would have been just as strong with Price as with Wieber

Shchennikova

Did the Shchennikovas switch gyms? I noticed in the camp roster that it had Alyona listed as being at 5280 Gymnastics and not TIGAR.

Shchennikova

1996 Olympic All-Around compared to All-Around competition today.(positive/negatives)

Yesterday I decided to re-watch the 1996 Olympic AA. I had watched that competition over 5 years ago, and was not very sure of the results. I know that Dawes wasn't going to win (as Gabby was the first African American to do so). I also had a feeling that it wasn't going to be Mo Hulian. I had a slight hunch that Lilia might been the AA winner seen we talk about her so much here. But was was it. I thought the podium was up for grabs by Miller, Lillia, Gogean, Amanar, Milo, Khorkina, Bogi, Kotchetkova, Galieva and Moceanu. I tried to forget all I actually knew (Khorkina never got the Olympic AA) etc...

Dislikes:
To tell you all the truth, I was underwhelmed by the 10 format. I don't think it made it that more exciting than our open ended system. To my opinion, the scores made a lot less sense if you weren't a judge (for example, Mo's 9.8 on beam with a huge wobble). There were no 9.9's and the top seemed to hover around a 9.8.

By the first rotation it became clear that Domi and Bogi were out.
The second and first rotations were a blur - there was the moment at FX where the two American girls had meltdowns and I knew they were out as well. They did not show Khorkina in the the third rotation which made me believe she was out.
The fourth rotation was so anti-climatic. Lilia got a huge score on beam and they told us only Mo could pass her. What about the other girls? It confused me. Still, it was pretty clear by them that Pod was the AA champ. We didn't really get to see the battle for silver and bronze at all though - which ended up with Gogean on second and Milo/Amanar on third. The differentiation of the scores were so hard to follow, I really didn't find it super exciting. Plus, there were only gymnasts from the old USSR, China, US, Romania competing. Nowadays we see so much more diversity.

So yes, even though we always talk about the glory days of the 10 system, as a spectator, I much prefer the D+E system we have now. Even for the casual viewer it was probably hard to understand why a routine got a 9.712 and another for 9.125.

Likes: Aside from Khorkina on bars and some passes out of bounds and a questionable landing from Dawes, nobody really made big mistakes. Heck, EVERYONE stayed in the beam. Beam was such an amazing apparatus back them. That is what I liked the most. Beam. I hope beam can become similar what it was in 1996, but under the E+D system. I also really liked that NBC at that time seemed to show most gymnastics in the top 12 group. That was very nice.

Which should I watch next? I know the results of 1992, but maybe watch that team comp? Should I watch the 2000 Olympcics? 88? Any Worlds in particular? Please give me some amazing competitions from back then that I don't exactly know the result. Starting from 2004, I know most of the results.

Anyone agree, disagree or have more to add?

1996 Olympic All-Around compared to All-Around competition today.(positive/negatives)

how could this ever be?

Well, now that the dust has settled from World's, I am just amazed how gymnastics has changed in at least the past 40 years. Russia not even bronze? Romania having to qualify again to even get to the Olympics? Back in the age of Soviet superiority, they had a kind of serene superiority. They knew they were the best, and they were, as gymnastics was then. How well I remember when Cathy Rigby, after all the newspaper and magazine and newspaper coverage she had gotten, especially for her silver BB medal, did not even make beam finals at Munich. Her coach went into a rage, saying, "This is the worst rape in the history of sport!" When Larisa Latynina was informed of this, she said something that I still do not know was nasty or nice (maybe it was both). She said something like, "The American girls are so graceful, so lovely, that I suspect we judge them a little too generously, if anything." Whew! Someone remarked that LL should be in the diplomatic corps, if she wasn't already. It was painful to see the Russian girls falling like autumn leaves from the beam, and the Romanians messing up. Have they fallen so far, or have the Americans just gotten so much better as gymnastics is practiced today? Surely the great champions in past years are an influence on them, or should be. Oh, well, on to Rio--

how could this ever be?

