Spelbound did it again!

I’m sorry for my long absence, but I just moved back from Vancouver to Germany. Anyways, here are some good news!

“Spelbound certainly cast a spell on the Britain’s Got Talent judges, audience and viewers tonight as the gymnastic troupe became the first act voted through to Saturday’s live final.

The 13 members of Spelbound; Adam McAssey 20, Adam Buckingham 21, Alex Uttley 24, Jonathan Stranks 15, Douglas Fordyce 19, Edward Upcott 18, Nicholas Illingworth 24, Katie Axten 17, Leighanne Cowler 18, Lauren Kemp 17, Hollianne Wood 13, Abigail Ralph 15 and Amy Mackenzie 12, had been practicing like crazy to ensure their performance in the live semi-final was just right… and they did not disappoint.” (stv)

Watch their amazing performance! Click play or on YouTube:

Everyone is so excited about the group and their skills. It seems as if scarcely anybody knew about acrobatic gymnastics. But better late than never…

World Stars Moscow

The field for the upcoming 5th World Stars World Cup, 14-15 May, in Moscow sounds promising.

Russia sends the complete team from the Europeans – except for Ksenia Semenova. And why does the European Champion not compete on vault? We will see four gymnasts from India and altogether 31 female athletes from 14 nations. But still a lot more on the men’s side: 91.

Watch out for:

Oksana Chusovitina (GER) VT / BB

Hong Un Jong (PRK) VT / BB

Kim Un Hyang (PRK) BB / FX

Aliya Mustafina (RUS) UB / BB

Ekaterina Kurbatova (RUS) BB / FX

Tatiana Nabieva (RUS) VT / UB

Anna Myzdrikova (RUS) VT / FX

Bruna Leal (BRA) VT / UB / FX

Ethiene Franco (BRA) UB / BB

Mayra Kroonen (NED) AA

Valeriia Maksiuta (ISR) VT / BB

Luisa Galiulina (UZB) UB  / BB / FX

Jessica Lopez (VEN) AA

complete roster

“Supplied with FIG approved apparatus from Spieth Gymnastic and with broadcasting by RTR (live on May 15), organisers are working to ensure that the event is carried out in a professional manner for the 122 gymnasts competing for 30 different countries.” (FIG)

Breaking News: Russia got beaten!

I’m joking! But it’s the first time since… well, let’s say a very long time that Russia didn’t win every gold medal at a World Cup. The feverish Evgenia Kanaeva withdrew from the 36th World Cup in Corbeil-Essones (FRA), Daria Dmitrieva didn’t get her visa, Yana Lukonina didn’t qualify for ball EF and Daria Kondakova’s ball was just too slippery.

Click play or watch Silviya Miteva (BUL) – the gold-medal winner with ball – on YouTube:

She performs to “Comptine D’un Autre ete : L’apres-midi” (The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain).

complete AA results, EF ball, EF ribbon, EF rope, EF hoop

I checked the 2010 World Cups and it wasn’t the first time, Russia didn’t take every available gold. Miteva won another gold (ball) in Kalamata (GRE) and Staniouta (BLR) could grab 2 gold medals, too – but the rest went to Russia.

YOG on their way

The 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, August 14-26 begin in nearly three months.

“The Youth Olympic Games in Singapore will bring together 3,600 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from all 205 National Olympic Committees to compete in the 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games programme.” (FIG)

They just released the trailer for gymnastics. Click play or watch it on YouTube:

Do you know the gymnast? – UPDATE: It’s Holly Moon (see comments)!

I haven't seen her before...

The participants in Rhythmic Gymnastics (1 group and 6 individuals from Europe qualify): Groups (Russia) / Juniors (Alexandra Merkulova (RUS), Jana Berezko-Marggrander (GER), Nataliya Leshchyk (BLR), Anastasiya Kisse (BUL), Victoria Veinberg-Filanovsky (ISR), Viktoria Shynkarenko (UKR))

New (Rhythmic) Blood

The Schmiden International 2010 is a well-known rhythmic gymnastics competition held at the national training centre in Fellbach-Schmiden (GER), 6-7 March. It’s especially well-known for the juniors competition. As usual the leading countries in rhythmic gymnastics – Russia, Belarus, the Ukraine – as well as Israel, France, Poland, the USA among others and of course Germany send some of their best newcomers.

Daria Svatkovskaya‘s (RUS) routine with the clubs – gold medal winner (AA & every EF) – and Jana Berezko-Marggrander‘s (GER) ball routine – silver medal winner (AA) – caught my eye: Fantastic music choice, excellent choreography, incredible interpretation, good execution and already a lot of difficulty. Enjoy!

Click play or watch Daria on YouTube:

Click play or watch Jana on YouTube:

Jana just qualified for the YOG in Singapore. Daria didn’t compete at the Europeans – yes the Russians still produce more rhythmic gymnasts than they need .

Results: Juniors (AA) Juniors (EF) / Groups (Yes, Germany won over Russia. The Russian group had a really big knot in their ribbons/ropes…)

(New) Blogs

Spanny Tampson’s Big Fake Smile – I love this funny & ironic blog, the gymnastic-themed-cakes, and especially all of the gymnastics montages! My favourite: The Gymnast is a Vamp, She’s a Vixen Not a Tramp – check them all out on the YouTube-channel!

The All Around – Amy who works for Gymnastike just started her own blog. (It’s not The All Around which did the great coverage of the Europeans etc.)

GRACEful Gymnast – “I am a region 2 coach and gymnast. Currently coaching at Grace Gymnastics and healing from an injury. I am absolutely OBSESSED with gymnastics related anything!” Read what she has to say about Al Fong, Ivana Hong & gymnasts who train with injury.

