British WAG (and MAG!) talk

[Doug1233]

And both Ellie and Tinkler were first reserves for Rio, right?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Amy was 2nd behind Ellie because her E score was lower. She really was on fire in Rio though.

 

[irichluck21]

And both Ellie and Tinkler were first reserves for Rio, right?

 

[Gymfan93]

English Champs coming up Feb 23rd. Start lists are here under download data. Probably no stream as there usually isn’t, but twitter normally comes through with audience footage.

 

[Bob]

scores for the English are live on Gymdata.

 

[Bob]

For the first time a qualifier was held for the Senior British Championships and this took place yesterday. Named the WTC cup the top 28 AA would progress to the British. For the first time also, elite qualified gymnasts (passed compulsory 2) and challenge gymnasts (non elite qualified) were all in together to fight for the places.

Originally there were over 50 gymnasts entered which would make for a good competition. However only 35 competed all around. So all but 7 got automatic places. Not such a great competition really. A good practice comp for the English though which is in 3 weeks.

There are also some places which can be awarded for specialists and GB squad members get automatic places.

Next year the rules change again and Challenge gymnasts only need to obtain a minimum score in region to attend the WTC cup and have a chance of going to the British. I’m sure this will lead to a much larger number of entries. Especially when the gymnasts in 27th and 28th at WTC this year only scored 41 to get their British places. I’m sure some of those who pulled out this year will be kicking themselves that they didn’t just have a go with the scores so low.

Long term I see it changing the reliance on the compulsory pathway which is a tough route. More will go in through the challenge route and rely on a big vault to up their score. It will be interesting to see how this mix of gymnasts pans out in the British results. Will the compulsory gymnasts dominate the top 20 places or will it be very mixed.

 

[Samxo]

Do you have the results

 

[J175]

I haven’t found published results but various clubs have reported on social media that their gymnasts have qualified.

Is there an aim to reduce the size of the British Championships if qualification is just 28 + GB squad and probably not more than a handful of specialists? Last year there were 68 in the senior competition.

Also, really minor point, but maybe relevant for some lower ranking gymnasts - the BUCS championships were this weekend, with Isle of Man Commonwealth Games representative Tara Donnelly winning the AA, so is this now mutually exclusive with qualifying for the British Championships?

Apparently there were also trials this weekend for Euros and Junior Worlds, but I don’t suppose we expect any scores for them.

 

[Bob]

The limit for the British is officially 48 gymnasts for Seniors. They are committed to reducing the numbers from previously.

Competing at high level while at university is very rare here. So would be very unusual to want to do both BUCS and the British.

I doubt we will see scores from the trials.

 

[Samxo]

Tara scored 44.845 (VT - 11.967, UB - 10.034, BB - 10.900, FX - 11.943) so I don’t think we’ll see her at the British

 

[J175]

I wouldn’t expect anyone to do both and be competitive at the top end, but using her as an example Donnelly has done both before and 44 would by the sounds of it have been plenty enough to qualify this year. It just doesn’t seem a fantastic idea to change things to make it impossible.

 

[Bob]

BUCS is not that big a competition here. Anyone who wanted to go to the British would be doing the WTC and the English instead. They wouldn’t be bothered about missing BUCS. BUCS is nothing like college gymnastics level.

And it’s just unlucky it fell on same weekend this year. Although technically you could have done both as BUCS was on the Saturday and WTC on the Sunday. They might fall on different weekends in future years.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Yeah, I remember that year when Beth did BUSA (forerunner) because she needed it for Universiade eligibility and it was a really big deal.

 

[Doug1233]

I came second at BUSA one year so the idea of Beth doing it is absolutely hilarious

 

[J175]

Last year’s MAG competition featured Frank Baines and Joshua Nathan. Sam Mostowfi (10th at 2022 British) won this year.

Anyway, the WTC Cup results are up

https://memberportal.british-gymnastics.org/CRM/Library/James Manford/WTC Cup 2023 Final Results.pdf

41.85 for 28th place.

One of the guests, Madeleine Marshall, is entered for the upcoming World Cups for New Zealand.

 

[RAFIKI]

I remember watching Beth at BUSAs one year. There were only four competitors in her category and competition isn’t a fair term!

That competition was an infamous gymternet contribution for me. I reported on her debut of the 1.5X->double arabian and later heard they were annoyed that her new pass was public . They didn’t expect anyone from the gymternet would be there.

 

[Doug1233]

I reported on her debut of the 1.5X->double arabian

I remember how innovative that pass was when she first did it.

 

[blake]

Was Beth the first to perform this combo? I swear I remember Karpenko competed it once, but I can’t find any evidence. Karpenko did 3/2 to full-in, but that’d be done by a soviet gymnast before, no?

 

[Concorde]

Yes - Elena Abrashitova.

 

[blake]

Wow, I love how she accelerates that pass, it looks like she’s doing it on today’s floor mat. Any insight on why she never competed beyond 1991? From the couple of videos of her in 1991 available on youtube, she looked strong enough to be an asset to a newly independent Ukraine.

ETA: IAbrashitova’s gymnastics was unfamiliar to me. Yelena Shevchenko, who I was actually thinking of, did it first!