Ha... All Russian athletes may be banned from OG due to doping!

HA...... What goes around comes around! The Russians are accused of doping and maybe banned from the Olympics games. There will be athletes also stripped of medals and it was said over three quarters were taking banned substances during the 2012 Olympics. A skunk smells it own tail first!

Ha... All Russian athletes may be banned from OG due to doping!

E Scores

I said this a few weeks ago in a forum but does anybody else feel like E scores in the open ending scoring era are total BS?

Has there ever been another era in gymnastics where a normal hit routine without a fall is almost always scored in the high 8s?

I just find it really annoying when you see a really great set with no falls and the judges say nope we found over a point in deductions. Its something I think is really broken.

E Scores

What gymnasts think of King Kohei

Just people stating the obvious :rolleyes:

From the FIG article:
http://ift.tt/1RCd33T

“I don’t think he’s on this planet. I think he’s a superhuman. I think secretly at night he dresses up in costume and saves people from fires and burning buildings. The guy is a legend. The guy is unbelievable.”

– Louis Smith, Great Britain


“He is the black widow of Gymnastics: Silent and deadly. Immensely talented, and I am honored to have been a part of the sport during his time.”

– Paul Ruggeri, USA


“I suppose the best way to explain it is that as we walk into the arena, there’s a Wall of Fame of the previous World champions, and his face is there, and there, and there, and that explains it all. It’s just phenomenal, absolutely incredible. He’s someone everyone in Gymnastics can look up to and aspire to.”

– Kristian Thomas, Great Britain


“I’ve been watching his performance on video for several years now, so I’m really proud I could compete with him, and that we have a gymnast as good as he is at this competition.”

– Manrique Larduet, Cuba


“He is phenomenal. He added something to every routine, just as I expected. I feel like you have to aim for even more than he does, or not compete at all.”

– Oleg Verniaiev, Ukraine


“He is from another planet. The Japanese, they were born to do Gymnastics. He has the flexibility, the body, the elegance. He is like a cat.”

– Marian Dragulescu, Romania


“When it comes to execution there is nothing to be done. Kohei is really the best, and unbeatable in my opinion.“

– Fabian Hambuechen, Germany

What gymnasts think of King Kohei

Swiss Cup 2015, 8 Nov

Participating Teams:

Switzerland 1
Laura Schulte / Claudio Capelli

Switzerland 2
Ilaria Käslin / Pablo Brägger

Canada/Great Britain
Victoria Kayen Woo / Courtney Tulloch

Germany 1
Elisabeth Seitz / Fabian Hambüchen

Germany 2
Pauline Schäfer / Andreas Bretschneider

France
Camille Bahl / Julien Gobaux

Japan
Yuki Uchiyama / Kazuma Kaya

Mexico
Alexa Citlali Moreno Medina / Daniel Corral

Romania
Larisa Andreea Iordache / Marius Daniel Berbecar

Ukraine
Angelina Kysla / Oleg Verniaiev


SRF Zwei will have a live stream (13:15 - 15:45), it's only availabe in Switzerland, though.