Kunstturnen – That’s my own brandnew blog about gymnastics in Germany & the world. It will be similar to GymNiceTic except for my goal to cover more German gymnastics news and of course the fact that it’s in German.

It’s About Artistic Gymnastics – Since September 2009 Norma puts tons and tons of photos on her blog. Some are old, some are brandnew, for example these from the Euros: (Click on archives to get an overview.)

Of course I’ll add them to my list of gymnastics blogs.

Damien Walters 2010 – WOW!

Normally I don’t add videos which I’ve already seen on other blogs. Especially not if it’s GymnasticsCoaching. But this time I couldn’t resist…

UK trampoline and tumbling coach Damien Walters is the #1 athlete in parkour, at least online.

Hist latest, posted April 30th, is well over 1.5 million views already on YouTube.

Click play or watch Damien Walter on YouTube:

(GymnasticsCoaching via FlipCatch)

FIG News

From May 12 – 13, forty-four FIG Council members will convene under the leadership of Prof. Bruno Grandi (ITA) to tackle several important decisions that will have a lasting impact on the inner workings of the Federation.

• The FIG has been implementing a new judging control system at world championship events for Olympic disciplines since 2009, using reference judges. The objective is to maintain coherence and sport justice by comparing the scores given by official panels with those issued by the reference judges.
• Gymnasts will qualify the year preceding the Olympic Games at the qualifying World Championships in Tokyo (JPN), Montpelier (FRA) and Birmingham (GBR) for Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline respectively. They will have a second chance to reach for the 2012 Londonian dream at the Olympic Games test events slated for January 10 – 18, 2012 at the O2 Arena.
• This 10th FIG Council will designate the host cities for two major events on the GFA (Gymnastics for All) Calendar: the World Gymnaestrada in 2015 and the Gym for Life Challenge in 2013.
• The Council will also be updating the Technical Regulations, official governing document for all FIG disciplines.

Let’s see what they will decide... have you already heard of the new judging control system? It seems as if they already had reference judges at the 2010 European Championships.

Click here to read the complete article.

Charming Anastasia Grishina

The third issue of the great Couch Gymnast Magazine is published! And I love it!

Especially the interview with Anastasia Grishina. This young lady already knows exactly what she wants at the age of 14. And as she started with gymnastics at the age of almost 7 I really believe her when she says: “As I started relatively late with gymnastics, I am constantly learning new elements. I believe that I still have a lot of potential.”

What was your greatest success so far and what was your biggest disappointment?

My performances are very consistent. I almost always win three to four gold medals, usually all-around, bars, beam and in the team competition.

My biggest disappointment so far has been the second place on bars at the 2008 Gymnix tournament in Canada.

What are your strengths and your weaknesses as a person and as a gymnast?

My strength lies in persistence; persistence in going straight to the goal.

As for weaknesses, I like to travel and have a rest.

A girl whose weakness is traveling and to have a break and whose biggest disappointment is a 2nd place on UB… Maybe Russia will go 1-2 with Viktoria Komova and Anastasia Grishina at the 2012 Olympics in the All-Around?!

Click here to read the complete interview.

By the way, I always try to do the quiz but except for the one point questions and maybe two or three other questions I never know the answers… Still so much to learn!

What a week for gymnastics!!

• Phew! That was an intense time for artistic gymnastics! With the European Championships and the Pacific Rim Championships it was like birthday and christmas at the same time. And now we are waiting for the best in Europe to meet the best in… well non-Europe at the Worlds (which might be like New Year’s Eve). While the Russians dominated at the Euros (especially Viktoria Komova and Anastasia Grishina with the junior team – the seniors won the team gold and Ekaterina Kurbatova got gold on VT; Beth Tweddle won FX & UB, Amelia Racea BB) the US team was definitely the strongest nation at the PacRims winning almost every gold. The Couch Gymnast, Gymnastics Examiner, The All Around etc. covered these events very well!
• Congrats to the German men’s team winning the team competition at the Europeans! But the news Fabian Hambüchen ceased studying and started to write an autobiography worried me a little bit. I mean he is only 22. Many people thought his gymnastics doesn’t look as light and easy anymore as it used to. And he “only” won a bronze medal on high bar. Well, I hope he can handle the situation to be no longer number 1 in the German team and find a way back to his old glory. And if he doesn’t, well, I’ll still admire him for what he has already done for (men’s) gymnastics in Germany and hope that he is happy.
• The next big thing was the IOC decision to strip China of the 2000 Olympic bronze medal. And reading all the articles I think almost everything is already said. If the FIG really wants to stick with the age rule they should be consequent and punish everyone who cheated. And if the FIG really wants to prevent countries from cheating they should not only strip the medals but also punish the national gymnastics federations. And they should think about a really harsh punishment. But if they won’t be consequent, they should drop the age restriction (which might be better anyway). Read the official IOC decision here. (Did you also stumble over the photo on the FIG website? Why did they put a gymnasts feet and hands instead of… hm… maybe something Chinese above the article?)

• FIG reinvents the World Cup series in 2011. Will it help to attract more viewers and maybe even more media?!
• Shawn Johnson is planning to compete in 2012. She starts training again with her coach Liang Chow. Will Nastia come back, too? Will Shawn’s decision influence her? First we have to wait and see whether Shawn gets back in shape. But if Nastia will try to add another Olympic medal to her collection she shouldn’t start later than in the beginning of 2011 with her training.
• Kayla Williams, current World Champion on vault, left her gym because of a falling out with her coaches and trains now at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy in Ohio with her new coach Mary Lee Tracy.

I know, I know there is nothing new in this post. But in order to write about less important changes in artistic gymnastics I had to summarize everything important – maybe rather for me than for you (as you surely know already about everything).