Wednesday, October 13, 2010

This and That



Yu-Na Kim was named Sportswoman of the Year at last night's Women's Sports Foundation dinner. View a photo gallery of the event.

Former World Still Rings Champion Yuri van Gelder was pulled from the Duth team at Worlds due to cocaine use. He only recently returned to competition after a one-year ban from competition after testing positive for the substance in 2009.

The Gymnastics Examiner posted an interview with Jordan Jovtchev about competing as an AARP member.

Alicia Sacramone launched her official website.

USAG posted photos from Women's Podium Training.

Queen Nastia is on hand at the World Gymnastics Championships. She was seen watching Mother Russia's podium training with BFF Martha Karolyi.


Team USA before Podium Training.



Katia Shpilband finished second at Eastern Great Lakes Regionals in the Novice Division. It was her second full competition as a novice because she was injured during the club competition season. She attempted a Triple Flip in the short program but underrotated it (<<). Katia's real test will be at Sectionals, as she needs to step up her game to qualify for Nationals. She landed three triple loops, but one had a lesser underrotation deduction. She received no credit for her flying camel spin in the long program. Her layback only received a Level 1 in the short program.There is a ton of work to be done, but her season is still promising.

Courtney Hicks won the most competitive regionals in the country for Junior Ladies at Southwest Pacific Regionals. Mary Beth Marley won the free skate but finished second overall. Leah Keiser was third overall after popping a lutz and receiving an edge call on her Triple Flip. All three girls are expected to make Nationals.

Danielle Kahle is STILL competing and won Senior Ladies at SWP. Ginger Jackson was second behind Andrew Gonzales in senior men.

Shannon Miller reflected on her World AA Titles.

Universal Sports profiled the up-and-coming Russian Ladies and the brewing Tuktamysheva-Sotnikova rivalry.

Sasha Cohen was interviewed about the upcoming Disson's Craptacular in Atlantic City.

Mediawhore Greg Marsden posted another underwhelming video of Blahtah's fourth week of training. Try to watch without feeling sluggish afterward.



Arkansas had a craptacular intrasquad:



Bama's practice before the Alabama-Florida football game:


Samantha Cesario's performances at Regionals (where she defeated Joelle Forte to take the Senior Ladies title):
Short


Long

9 comments:

  1. Awww, it's so cool to see Danielle Kahle still competing! She doesn't have as much raw talent as some of the others, but she is still doing so well, and I'm impressed by how many triples she landed.

    And Jr Ladies is amazing this year! Love it!

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  2. Arkansas is sloppy as can be, and frankly Utah doesn't look much better. Its hard to believe that Corrie Lothrop was an Olympic alternate... Her gymnastics looks so dumpy, and what was with her side aerial on beam? Hopefully she'll round into form before January.

    Did Alabama get a new trainer? They look more fit than they have in a while. Marissa Gutierrez must be on whatever workout/diet plan Kupets was on between the Olympics and UGA because..woah, she has REALLY slimmed down.

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  3. I would like to second that on Guiterrez. I definitely agree she has slimmed down a ton. Maybe she got the NCAA bug and has that drive to work even harder. That is the only bright spot for the always heavy bama

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  4. Maybe Bama found out that we were all calling them Fat Bama?

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  5. Queen Yuna - UGH! GRRRR

    I need a dose of MKwan. sigh.

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  6. Katia competed at Skate San Francisco in August, where she finished third in both the SP and FS.

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  7. Samantha Cesario, you betta werk.

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  8. Katia also had to contend with a young spitfire named Hannah Miller who has style as well as great spins and a load of triple jumps--including an amazing 3-2-2 combo (the last double is a loop) in her long program. I watched her several times in practice (I was ice monitor), in the qualifying round, and in her short, and NEVER saw her fall or pop a jump. Her attack reminded me of Tara at the Olympics, except with bigger jumps.

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  9. Underrotations or not, I really like Samantha Cesario! Her short program is so excellent! Great choreography.

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