2023 US Classic (Pre Meet and WAG Juniors Discussion)

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with the caveat that I wasn’t watching closely, I believe Simone only did the YDP. I didn’t see any ro 1/2 on entries, even as timers. Nor did I see her twist any Yurchenkos.
 
Having her chuck has much difficulty as possible because it hides her shit execution. He knows the judges can’t possibly take off for everything, but an easier routine makes it easier to see her flaws
It’s not like she is his only shot to go to 2024 Paris so why risk it (both her well-being and his reputation)…
 
2nd and 3rd are pretty wide open. Jade, Jordan, and Skye are all skipping AA. Leanne, Kayla, and Lexi Zeiss are the highest ranking seniors from last year. It’ll be interesting to see if Tiana can break into the top group.
 
If there is a god, hell no. Her vaults looked like shit today and her bars remain a total disaster.

Plus she’s stuck in the first session.
 
Got back from session 2 training.

Simone “only” vaulted the Y2P, no 1/2 on or twisting Yurchenko timers. The three attempts are linked above and it’s clear this is what she is competing. As an aside, her straight Yurchenko timer is something else. It just launches to the sky.

Bars showed Weiler 1/2, Maloney (same leg sep), giant full, piked tkachev-pak, VL, toe-full to full-in. Her first toe-full overbalanced and she came off, later did another one out of the full routine to a good dismount.

Beam is switch leap mount(!)-switch 1/2-back pike, triple wolf, front aerial-split-straddle, BHS-LSO-LSO, side aerial, BHS-BHS-full-in. No side jumps IIRC, choreo looks more filled out than Tokyo. She didn’t make mount connection to back pike in the routine but did it well after. The dismount had several steps back in the full routine but she looked very excited/relieved to have done it on podium. Later made a full-in with a small, controlled step.

Floor like everyone else was a dance thru but she showed individual passes of Chuso, front layout full to Silivas(!), Biles I to stag, and DLO. Her landings were largely well controlled with a little more piking in the Chuso than I remember. Music is “Unicorn” by Noa Kirel. Routine has some familiar choreo but I like the music choice and think it suits her. Overall she looked focused but very happy, even jumping a 360 to show that she was over the twisties!

Suni looks very lean and fit. Overall she showed a little bit higher level than I expected given her health and loss of training time. Beam is basically back to Olympic level: good Dudnik series on both tries, insecure with the switch-switch 1/2-ring in the full routine but strong attempt later. Dismount is gainer tuck full but otherwise same routine as 2021.

Bars from what I could tell is VL, Jaeger-Pak-Maloney-Gienger, toe-full to full-in. Dismount had a big step forward after complete routine but stuck later. Execution is still far and away ahead of everyone else. She vaulted a Y full and did not tumble.

Chiles was fine, somewhat labored on her acro, toe-full a bit stuttery on bars, and a problem with one of her series on beam.

Leanne was jumpy on a lot of her landings and her acro whips around, but she did a good Silivas at one point. No Dos Santos. Bars looked fairly strong.

Carey only did vault timers, but her individual floor passes up to Chusovitina looked good. Fell on her beam series at one point.

Blakely was hot and cold (as always): surprising power on vault, but fell out of her full pirouette twice and caught way close on the Church, taking an extra swing. She hit beam but with several 0.1-0.3 bobbles.

DiCello I missed most of. She didn’t try a DTY.
 
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This is Alex… he has been at GAGE for a long time… he is a great coach and all around awesome guy.
 
I’m very happy with the choice of tumbling passes. I think the Landis finally got the memo of appropriate difficulty pacing for Simone, something Aimee was a master at.

I’m not sure mounting with the mixed series is the best idea. She has been doing that series for 10 years now and even when it was in the internal routine it was tenuous at best. I can’t imagine moving it to the mount makes it any easier.
 
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Beam is switch leap mount(!)-switch 1/2-back pike, triple wolf, front aerial-split-straddle, BHS-LSO-LSO, side aerial, BHS-BHS-full-in.
I was oh so close and am anxious to see her back pike. Taking out the side jumps is smart. Nearly everyone incurs a .1 pause deduction, so it’s effectively a risky C when one could do a wobble-free split jump B
Switch leap mount + switch leap + switch leap 1/2 DCD .3
Free walkover + split jump + straddle DBB .2
FF + loso + loso BCC .2
Mitchell E
Free cartwheel D
FF + bhs + full-in BBG .1
GDDCEDDC 3.4 + 2.2 + .8 = 6.4

Or switch leap mount + switch 1/2 + back pike for DDC .4, but I like that one less. Her back pike is kinda ick
Did I read that right? Front layout full to Silivas hahahhaahhaha oh my GOD… She should appeal to have that recognized for .3 CV. That’s otherworldly

I suspect the switch leap mount is–for some–easier to connect out of than a regular switch leap because you can land with a greater plie and lower center of gravity which helps launch into the switch 1/2. That said, I haven’t seen her beam yet
 
Did I read that right? Front layout full to Silivas hahahhaahhaha oh my GOD… She should appeal to have that recognized for .3 CV. That’s otherworldly
If the FIG didn’t make D indirect E worth .3( when black did the 2 1/2 into the triple), do you think they would for this combo? They should!
 
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Completely understand but for some reason I do think she’ll pull out a cheng but I highly doubt we will ever see 2.5 again.
 
No point in the Amanar if she’s doing a Yurchenko already, so I agree. If she’s throwing the YDP even at a relatively minor competition this early in her comeback, that probably says a lot about what her future Yurchenko entry plans are.
 
I’ve sometimes wondered why she didn’t throw the YDP in Tokyo TF. Given how secure the vault looked, it seems like it would have easily been a safer option than an Amanar with the twisties.

Anyway. I’m sure there was a reason, and it doesn’t matter, but it’s a question I come back to every once in a while.
 
I can see why she wouldn’t fancy the YDP if her head wasn’t in it, tbh. That is not a skill you want to be doing if you don’t have full command of your mental and physical state.
 

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