US WAG world team trials

[Caligym]

The selection procedures just said “may also select non-traveling replacement athletes”. The men picked 2 additional replacement athletes, but they picked the team much further in advance so made sense in case injuries occurred in the past 3 weeks. No need for the women to since picked team right before leaving.

 

[GymBeauty]

I miss the double LOSO and Triple dismount Also the connection out of the Side Somi from 2021. Would like to see her try Side Somi + Tuck jump full for a big scoring combo, and a korbut or back handspring out of the Wolf full. She needs to build a scoring advantage on this event. The L-turn needs to come out, there’s no benefit to doing that these days.

At the moment I might not put her up on Beam over Jade if it’s between the two of them. They have the same high score this year (even though I think Leanne deserved much higher at Classics) but Leanne’s worst score this year is lower, and just happened at trials.

 

[Doug1233]

Side Somi + Tuck jump full

There’s just no way this is even possible with the new rules.

 

[GymBeauty]

What do you mean, possible reverse arm swing? It’s not needed to do the connection. We’ve already seen a successful Side Somi + Straight jump full this year.

 

[KristyJ]

As someone who trained a crossways tuck jump full back in the day, I can say it’s just kind of an ugly skill (never competed it for that reason among others)

 

[Doug1233]

No, I mean the new timing of the turn rule.

 

[Concorde]

No, I mean the new timing of the turn rule.

For full twisting jumps, any turn technique is acceptable, unless explicitly specified ala ring elements. The position only needs to be attained before or after the turn for 1/2 twisting elements.

 

[Doug1233]

Are you sure? I saw a video in the help desk regarding the split jump to ring 1/1, and an example where the ring was shown halfway was listed as being downgraded. I think I posted it in the Help Desk thread. Unless there’s different rules for beam and floor…?

ETA: Oh wait - you said ring elements are specified. So the rule is like that for rings but not for other shapes? Why?! This random micromanagement and completely arbitrary rule is insane. But then again, what’s new with the FIG?!

 

[Concorde]

ETA: Oh wait - you said ring elements are specified. So the rule is like that for rings but not for other shapes? Why?! This random micromanagement and completely arbitrary rule is insane. But then again, what’s new with the FIG?!

Yes, the rule only applies to ring elements.

Interestingly enough, there is past precedent regarding timing of the turn affecting the value of elements in other body shapes. For example, after 1997 Worlds, the full twisting Shushunova became a C element if the turn was completed before the straddle position was shown (e.g. see Khorkina’s routine), but if the turn was performed while in the straddle position, it was still a D element.

 

[Doug1233]

Yes, the rule only applies to ring elements.

So… “ You must turn at the start or the end of the jump; but the rule doesn’t apply if it’s a full turning jump; unless it’s a ring shape, and then it does apply”.

Ridiculous. Why?!

There is no rhyme or reason to any of these stupid fucking rules.

 

[makam]

I mean, i know judges are trained to notice, but as a viewer, there is functionally no difference whether a twist happens at the beginning, middle, or end of a skill (single exception for Biles I because a double lay and then the surprise twist wouldn’t be quite as awesome if the twist was mixed in with the flipping). Does a barani twist at the beginnibg or the end of the salto? I don’t know and honestly don’t care, it all looks hard as hell.

With jumps i care even less. Mostly, i just want it to not look like a smushed spider. I guess if one technique is more difficult, the gymnast should get credit, but if they hit split and then twist, or twist and then hit split, it all basically looks the same to the casual viewer.

 

[KristyJ]

It’s a technically odd way to do a ring shape. Like, it doesn’t even mesh well with the laws of physics or look right to do it that way.

 

[navyblue]

With jumps i care even less. Mostly, i just want it to not look like a smushed spider. I guess if one technique is more difficult, the gymnast should get credit, but if they hit split and then twist, or twist and then hit split, it all basically looks the same to the casual viewer.

Yeah I’m in favor of just counting up total twists and flips, for the most part, because to do otherwise is a recipe for (judging) failure. But the ‘arabian’ classification is a noteworthy exception… I agree there is something substantially different from the Biles and the Dos Santos II (more so in the style of Jake Dalton than Dos Santos herself) that is worth distinguishing, and probably giving the difficulty edge to. But I do lean against counting arabian style elements as the requisite ‘front salto’ in composition. Not losing sleep over this, but I think front tumbling ought to be defined by the direction at take-off.

 

[RedBirdie]

Just in case anyone else loves these things, the Athlete Selection Committee report is finally out: https://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Committee Minutes/ASC/asc_102122.pdf

And the reason behind choosing Ziess for traveling alternate is exactly what we all figured:

Additional considerations leading to the selection of the replacement athlete included consistency, and slightly higher D/E scores at the World Selection Camp. Lexi Ziess was selected as the replacement athlete, in part due to her second place All-Around finish at the recent 2022 Pan American Championships.

 

[irichluck21]

As long as this rationale is communicated with the athletes, it is ultimately the right decision.
The athletes might be slightly disappointed but will accept the decision as it based on data points rather than who is the current favorite.

Not only did Zeiss finish on 2nd place at Pan American Championships but she also won the silver medal on balance beam and was the highest scoring American there in both prelims and finals, IIRC.
Beam was the weakest event for USA heading into Worlds, so it made sense for Zeiss to go even if it was specifically for beam only.

 

[KristyJ]

I appreciate that they are making a strong effort at transparency here, much much better than in some years past

 

[Doug1233]

I wish British Gymnastics released its selection minutes. We don’t even get fucking scores.

 

[Bob]

I would love front salto to mean take off and landing direction should be forwards.

 

[Doug1233]

I agree there is something substantially different from the Biles and the Dos Santos II (more so in the style of Jake Dalton than Dos Santos herself) that is worth distinguishing, and probably giving the difficulty edge to.

Are you trying to say no-one should try a Double Back Tuck (with a late half turn) ? Haha

Aside from being ugly ASF I do think it should get an E.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Well, you know what to do. And it involves winding up Park Wrekin.