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2021 Winter Cup. Memmel update. Chiles wins Winter Cup. Wrap up of day one
Results Day 1 seniors Day 2 Results with seniors from day 2.
My girl Lilly Lipeatt competing on day 2 ended up 4th overall in her debut as a senior. THE GIRL SHOULD HAVE COMPETED DAY 1 WITH THE SENIORS. Her scores would have gone up. She was also added to the National team. Floor is her best inertationally scored event but here in the US they always low ball her. Same with beam. Lilly ended up tying for third on floor. I am just proud of these scores. I now have hope she can make the Olympic trials which would be a great thing for her. AND FLO YOU SUCK for not letting us see the routines. Looks like Lilly had a tough year. Glad she pulled through.Can’t break that spirit. You have no idea how excited I am she finished 4th here. I know the names weren’t here but this is still a huge accomplishment for her especially since we know she is always lowballed. I saw her vault on Instagram and her whip to a 1.5 twist to a double tuck. Keep your chin up kid. I found her bars. Some feet form issues and a wonky pak. Watch it while you can.
Juniors Results Ella Kate Parker from Cincinnati won with a decent beam score of 13.600. That was second to Joscelyn Roberson who scored a 13.800. They really do lowball the juniors when it comes to scoring so I would love to have seen these routines. Did I mention FLO SUCKS??/
Chiles won but we are starting with Laurie Hernandez first competition back in 4 years. Laurie looked pretty good for a girl that hasn’t competed in 4 years but as she stands right now, she has no shot at making this Olympic team. She’s had an extra year to train and still looks completely out of shape (for a gymnast) She did a good job on both her events but her scores wouldn’t even make an Olympic team let alone win medals. She scored a 13.950 on beam (a few cheated leaps but overall she looked good for a start. On floor however her routine was lackluster. She did an Arabian and a double tuck but only a full for her last pass. In the past people loved her dance but she didn’t put her past effort into this routine with horrible music from the musical Hamilton. Like I said, for a first meet back she stayed on and did well at what she performed, it’s just not competition medal worthy performances. Props to the judges for not overscoring her with huge gifts…
Turns out Riley McCusker is still inconsistent even with her crazy ex coach no longer around to scare her literally, off the beam. She hit a messy Vault. Stayed on bars (6.2 start value) but missed several handstands and on beam she put her hands down on her dismount only scoring a 12.600. The new rage is code whoring wolf turns to start routines. Triple then a double. Riley almost fell off and had to grab the beam. This very much should have counted as a fall. GOOD NEWS. NO ONE should be peaking in February but what doesn’t bode well for Riley is she is still a hit one event, miss one event kind of gymnast. Her execution score was only 6.600. She started with a mistake and ended with a mistake but the rest in the middle was pretty solid and they still found 3 and a half points in execution issues.
Suni Lee only did bars and beam (Without a dismount. Look, Nastia started a trend (rolling eyes) She had several little bobbles on beam and was slow to a few connections so her score with real judges would have been a lot lower. (6.0 start value without a dismount) On bars her start value was 6.5 and it looked much better than podium training.
The new it girl, Konnor McClainonly did Vault ( messy bent knee’d, DTY and beam where she only was credited with a 5.7 start value. Her opening combination looked like it was meant to be connected but wasn’t close to being. She also had issues with about every connection she attempted in this routine. She stayed on which is exactly what it looked like she was trying to do. This was a huge overscore with all the bobbles but not bad for a kid thrown into the fire a little over a year ago. She showed a lot more leading up to this meet and didn’t attempt it in this competition but I personally feel like this was the way to go. IT’S ONLY FEBRUARY. I like Konnor and love her potential i just hope the judges don’t pull their usual BS and overscore the “it” gymnasts.
