The men's division was won by Tanaka Yuusuke (JPN) with teammate Koizumi
Kazuaki placing second. Canadians Jayd Lukenchuk and Kevin Lytwyn placed
12th and 14th all-around, respectively.
White Palms, the much anticipated gymnastics movie starring Canada's
Kyle
Shewfelt and Cirque du Soleil's
Zoltan Miklos Hajdu, is scheduled
for North American release this Tuesday, September 11. Check your local video
store or order directly from
www.strandreleasing.com.
Movie Synopsis:
Having suffered as a boy under a brutal Communist-era coach, champion
Hungarian gymnast Miklos moves to Canada years later in search of a new start
– only to find himself unwittingly perpetuating the very same cycle of abuse
among his own pupils. Redemption appears in the unlikely form of Kyle, a
troubled, young Canadian teen with the potential to become a world champion.
The friendship and rivalry between teacher and student – each played by
actual gymnasts (one, Kyle Shewfelt, an Olympic medalist) – forms the basis
of this gripping, resonant sports drama. Beautifully shot and edited,
effortlessly evoking its respective time-periods, and through them, the clash
of different cultures and values, WHITE PALMS made its international premiere
in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes.
Directed by Szabolcs Hajdu and starring Orion Radies, Silas Radies, Zoltán
Miklos Hajdu, Gheorghe Dinica.
“Szabolcs Hajdu’s film brings back memories of the vital, politically
charged Hungarian cinema of the ‘70s and ‘80s” - The New York Times
FESTIVALS:
Directors’ Fortnight – CANNES International Film Festival
Official Selection - TORONTO International Film Festival
Special Mention- Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
The New York Times called the film “Beautiful”
and The Village Voice “Riveting!”
TV Guide hailed “A delight!”
100 minutes - Color – Widescreen – Unrated
In English and Hungarian with English subtitles.
Bonus Features include the Original Theatrical Trailer and Trailers
from Other Films by Strand Releasing.
SEPTEMBER 7 – KIKUCHI 20th, SANDY 23rd at WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ALL-AROUND
David Kikuchi of Halifax finished 20th all-around at the World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany earlier today, and his teammate Casey Sandy of Brampton, Ontario finished 23rd. This is the second world all-around final for Kikuchi, who also qualified for the all-around finals in 2003 where he also finished 20th. Kikuchi earned 88.15 points, with his best efforts coming on the vault (15.575) and parallel bars (15.10). Sandy also earned his highest individual scores on those two events, scoring 15.65 on the vault and 15.125 on the parallel bars, scoring 87.375 all-around. Earlier this week both gymnasts helped the Canadian men’s team secure a team berth for next year’s Olympic Games with an 11th place team ranking in the team preliminaries.
Defending men’s all-around champion Yang Wei of China took the gold medal, despite falling on his last event the high bar. Second place went to home town favourite Fabian Hambuechen of Germany, third all-around last year, with the bronze going to Japan’s Hisashi Mizutori, who ironically, like Canadian Sandy, was originally his team’s alternate and only go to compete when his teammate Takehiro Kashima injured his hand in training just prior to the competition.
Men’s All-Around Results
1. Yang Wei (China) 93.675
2. Fabian Hambuechen (Germany) 92.20
3. Hisashi Mizutori (Japan) 91.40
20. David Kikuchi (Canada) 88.15
23. Casey Sandy (Canada) 87.375
Full results can be downloaded from the Swiss Timing website.
SEPTEMBER 4 – CANADIAN MEN ARE BEIJING BOUND
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Kyle Shewfelt congratulates
Nathan Gafuik after his FX
The Canadian men’s team finished in 11th place at the World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany today, successfully qualifying a full team to next summer’s Olympic Games. Canada scored 357.70 points, just over three points lower than last year’s team score, but still good enough to earn the Olympic berth. Additionally, David Kikuchi and Casey Sandy have qualified for Friday’s individual all-around final, ranking 24th and 25th respectively (the top 24 qualify with a maximum of two per country, which allowed Sandy to make it). Kikuchi scored 88.75, just ahead of the 88.725 earned by Sandy. This is an impressive feat for Sandy, originally the team alternate who stepped in following the knee injury to Olympic champion Kyle Shewfelt earlier in the week. Having a team alternate to step in and compete on all six events and qualify for the all-around final speaks to the current depth on the men’s national team
Other team members were Nathan Gafuik who competed five events (no pommel horse); Ken Ikeda (who competed on all but floor, but with a very short ring routine as the fifth gymnast up on the event): Brandon O’Neill, the top scorer for the team on floor, vault, and parallel bars (he also competed on high bar, where he was the only gymnast to fall); and Grant Golding, who competed on all but vault and high bar, including three scores above 15.
Men’s Team Standings
1. China (374.275)
2. Japan (370.725)
3. Germany (364.35)
4. USA (364.00)
5. Russia (362.175)
6. Romania (361.625)
7. Spain (360.725)
8. Korea (360.40)
9. France (359.90)
10. Italy (358.30)
11. Canada (357.70)
12. Belarus (356.675)
Full results and scores can be downloaded from the Swiss Timing website.
