SCAM Cup

This weekend kicks off the 2013 gymnastics season. The American Cup, also known as "Scam Cup" by gym fans, is tomorrow. It gets it's nickname b/c USAG, the governing body of gymnastics in the U.S., makes sure that an American will win...no matter what. This year, we do have two exciting new seniors, Katelyn O'hashi, who has arguably the most difficult beam routine in the world, and Simone Biles, who could easily jump over you from a stand. Who's missing? Gymnasts from Russia, Romania, and China...you know, the other world powers. Pretty sure USA will go 1-2. I do give props, however, to USAG for their much improved presence online.

Katelyn O'hashi during podium training yesterday.

Simone Biles CRAZY!!!

Props to Louis Vuitton

This is so amazing. Louis Vuitton is using Larissa Latynina in their new print advertisement. She was a gymnast for the Soviet Union in the 1950s-60s, and she won 18 Olympic medals. Michael Phelps beat her "most Olympic medals won" record last week. Latynina wanted to present Phelps with his 19th medal (the one that made him surpass her), but the International Olympic Committee wouldn't have it...which is beyond lame. Glad to see she's being honored regardless. 

Also featured last in this lovely video tribute of the top ten most successful Soviet gymnasts of all time.

GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!

Olympic Women's Gymnastics: Predictions and More

What you need to know about the Olympic Gymnastics competition:

1. The preliminary competition is on Sunday. From the prelims, the top 8 teams qualify to finals, top 8 gymnasts in each event qualify to event finals, and top 24 gymnasts to all around finals. For individual finals, there is a two-per-country rule. So even though the USA will have three gymnasts in the top 24, only the top two will qualifiy.

2. What's a good score? All of the events are scored slightly differently, but a good rule of thumb is anything in the 15 range is good; above a 15.5 is excellent.

3. The USA is the favorite to win. They the won last year's world championships by a LANDSLIDE. Having said that, the USA won worlds the year before the Olympics in 2004 and 2008, and then went on to take silver at the Olympics. If they hit, the USA will win, but it will be very close if Russia and Romania also hit. China could factor in too, but only if they're flawless.

4. NBC's Olympic commentators are 75% idiot, 25% right. Take anything they say that's extreme with a grain of salt.

5. Larrisa Iordache, Romania's star, is apparently suffering foot pain and will not compete all around. If they're pulling a fast one, which wouldn't be a surprise, and she competes all around, she'll be a threat. Also, if she competes they will challenge for gold in the team finals.

6. Catalina Ponor from Romania (triple gold medalist in 2004) has made a comeback and is killing it. She's known for wearing way-too-high-cut leos (seriously, gross) and always hitting beam. I can't stand her b/c on her constant arm flailing, spastic back arching, and karate chop things with her arms, but I am impressed with her comeback.

6. Why didn't Nastia make it? Nastia started her comeback about 6 months too late. She just wasn't ready.

7. Why didn't Shawn make it? Although she retired due to a "knee injury", she really deep down knew she wouldn't make the team. Her strengths/weaknesses didn't "fit" the team. They needed someone who could score high on bars; she can't. Her vault used to be a huge asset, but now there are three USA gymnasts who do it better than she. In other words, she's not good enough.

8. I despise Marta Karolyi as the team coordinator. She's has way too power and has a habit of over-training, physically and mentally, the gymnasts. Many think she is the reason we are so successful, whereas I think it's because of the influx of amazing coaches from abroad, specifically China and the former Soviet Union. Only one of the our the US girls is coached by an American. She gets the credit that rightfully belongs to the girls' personal coaches. I will give her credit for implementing the monthly team camp approach, although I think it should be bi-monthly.

PREDICTIONS:

Team Prediction                                    My Ideal Team Podium
1. USA                                                   1. USA
2. Russia                                                2. Russia
3. Romania                                            3. Great Britain


All Around Prediction                           My Ideal All Around 
1. Jordyn Weiber (USA)                        1. Gabby Douglas (USA)
2. Viktoria Komova (RUS)                    2. Jordyn Weiber (USA)
3. Gabby Douglas (USA)                       3. Vika Komova (RUS)


Vault Prediction                                    My Ideal Vault Podium
1. McKayla Maroney (USA)                1. McKayla Maroney (USA)
2. Sandra Izbasa (ROM)                        2. Oksana Chusovitina (GER)
3. Oksana Chusovitina (GER)              3. Sandra Izbasa (ROM)  