Jade Caery didn’t seem to show much if any upgrades on bars and beam. She competed 5.5 start values on both. She didn’t even win Vault (going outside the lines for a 3 tenth deduction. It was a very messy attempt. She didn’t compete floor. Her bars routine showed none of that improved form she bragged about in her interview and she looked incredibly labored. She was hitting her handstands when she started the routine but after about 2 seconds she was back to herself. I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt and say that preparing for a routine with upgrades and then having to go back to your old routine for a competition can’t help you keep up alleged improvement or it could be a case like Aly Raisman’s when you get to competition and don’t have a coach yelling form in your ear you just go back to your old habits. On Beam, she missed every single leap and jump angle attempted. She was wishy washy on some connections but no huge bobbles.
Back in the day I would give math problems in the middle of blogs and ask people to answer them to see if they were really reading the blog so here we go… 10 plus ten is? If no one is reading this just let me know so I don’t waste my time.
The Medalists!
Not everyone competed the All around here and third place went to Emily Lee… DTY… (Messy) Messy on Bars Messed up and had to stop mid routine (Honestly this should be an entire point in deduction) 11.800 ( 5.3 start value. Isn’t this Amy Chow’s gym? ) On beam she only got a 13.950 (6.2 start value). This side view does nothing for beam routines. I used to be a big fan of her on this event but this wasn’t up to her usual routine. Not sure how she got credit for her connections here… On Floor she scored a, 13.350 but went OOB with both feet and got a 3 tenths deduction. (5.3 start value) GREAT NEWS THO EMILY! You are the winner of the leotard of the night award. (It’s in the mail:) Hey, I liked it… I am pretty sure this is a version of, Shannon Miller’s floor music from 1996. Emily is a pretty dancer so I won’t call her on using miller’s floor music but it should be a no no. ESPECIALLY when it looked like Atler’s version which was horrible.
Shilese Jones won silver at this meet. On Vault she got huge distance with a DTY (Albeit with messy form) On bars she finished 3rd with only a 5.9 start value. This routine was overscored, IMO. She has a lot of leg separations in this routine. Some missed handstands and flat release moves. Beam was her best routine of the night and completely underscored compared to what everyone else received. She had the best Arabian I have ever seen. She was solid on her leaps. She did have two bobbles but they weren’t big ones. She only had a 5.2 start value but on what planet they found 2 points in deduction wasn’t here on earth. In fact this routine deserves to be the only actual video I am adding to this blog today. On Floor she only had a 5.3 start value but had some decent tumbling. Her last pass was short but I feel like this routine was also lowballed compared to what others did. That being said, it had issues. I liked the music. The Choreography was different.
Your winner of the messy 2021 Winter cup is, JordanChiles. She had good height on her DTY, but seemed a little high compared to everyone else. On Bars she scored a 14.050 with a 5.7 start value. She isn’t the best bar swinger but I felt like this routine was pretty good and a little underscored compared to others. She has some messy feet issues but her handstands looked great. What is with the flat release moves these days? Her best routine by far was beam. This routine reminds me of the one the same gym put together for Simone. Not sure the nit picky judges would have given a 14.500 but this is the best routine I have ever seen her do. And on floor she received a 13.600 with a 5.7 start value. The music reminds me of something, CSI would use as background music at a crime scene. . Not a big fan of it. No need to help the impending doom with motivation if you know what I mean. She is using the triple then double wolf turns to code whore the routine. Not a bad idea in theory I suppose. Though she messed up both of them here. Look at Jordan controlling all her floor passes. Oops I spoke too soon. The easiest one was a mess. My guess is she was going for a bigger start value but didn’t receive credit for any of her leap passes. This was a great meet for Jordan. If she can hit her easier routines and everyone else plays dominoes like they usually do with attempted upgrades she may have a shot at making this Olympic team. It is a we bit early to be peaking though. I actually liked this leo too.
The rest!A lot of people were looking forward to Laurie, Riley and company showing up with sap story redemption but I personally was looking forward to the potential juniors that were always injured making a splash and throwing a wrench in our Olympic team predictions. Sadly, that didn’t happen here.