SEPTEMBER 2 - CANADIAN WOMEN FINISH 14th AT WORLDS
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Alyssa Brown
The Canadian women’s team finished 14th at the world championships today, the same ranking as last year. As a result, for the first time since 1996, Canada will not field a full women’s team at the Olympic Games. The Canadian
women began on the uneven bars with hit routines from Alyssa Brown (Maloney/Pak combo with a leg separation on the Pak,
Tkatchev, double layout with a step); Sydney Sawa (leg separation on
Gienger, clean Markelov, double layout dismount); and Marci Bernholtz (excellent handstands and Stalder work;
Tkatchev, double pike dismount). Kristina Vaculik was up
next with a sky high Tkatchev, but had trouble on the stalder-full before her Gienger and then stumbled backwards to her seat on her double front dismount. Up last was Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs who was short on her handstand mount (she has a sore knee and pushing off the beat board is difficult for her), but made all of her releases
(Markelov, Jaeger, toe-on piked tkatchev) only to miss her shootover. She stuck her double layout dismount.
The next event for Canada was the balance beam, which like last year was their highest scoring event. Brown again led of with a solid routine, and Sawa also hit her set. Bernholtz was up next and avoided falls but had several balance checks throughout. Vaculik was up next, falling on her double turn and also having a major wobble on one of her acro elements. She hit her double pike dismount with one step. Hopfner-Hibbs anchored the team with a solid set for the highest Canadian score of the day on any event.
On floor Nansy Damianova made her first appearance of the day, with a strong double back to open, but stumbling on a twisting pass. Sawa hit a clean routine but with less difficult tumbling than she had used all season (no double arabian opening). Vaculik hit a great full-in for a clean set, and
Hopfner-Hibbs did a great arabian double front second pass after falling on her full-in. Brown went last up but does not have full tumbling difficulty following last year’s injury.
Canada had a great vault rotation to finish off their competition. Hopfner-Hibbs (hop back), Vaculik (one step) and Sawa (stuck landing) competed Yurchenko-fulls with Damianova (two steps) and Brown (one hop) performing the Yurchenko 1 ½. But Canada had lost too much ground at that point and could not finish in the top 12.
As a result of their ranking, Canada will be eligible to send two women to next year’s Olympic games.
The top Canadian all-around performer was Alyssa Brown (14.600 vault, 14.025 uneven bars, 14.425 balance beam, 13.125 floor exercise, 56.175 all-around). Brown ranked 34th and is fourth reserve for the all-around final. Kristina Vaculik ranked 38th; Sydney Sawa 43rd, and Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs 50th. Marci Bernholtz and Nansy Damianova competed two events each.
Full scores can be downloaded at the Swiss Timing website.
The Canadian men will compete in their qualifying round on Tuesday.
SEPTEMBER 2 - CANADIAN WOMEN SET TO COMPETE AT WORLDS
Following the first 9 of 10 subdivisions at the World Championships, the following are the team standings:
1. USA 245.025
2. CHN 241.175
3. ROU 239.875
4. RUS 238.000
5. ITA 234.425
6. BRA 232.250
7. UKR 231.425
8. GER 231.125
9. AUS 230.850
10. JPN 228.175
11. PRK 226.575
12. ESP 224.850
13. CZE 223.625
14. NED 222.575
To ensure Olympic qualification, Canada will need to outscore Japan, meaning a team average of just over 14.3 points, well within their abilities. Follow the competition live by clicking on this live ticker link during the competition to see updated scores and standings during the competition. Be sure to choose day two from the pull down menu.
FOLLOW THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LIVE
The Canadian women’s team competes tomorrow in Stuttgart, Germany, at the 40th World Gymnastics Championships and you can follow their progress live on the internet via the official website for the championships. Click on this live ticker link during the competition to see updated scores and standings during the competition. Commentary is in German, but you can still follow along with scores.
The Canadian women compete at 7:45 German time (which is 1:45 in the afternoon eastern time in Canada), in the tenth and final subdivision. Competing with them are teams from France and Brazil; it is very likely that Canada will need to beat at least one of these teams to qualify for the Olympics, so it is sure to be an exciting and dramatic competition.
According to the official start list, Canada will start on the uneven bars, then compete Olympic order on the balance beam, floor exercise, and finishing up on the vault. Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs will compete on all four events for Canada, anchoring on the first two events. Kristina Vaculik will also compete on all four events along with Sydney Sawa and Alyssa Brown. Brown will compete first on uneven bars and balance beam but will anchor the team on vault and floor. Marci Bernholtz and Nansy Damianova will split events, with Bernholtz competing on the uneven bars and balance beam, and Damianova on floor exercise and vault.
Gymn.ca will be online during the competition and will attempt to summarize as much information as we can, based on the live ticker linked above.
AUGUST 27 – SHEWFELT TO MISS WORLDS DUE TO KNEE INJURY
Current Olympic champion on floor exercise, Kyle Shewfelt of Calgary will not be competing at the World Championships next week after injuring both knees in a training session earlier today. Shewfelt suffered small fractures to both knees while training on floor exercise. He will be out for six to eight weeks, but will not require surgery.
According to the nominative roster, Canada will be represnted by Nathan Gafuik, Grant Golding, Ken Ikeda, David Kikuchi, Brandon O’Neill, and Casey Sandy. Former Canadian all-around champion Adam Wong, recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, will travel to Stuttgart to serve as team reserve while Shewfelt will remain in Stuttgart to support his teammates. The Canadian men compete on Tuesday, September 4th, starting on the pommel horse. They will need to finish in the top 12 in order to qualify a full team to next year’s Olympic Games. The Canadian women compete on Sunday, September 2, drawing the last subdivision, starting on the uneven bars.