Swiss Cup 2015, 8 Nov

2015 Massilia Cup | 21-22 NOV

Official website:
http://ift.tt/1PdtO7G

Belgium
Nina Derwael
Senna Deriks
Julie Meyers
Maellyse Brassart

France
Marine Brevet
Claire Martin
Louise Vanhille
Loan His

Italy
Elisa Meneghini
Enus Mariani
Martina Maggio
Tea Ugrin

Romania
Andreea Iridon
Laura Jurca
Silvia Zarzu
Anamaria Ocolisan

Russia
Evgenia Shelgunova
Daria Skrypnik
Angelina Melnikova
Natalia Kapitonova

2015 Massilia Cup | 21-22 NOV

Simone and The Media

Is anyone else feeling some type of way about how Simone is being largely ignored in the media. She is probably the most dominant athlete her sport has ever seen(verging on GOAT status) the year before the Olympics, just became the most decorated female gymnast at Worlds (by Gold count), and had won Worlds three times in a row. And there like nothing. I remember Carly/Shawn/Jordyn being on stuff before the Olympics and Carly didn't even win. Is it because she's not a little baby teenager? I mean I see people like Ronda Rousey everywhere and thats another niche sport. Tennis players like Serena/Sharapova etc.
Is she being seen as too "similar" to Gabby? (even though they aren't similar at all, but we know the media") Are we on gymnastics burnout from winning so much? She has a great personality and a great story etc. What gives?

Simone and The Media

Blacklisted Athletes

Watching Brenna Dowell's UB mistake makes me really sad because you know its pretty much the end of her Rio dreams. Who were the other athletes belong to this group?

1. Larson- pretty awesome showing at the 2010 US champs that gave her ticket to worlds. I think I read somewhere that Marta didnt want to use her in floor for the team finals but was outvoted by other coaches. I cant recall if she made an error during the TQ that made Martha doubt on her. Her fall and missing a required element on floor pretty much cost USA the Gold(Russia also counted 2 falls from Nabieva). I cant recall how she did during the 2012 US olmypic Trials(she could have redeemed herself).

2. Dowell- lots of people were surprised when she was included on the roster since she was never consistent in UB anyway. People knew that her UB routine outcome will seal her fate in Rio but ofcourse she bombed and pretty much everyone is conviced that she is done. Can she redeem her self? I think if she gets back her Amanar and continue to be useable on UB and floor she has 40% of making the Rio team.

3. Pavlova- Alexandrov made it clear that she doesnt want any of the older girls on the team and needs to build russia with the younger girls(Aliya's group). Pavlova wasnt totally useless in fact she won several vault titles under Alexandrov and was useful on beam and floor but her inconsistency didnt sit well with Alexandrov. And ofcourse she injured her knee.

4. Koko Tsurumi- She wasnt really blacklisted but her rumored disagreements with then Ukranian head coach put her on a bad position on the national team. At one time it was rumored she didnt even had motivation to continue.

5. Yesenia Ferrera- Rumor say that she is blacklisted in the cuban team although she also injured her knee that could explain her disappearance.

6. Hong Su Jong- After the age scandal she literally went MIA. who knows if she is still alive.

7. Catalina Ponor and some romanian girls- Didnt Ponor had a disagreement with some romanian coaches before? Obviously she was too good for them to ban her

Blacklisted Athletes

Favourite things/ biggest disappointments from World's

Favourite things:
-Vika having an amazing UB routine and fighting to stay on beam in event finals
- Paseka getting Vault Gold
- Gabby making a good comeback
- Larissa having a good AA competition
- Whitlock and Smith going 1 and 2 in Pommel final
- Leyva redeeming himself in the high bar final
- GB doing so well in team events
- Afan still slaying on floor

Biggest disappointments:
- Steingruber getting hurt in vault final
- Russia having a disastrous team competition
- Larisa and Romania not qualifying for Olympics yet
- Zonderland not being in the high bar final
- Vika's ill advised comments about the U.S. Girls

Favourite things/ biggest disappointments from World's

Variations in tumbling

I was wondering what everyone's opinions were on the variety (or lack thereof) of tumbling on floor. One floor routine that really stood out for me in Glasgow was Maggie Nichols because it was literally four double back variations (taking nothing from Maggie - I think she's exceptionally talented.) I personally prefer a routine with several variations of tumbles (eg double backs, double fronts, twisting.) I get that gymnasts may prefer to work to their strengths - but I feel like gymnasts who offer a lot of variation in their routines go unrewarded. What do you guys think?

Variations in tumbling

Arthur Gander Memorial 2015

Because the next competition after Worlds is never far away.

