Bits and Bobs

This is a post made up of all the rendom bits of news that don't seem to fit anywhere else.

The FIG has posted a preview of the upcoming World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships in Wroclaw, Poland (July 16-18). For Brits the team mainly includes members of the now famous and very talented Spelbound. Best of luck to them all. Read about it here.

Reader Briony rightfully corrected me for saying nothing much was happening in the skating world at the moment. The British Solo Ice Dance Championships are taking place in Sheffield this week.

I have to admit I don't know much about solo dance, even though I have a friend at med-school who competed in it. It seems to my ignorant eyes to be similar in terms of the rules and patterns in the competition (a set dance- eg waltz, tango etc. then a free dance) just without partner. As Bryony pointed out, Solo dance isn't sanctioned by the ISU but is popular in the US and here in the UK. With the usual shortage of partners - it seems like a good idea!


In other sport - runner Caster Semenya is finally being allowed to compete again internationally after almost a year off and a myriad of gender tests. The results of the tests have not been released but, whatever the reason, it'll be great to see her back.



This is old news now, but the USA 2000 olympic gymnastic team are to recieve bronze medals at the 2010 visa championships after the Chinese team were stripped of theirs when Dong Fanxiao was found to be under-age. I found an interesting old fluff piece on youtube about Dong Fanxiao and the Chinese gymnastics system.

US skater Ashley Wagner has a new video blog on the universal sports website. The video also shows Christina Gao and Adam Rippon goofing around back-stage at an ice show. watch it here.

British Gymnastics has now added a great selection of videos from the national champs.
Beth Tweddle said she didn't compete floor because she was resting a slight knee injury and she also is planning to debut a new floor routine :-)

That's all for now- I'll elaborate on this if I find any more exciting info to blog.

Brian's Gang.

The Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club is becoming a hotspot for skating talent. Brian Orser, 2 time olympic medallist wasn't sure he wanted to be a full time coach until his first and now star pupil, begged him to coach her full time. That pupil is of course Yu-Na Kim.

Given the success and popularity of Yu-Na, other young skaters flocked to Toronto. Brian coaches two american talents- Adam Rippon (2009 Junior world champion, 2010 Four Continents Champion) and Christina Gao (who pleasantly surprised everyone by finishing 5th at US nationals in her senior debut). Gao has already been compared by many to a young Yu-Na or Michelle Kwan.

















Also Brian has a growing collection of 'little Yu-Nas' teenage korean skaters Min-Jung Kwak (who finished 13th at the olympics as Korea's second entry) and recently 2008 Korean junior champion Yea-Ji Yun.


















Icenetwork also reported former world champ Brian Joubert is traning in Toronto for 6 weeks this summer. This isn't a permanent arrangement (yet...) but the frenchman is currently coach-less so we'll see.