British WAG and MAG talk 2025

[MaryClare]

Anyone else unfollowed Alice Kinsella this week? Too much newborn cuteness

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

An interesting weekend for BG.

Jess is back, ish. My take is that if she wants to go to worlds as part of her return and on the off chance that she makes the beam final with a clean set, I'd let her. Reason being that she's more important to plans for the upcoming quad than anyone else they might send in her place, and her chances at a final are at minimum no worse than anyone who isn't Ruby E or Abi. Whether she wants to go for one event where she won't get out of qualifications and one where even wit a good set she could still miss out remains to be seen.

MAG wise, I continue to be impressed by Joe Fraser's resilience. His rings probably gives Courtney's worlds chances the death knell? Yolshin-Cash isn't really on my radar yet.

 

[irichluck21]

Jess makes sense because why not?
No one else is really in contention with Martin and Evans essentially locks.

 

[Doug1233]

Jess will go, simply because there is quite literally no-one else.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It's a shame her and Alia Leat can't both do beam.

 

[Aeris]

Alia Leat should be sent to build up experience, most especially on her promising beam routine. Jess has shown nothing competitive whatsoever this year and doesn't need more face time in front of judges.

 

[MaryClare]

Alia Leat should be sent to build up experience, most especially on her promising beam routine. Jess has shown nothing competitive whatsoever this year and doesn't need more face time in front of judges.

Yes and I don’t think there’s anything to be gained from rushing her back. She is unlikely in the next month to have anything that would be world medal potential. So I don’t see the advantage to her, nor BG in going when she isn’t firing on all cylinders

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

My guess is it's likely to depend on whether Jess herself feels that going to worlds would be beneficial. Clearly she's got plenty of experience, but it's also a fact that she's had a very long layoff and not done much in the new code. None of the gymnasts contending for the 3rd and 4th spots are likely medallists, so it'll be more about preparation for the rest of the quad.

Alia is down for Szombathely @Aeris so whatever happens, will get some more competitive numbers in this year.

 

[MaryClare]

Tracey Skirton appears to be leaving her head coach role in Wales?

Ruby Evans posted a tribute to her on instagram, saying that Paris was their last competition together and wishing her good luck for the future.

 

[Bob]

Yes I believe she is retiring from coaching after 20 years at the head of Welsh gymnastics.

 

[Gymfan93]

Team has been announced.
MAG: Jake Jarman, Harry Hepworth, Luke Whitehouse, Joe Fraser, Courtney Tulloch, Alex Yolshin-Cash.
WAG: Ruby Evans, Abi Martin, Alia Leat and Shantae-Eve Amankwaah.

Worryingly, the team announcement stated that Jess was selected but had an injury setback, hope she's OK.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

That could mean one of two things, I'd say. The first is that it's a new injury issue that's occurred since selection day and she's now in worse shape than at the world cup. Alternatively, nothing has changed from when we last saw her, but she doesn't think going to do what would likely be 2 prelims routines is worth the effort, and prefers not to spell it out quite so clearly. Amankwaah presumably will do UB/FX around Leat's events, which does match well.

It's a strong MAG lineup. I had wondered about Courtney as the trial evidently went badly, but he's a finalist on his day.

 

[DaniH]

That’s a strong MAG team. I’m excited to see Joe Fraser back and pleased that he’s not injured after that dismount that he had at the Paris WC. Also pleased for Alex Y-C, we need some new pommel specialists now that Max has retired.

The WAG team is mainly to be expected. I actually hope that it’s the latter case with Jess and that it’s just not worth her going to Jakarta and competing if she doesn’t have much chance to make finals. I’m really hoping that it’s not another new injury.

From the BG website:
The non-traveling reserves will be Taeja James (Notts), Frances Stone (Amber Valley), Shanna-Kae Grant (Leeds), Jonas Rushworth (Leeds) and Reuben Ward (Manchester Academy of Gymnastics).

Shanna Kae is going to Szombathely as is Alia so I presume that the last slot will either go to Taeja or Frances.