Olivia Greaves, how I had such high hopes for you as a Junior. She competed AA here but finished 10th. Her Bars had great handstands but messy form and Beam was tentative (Which explains her 4.9 start value) she went overtime which unnerved her and she fell on her dismount. I used to like your potential way better than Riley McCusker but you just couldn’t reward my faith in you, could you? I hope you enjoy College (You’re not going to Florida are you?) I’m just kidding about the faith. College gymnastics is where she will shine. She also competed Vault (Hey 1992) and Floor where she had a decent routine going until falling on her double tuck. Skye Blakely the last remaining Woga standing competed Floor ( Only a 5.1 start value. Great double layout. Kind of low for a girl who didn’t fall) and Beam which she tied for the title on. ( She had a few bobbles and short leaps. I felt Chiles deserved the title on her own) Texas Dream gymnasts, Sydney Barros and Emma Malabuyo each competed 3 events. No need to post the Vaults from 1992 but Emma received a 13.900 on beam with a 5.9 start value. She missed a lot of connections so this routine seemed fairly scored. ( Code whored the triple then double wolf jump) Emma also competed Floor ( 5.5 start value for a 11.500 with a fall on her full in and last pass and some sloppy landings. Typical Zmeskal music. Sounds like it belongs in a cartoon… She also has the triple and double wolf turns… Emma is actually a pretty decent dancer and without the falls this routine could have been a 13.500 which would have put her right behind the winner so keep an eye on Emma. She isn’t out of this just yet… Sydney also competed Beam ( 5.4 start value because of missed connections and messy, cheated leaps) and Floor ( Arabian in piked position, double front, landed low. Spirited, Zmeskal music (though Sydney is great at selling her spark) I can see Sydney ending up at UCLA with a PR’d viral floor routine. Bank on it)
Faith Torrez withdrew and why is Lilly Lippeatt competing with the juniors? She is a National team member who has won medals outside the US (Even if it was a Canadian meet) She should be with the seniors.
Other opinions:
Does anyone at Simone’s gym believe in dances classes? Every gymnast at this meet from her gym walks through their floor routines. There is no attempt at expression from a single one of their gymnasts but Olivia. (Not even Jordan though she’s not as bad as the rest of them)……… College gym is in huge trouble when it comes to Vault the next few years. These were some messy attempts by the bottom of the results list where most of these girls will end up….. I like the beginning and ending of Ciena Alipio‘s Floor music but the rest was cut very weirdly. She is a nice dancer though… .. I am going to give Alonna Katzer credit for trying to show some expression in her floor routine. (GTT trying to be nice and less critical of the non known names at this meet.:) Her bar routine also had some nice moments. Her form is a mess (Sorry Alonna) I feel like if you found a coach that could help your form and technique you might end up doing College gymnastics… Lyden Saltnessbars routine was a great effort. Some great skills. Sadly even with the unique routine she put on the bars was only good enough for a 5.1 start value. Fix the toe point and I would be calling out the judges for not giving credit for what she did do…. I feel like the word, work on your form has been said quite a bit today so I am not going to say that again. FROM HERE ON OUT, If I don’t talk about great or good or adequate form just assume the gymnasts mentioned have shitty form and be done with it. Okay so, a nice bar routine by Zoe Miller…… Simone’s gym is staring to remind me of Dynamo circa 1990’s. Instead of a bunch of mini Me Shannon Miller’s we have an army of , mini me, Simone Biles…… If you want to see what I thought of, Amari Drayton‘s Uneven Bar routine see all other Simone Biles gym’s comments….. Zoe Millerhas this lightness on beam that was nice to watch. The turn she does where you kind of just don’t use your feet was very nice…. Nice full by Karis German on beam… Lyden Saltness has the best name in this competition and was one of the few triple then double wolf turns ( I think I said jump above but I know what I am talking about) that looked good. If she cleans up the form and she will because there will be less to do I think this beam routine will score very well in college. She had some issues with her leaps but some potential here….. Addison Fatta also had a nice beam routine. Best part is she was up on her toes. Reminded me of a 90’s beam routine. This will score very well in College. 5.3 start value with a score of 13.150 which was low, IMO…….. Great routine byCiena Alipio on beam. Until the dismount where she underrotated it. I felt like this was underscored too. Judges always nit pick who they want to nit pick. This was one of those routines….. LAST BUT NOT LEAST (I watched every routine people) we have, EMjae Frazier. The less annoying and way more talented sister of that annoying UCLA troll. She apparently got hurt mid-bar routine and didn’t finish the meet so her only routine was beam. Anyone else annoyed by that blinding light in your eyes during these beam routines? WTF is with the dark stadium? Are they trying to injure these kids or what? Okay so this last routine of the night had some of the best leaps of the competition. She had a few bobbles too but again with those beautiful leaps the 7.950 in deductions seems a bit much compared to certain other routines at this meet. THE END.