Bars Prediction                                      My Ideal Bars Podium
1. Viktoria Komova (RUS)                   1. Beth Tweddle (GB)
2. Aliya Mustafina (RUS)                     2. Viktoria Komova (RUS)
3. Beth Tweddle (GB)                           3. He Kexin (CHINA)


Beam Prediction                                    My Ideal Beam Podium
1. Larissa Iordache (ROM)                    1. Viktoria Komova (RUS)  
2. Catalina Ponor (ROM)                      2. Nastia Grishina (RUS)
3. Sui Lu (China)                                   3. Kyla Ross (USA)


Floor Prediction                                     My Ideal Floor Podium
1. Sandra Izbasa (ROM)                        1. Nastia Grishina (RUS)
2. Jordyn Weiber (USA)                        2. Ksenia Afanasyava (RUS)
3. Aly Raisman (USA)                           3. Victoria Moors (CAN)

For Gymnastics Fans (BEAM)

If you follow women's gymnastics, you're probably super tired of the boring skill-skill-skill beam routines. Every gymnast does the same skills because they code sucks so bad. Front ariel, BHS, LO, front tuck, bad sheep jump, wolf jump, split jump, double tuck or 2.5 twist dismount. Blah, blah, blah.

This is what beam USED to look like (when it was my favorite event)...

Oh, and don't say "but she wobbled" or something like that. That's not what it's about. It's about execution, artistry, extension, and DIFFICULTY (I put that in all caps b/c these routines are so much more difficult than today's)!

NOTE: If you click the link on the top of the video, it will open in a large browser.

#3 Kui Yuanyuan ~ 1997 Worlds

#2 Yang Bo - 1989 Worlds (age limits were lower back then + I could care less how old a gymnast is if she can do this!). The dismount is so sad though.

#3 Olessia Dudnik - 1989 Worlds (tidbit: we considered naming Audrey after this gymnast; I loved her lightness and quiet style). Dismount is again sad. She has done this perfectly, but I can't seem to find a decent quality vid.

On A Brighter Note...

I leave for Japan tomorrow with my honey. I am so thrilled to see this wonderful country.

Regarding the gymnastics championships, apparently the Japanese have been the best hosts of all time. They are so grateful that the gymnastics community didn't move the Worlds to another country. They need this. They need the tourism, the support, the love.

I am still excited to the gymnastics too...even though the US team is broken. There are plenty of gymnasts I am excited to see...specifically the Japanese, who look wonderful in training.

Amazing Weekend!

This is all I have to say:

TODAY

I can't remember having a more horrible start to a day:

1. Flat tire.
2. Lost Cover Girl Classic Tix (not just mine, all four of them!).
3. Lost credit card I used to purchase tix, which is required to get reprinted tix (and tix are soldout so can't buy new tix).
4. Overdrafted my checking account b/c I forgot to account for a $998 check I wrote (I totally deserve the embarassment that comes with admitting this).

Enter Audrey, Seja and Jonathan:
First of all, Audrey's reaction when I am visibly upset about my flat tire is, "that happens!" That improved my mood significantly. Then Seja takes Audrey to school and me to work. Then she goes and scavanges (is that a word?) through my house until she finds my credit card (remember, I just moved, so everyone is in boxes). Then she brings it to my work. Jonathan then loans me some bones until Monday. How lucky am I to have such wonderful people in my life!

Lisa, don't tell Dad any of this.

Now it's the weekend and Lori, Alex, Jenna, and I are going to the Covergirl Classic in Chicago. It's the last meet for the National Championships and it is the best to attend. All the gymnasts are there and you can get good seats.

I've been trolling the internet all day, following podium training. I can't believe how AMAZING Shawn, Alicia, and Chellsie look. Yay!!!

Absolute Perfection

I love, love, love this gymnast. She never quite made it, but she will always be loved by gymnastics aficionados. Everything about this routine is perfect....the music, the leotard (my fav), the yarn in her hair (classic 80s Soviet), the choreography, and the tumbling. The first pass is a double-twisting double back. This means the first flip also has two twists. This is NOT the same as a double-double (a la Shawn Johnson), which is one twist in each flip. This is the only female gymnast I've ever seen do this. I don't know if gymnastics will ever be like this again. Thank god for youtube.