Taking place 4th November (Wednesday) at 19:30 local time


Featuring among others:

WAG: Enus Mariani, Pauline Schäfer, Diana Bulimar, Larisa Iordache, Anastasia Dmitrieva, Alexa Moreno

MAG: Kazuma Kaya, Oleg Verniaiev, Andreas Bretschneider, Christian Baumann, Oliver Hegi


Website: http://ift.tt/1RsbyFx

Arthur Gander Memorial 2015

Worlds is over

Its amazing how quiet the board has gone, now we have to wait a bit until any major competition its a bit depressing.

Worlds is over

Qualifiers to 2016 Olympics and Olympic Test Event

Info courtesy of TAA.

http://ift.tt/1LNcBy5

Direct qualifiers to the Olympics.

MEN

Teams
1. Japan
2. Great Britain
3. China
4. Russian Federation
5. United States
6. Switzerland
7. Brazil
8. Republic of Korea

Individuals
(Nominative)
1. Rayderley Zapata (ESP)*
2. Harutyun Merdinyan (ARM)
3. Eleftherios Petrounias (GRE)
4. Ri Se Gwang (PRK)
5. Marian Dragulescu (ROU)*
6. Oleg Verniaiev (UKR)*
7. Oleg Stepko (AZE)
8. Manrique Larduet (CUB)


WOMEN

Teams
1. United States
2. Russian Federation
3. Great Britain
4. China
5. Italy
6. Japan
7. Canada
8. Netherlands

Individuals
(Nominative)
1. Hong Un Jong (PRK)
2. Pauline Schaefer (GER)*

*Place allocated only if gymnast’s federation does not
qualify a team at the Test Event.

Qualifiers to 2016 Olympics and Olympic Test Event

Best leotards

Which leos did people like the best? Which were the worst?

Best leotards

Maggie Nichols Appreciation Thread

This doesn't need to stay on the front page after Worlds or anything. There's too many special individual gymnasts for that to happen. But just for a couple days...this is for Swags and anyone who wants to add their appreciation for her.

Awesome consistency. Steady 4-event strong AA gymnast. Proved she COULD have medalled in the AA final. And pulled out an EF medal at the end of it.

She's obviously so hard working and determined, I'm excited to see if she can improve next year. Can she improve her Amanar form? Can she get her Nationals beam difficulty consistent? What else can she do to improve and upgrade?

I adore Simone, but Maggie is keeping things interesting in an American world that would otherwise be set with nothing but Biles-dominance and the already-famous comeback kids. Maggie is a bit of a weird wild card thrown in and could be a spoiler for someone. Can she get better?

(Pretty please for dissenters: there's plenty of room for anti-MN in the other threads. This is just a brief thread for those who want to cheer her on. Thank u!)

Maggie Nichols Appreciation Thread

How do Biles, Liukin, Miller rank now

I think at this point it is pretty clear Biles, Miller, and Liukin are the top 3 U.S gymnasts of all time in any particular order. How would you rank them after these worlds. I would rank Biles as the best American gymnastic in history now, Shannon as 2nd, and Nastia at 3rd.

How do Biles, Liukin, Miller rank now

Deng Shudi would beat Kohei if both hit 6 for 6, also someone should do his wikipedia

It is amazing poor Deng doesnt even have a wikipedia page done. Could someone here do it for him, as he deserves to have one:

http://ift.tt/1KQo2RI

Also if he and Kohei hit 6 for 6 in an AA event Deng would probably win. Both at their best Deng is better on pommel horse, rings, and parallel bars, they are about equal on floor and vault, and Kohei is better on high bar. The team final of the 2014 worlds proves this as Deng's higher scoring potential was the difference. Taking into account his major errors he was scoring higher per routine than Kohei was which is why Japan lost there.

Deng Shudi would beat Kohei if both hit 6 for 6, also someone should do his wikipedia