Archive: December 2005
Back to the News Archive IndexDECEMBER 11 – KIKUCHI MAINTAINS LEAD FOR ELITE CANADA TITLE
 |
Olympian David Kikuchi of ALTA in Halifax maintained his day one lead to capture the senior men’s all-around title at Elite Canada in Gatineau, Quebec, yesterday. Kikuchi scored a two day total of 173.15 in one of the first competitions in the world to use the new code of points. On the new code, Kikuchi noted that he “didn’t know what to expect…but it turned out very well for me,” adding that “you need a lot more variety of skills and more of an all around mastery of the event.” Moving up from fifth after day one to take the all-around silver medal was Captial City’s Jared Walls. Walls, a 2003 Pan American Games team member, scored 170.40 to edge out University of Calgary’s Nathan Gafiuk who had been second after day one, who earned 170.25.
Rounding out the top eight all around were Adam Wong of Calgary Gymnastics, the Canadian all-around champion who took fourth with 169.45, two time Olympian Alexander Jeltkov of IMCO in Montreal (fifth at 168.20), Luke Boyd of University of Calgary (sixth at 164.00), Mathew Beiler of University of Calgary (seventh at 162.95) and Mike Boyd, also of University of Calgary (eighth at 162.05).
Taking two first place finishes each in individual events, but not participating in the all-around competition were Grant Golding of University of Calgary who took the highest marks on rings and parallel bars, and Ken Ikeda of Abbotsford Twisters, who had the best scores of the meet on pommel horse and high bar.
The junior women’s all-around medals were also decided yesterday, with Gemini’s Kristina Vaculik taking first, giving her back to back Elite Canada wins (Vaculik also took home the novice crown at this competition last year). Vaculik’s 37.645 score was more than two points better than that of second place finisher Stephanie Pacitto of Gymnastics Mississauga, who earned 36.225. The bronze medal went to Calgary Gymnastics Center’s Sydney Sawa, with a 34.05.
DECEMBER 10 – GERBER DOMINATES WOMEN’S AA AT ELITE CANADA
|
Aisha Gerber of Cambridge Kips dominated the all-around competition at the annual Elite Canada competition in Gatineau, Quebec last night. Gerber, who twice won this meet as a junior, scored 37.225 – nearly two points ahead of second place finisher Gael Mackie of Omega (35.375). Gerber also earned the top marks on the uneven bars (9.55), balance beam (9.075), and floor exercise (9.40) events, as well as the second best score on vault (9.20). Gerber told Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique that she was particularly happy with her effort on the uneven bars. “I had been having trouble getting through the routine at recent meets and that was frustrating because I could do it in training. The problem was that I would get nervous and start to doubt myself. Today I gained the confidence I needed and learned I could battle through the nervousness.”
Mackie, a 2004 Olympian, put up a strong 9.50 score on the uneven bars, but scored below 9.0 on the other three events en route to second. Rebecca Simbhudas finished a close third (35.335) with her top score of 9.475 coming on the uneven bars. Alyssa Brown of Gymnastics Mississauga took the highest score on vault, a 9.30, but struggled on the uneven bars to finish fourth with a 34.975 score, a tenth of a point better than the youngest senior gymnast in the meet, Nansy Damianova of Gymnix whose 34.875 left her fifth.
Of note in the senior women’s competition was the return to high performance competition of 2000 Olympian Crystal Gilmore. Gilmore, who now trains at TAISO in Nova Scotia, competed earlier this year at the Canadian Championships in the national open category, and has now marked her return to high performance competition with a ninth place finish at Elite Canada. Her best results were on floor exercise (8.65) and vault (8.625), and she has qualified for two apparatus finals tomorrow (bars and floor).
Full senior all-around results are available in PDF format here.
The senior men also had their first of two days of all-around competition yesterday, in what is likely the first competition in the world to use the new code of points which will officially govern the sport in 2006. The new code, which eliminates the final score out of 10.0, includes an A score composed of the top 10 most difficult elements, which is added to the execution score from the traditional 10.0. Olympian David Kikuchi of Alta gym club leads the way after day one, scoring 87.85, while national champion Adam Wong of Calgary Gymnastics Center sits in second with a 84.85, ahead of Nathan Gafiuk of University of Calgary, who currently ranks third with a score of 84.45. Rounding out the top five were Alexander Jeltkov of Centre Marcel-de-la-Sablonničre in Montreal (84.25) and Jared Walls of Capital City Gym Club (83.90). Olympian and former Canadian all-around Champion Grant Golding of Calgary only competed on pommel horse and rings, but put up the best score on the latter (15.65), while fellow Olympian Ken Ikeda of Abbotsford competed on three events, putting up the top mark of the day on his speciality event the pommel horse (14.35).
Full day one senior men’s results are available in PDF format here.
Competition continues throughout the week-end, including competitions at the junior and novice levels. Full results will be posted as they become available via the Gymscore-depot site.