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The gymternet complained and whined and started a petition to ban Flo Gymnastics from charging ridiculous amounts to see routines from this weekends meet yet twitter was full of information about what went on.
Lilly isn’t competing tomorrow (Boo) Suni has a 6.8 bars routine that IMO looks labored and messy. DiCello. is also not competing. Hernandez will only do Floor and beam. Konnor won’t do bars. Here is a temporary link to your start lists. When I find the real link I will add it. Very few gymnasts are doing the AA. Carey is. So is Greaves and Chiles.
Skinner has her Cheng and Amanar back. Her not being at this meet is a wise decision though she could have done just vault.
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I watched ten minutes and the last rotation of the Liukin cup. It was less impressive then it has been in earlier years and I didn’t think that was possible. Nastia wasn’t as annoying as usual I thought so I watched a little longer but then she sent back to being herself (why are you laughing at everything you say???) Tim was very complimentary. The judges were called out for actually doing their jobs. Anyway, I have never seen a group of girls with less dance ability than I saw at this competition. They actually weren’t bad dancers per say and they had a lot of Choreography but it didn’t really match the music. The dramatic music, I might add. This meet is usually reserved for girls who end up in College but no one stood out as someone I thought, next big College star. Chloe LaCoursiere had a clean bars routine (minus one pretty messy leg separation) that impressed me while watching live. She received a 10 on her bar routine at the Brestyan invite. (which wasn’t a ten but…) One girl had some impressive tumbling (whip to a triple twist which was a little short) but I can’t remember her name. Sloane Blakely competed but messed up bars and Floor (Judging by the score) Another girl nailed her 1.5 Yurchenko but only got a 9.7 even with a stick (There was an extra tenth bonus for sticking vaults at this meet which is ridiculous) I think it was this girl, Miranda Smith. Even with some leg form this would have been a UCLA or LSU, ten.
Results
Memmel is working on a Cheng. It’s interesting because every time I watch her videos she is showing the exact same skills. She shows the Arabian on beam. The DTY on vault. The turn into an illusion. A double layout and some tumbling. My first thought was she is training more and just isn’t showing it (because if this is all she has she might as well stay home)
Most of this competition is on Flo. NBC will air the first night of the woman. I feel like the only way to teach USAG a lesson for this Flo debacle is to not watch the competition on Television. Hopefully youtube will put something up. If not, I will be watching the Benintendi-less Boston Red Sox special on NESN (that is supposed to be on now but isn’t but whatever)
Levi Jung-Ruivivar is a junior gymnast who will be competing at this meet. My memory of her as a gymnast is falling off bars, looking hurt and getting a pep talk from her coach. I recently learned her father is an actor. He’s one of those actors that has been in a million things but you can’t place where you have seen him. The funny thing is I spotted him in a picture at Nationals (in the background of a shot) but couldn’t place where I had seen his face before. I figured he was an actor. Anyway his name is Anthony Ruivivar. Looking at his credits my best bet of knowing his face was from his role on, NCIS Los Angelos for which I was a die-hard fan of years ago. Or Criminal Minds. Or Numb3ers, or Burn Notice etc… Anyway his IMBD page is linked above. Hey, maybe Levi can turn this dad’s an actor thing into a chance at an Olympic team ala Mohini and Pam Anderson.
Here is Levi on floor at Nationals…
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