Canada is participating in the exciting Trofeo Jesolo for the first
time! The event, held outside of Venice, Italy, is one of the most
anticipated of the gymnastics calendar, featuring full junior and senior
teams.
Seniors Ellie Black
Isabela Onyshko
Audrey Rousseau
Sydney Townsend
Helody Cyrenne
Sabrina Gill
Juniors
Rose-Kaying Woo
Megane Roberts
Meaghan Ruttan
Ana Padurariu
Jade Chrobok
Shallon Olsen
Competition Wednesday, March 25: Juniors
qualification Thursday, March 26: Seniors qualification Saturday,
March 28: Team and all-around Sunday, March 29: Event finals
Coverage of the 1981 Hunt International (Great Britain vs Canada):
FEBRUARY 19 - NO SURPRISES AT CANADA WINTER GAMES
There
were no big surprises at the recent Canada Winter Games; Canada's top 3
juniors dominated the podium.
In the women's team competition, Quebec dominated thanks to their
leaders, Victoria-Kaying Woo and Audrey Rousseau.
Ontario finished second, led by Megan Roberts and BC
finished rounded out the podium, led by Shallon Olsen.
Woo took her second gold of the games, winning the women's all-around.
Olsen placed second, and Roberts took home bronze.
In the apparatus finals, the leader was Roberts, who won both vault and
floor. Olsen was the runner-up on vaut, with Woo taking bronze. Olsen also
took second on floor, with Helody Cyrenne taking bronze.
The only gold medal won outside the 3-junior stronghold was bars, an
honour that went to Cyrenne. Woo took silver and Olsen bronze.
Woo picked up her third gold of the games - and fifth medal of the
games - on beam. Roberts placed second, ahead of Meaghan Ruttan
(bronze) and Olsen (4th).
In the men's competition, Justin Karstadt won the
all-around, having also led team Ontario to a gold earlier in competition.
He also won gold on pommels, during an apparatus final that saw a
different winner on each event: Aaron Mah (FX),
Felix Dolci (R), Jeremy Bartholomeusz (V),
Sam Zakutney (PB), and Matt Halickman
(HB).
Competition
in artistic gymnastics kicks off today at the Canada Winter Games, in
Prince George, BC. Many events are available on live webcast, and possibly
archived for later viewing!
Held every four years, the Canada Winter Games boasts an impressive
legacy of past competitors including Kyle Shewfelt and Adam Wong. Many of
Canada's top junior High Performance gymnasts are competing at this year's
event, including Rose-Kaying Woo (who recently won the senior portion at
Elite Canada), Shallon Olsen and Megan Roberts (who recently won the
junior portion at Elite Canada). All three girls are age eligible for the
Rio 2016 Olympics.
FEBRUARY 15 -
JENNIFER LEZEU JOINS CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Former HP Elite Jennifer Lezeu is set to join Cirque
Du Soleil's Mystere, a resident show at Treasure Island in Las Vegas.
After competing in Canada Jennifer accepted a scholarship to compete NCAA
for Brigham Young University, in Utah.
FEBRUARY 12 - DANCOSE-GIAMBATTISTO SETS HER SIGHTS ON MCGILL
2010
World team member - and current Gator in the NCAA - Bianca
Dancose-Giambattisto her eyes set on medical school at McGill,
following her undergraduate program at Florida.
Concentrating her studies in an applied
physiology and kinesiology major and chemistry minor,
Dancose-Giambattisto’s future in medicine has become her primary focus
over the course of the last year.
“All my pre-med friends ask, ‘Wow how do
you do gymnastics and pre-med?’” Dancose-Giambattisto said. “Every second
I’m not in the gym, I’m studying. It’s a matter of (time) management and I
truly have a passion for both. I mean, (I have had) a huge passion for
gymnastics since I was like 5-years-old, and medicine has been kind of a
growing passion, so it’s really interesting to be in both spheres.”
In her spare time – which is about eight
hours a week – Dancose-Giambattisto shadows at the Shand’s Emergency Room,
something she believes is what helped fuel her passion for medicine.
As the summer approaches
Dancose-Giambattisto is beginning to focus on her medical school
applications, specifically to McGill University in Canada. The Canadian
hopes to attend school close to her family and hometown of Montreal.
FEBRUARY 14 - ONYSHKO FINISHES 5TH AT WOGA CLASSIC
Isabela Onyshko finished 5th in the senior portion at
today's WOGA Classic, one of the earliest International meets of the new
year. The competition was won by China's Xie Yufen.
JANUARY 31 - ROBERTS DOMINATES JUNIOR SESSIONS AT ELITE CANADA
Megan
Roberts dominated the junior field at this weekend's Elite Canada
competition, easily winning the all-around and adding three apparatus gold
medals to her haul (vault, beam, and floor). She also placed third on
bars. Megan is a strong contender for Canada's team to the 2016 Rio
Olympics, with her stiffest junior aged competition, Rose-Kaying
Woo and Shallon Olsen, choosing to move up to
the senior field this year.
The biggest news coming out of the senior women's field is the return
of 2012 Olympic veteran Victoria Moors, who was pulled
from Canada's team at last year Commonwealth Games. Moors had a fantastic
outing, finishing in second on both vault and floor. She did
not compete bars or beam.
Rose-Kaying Woo won the senior women's AA, despite being a junior in
International competition. Second place went to Isabel Onyshko,
and Audrey Rousseau in third. 2012 Olympic veteran and
Canadian leader for the past two years, Ellie Black,
competed only beam, but advances to the beam final in first place.
The senior women's apparatus gold medals were spread widely, with
Shallon Olsen winning vault, Sabrina Gill
bars, Ellie Black beam, and Helody Cyrenne
floor. Moors stumbled in her lone appearance in Saturday's event finals,
no doubt still regaining stamina after approximately six months out of
gymnastics.
In men's competition, Robert Watson and Sam
Zakutney topped the senior and junior fields, respectively.
IG magazine has posted an interview with Peng Peng Lee, whose ACL
injury kept her off Canada's team at the 2012 Olympics. Rehabbed
sufficiently to compete in the NCAA, IG asked her about Rio 2015. "I have
considered it," she told IG. "I would love to go to 2016. Right now I’m
focusing on the season, but after the season, it would be great to do
another world championships or go to Rio. That’s definitely a long-term
goal of mine, and I’ve kept it in the back of my head."
JANUARY 10 - BABY BOY ON THE WAY FOR OLYMPIAN EMILIE LIVINGSTON
Emilie Livingston, who represented Canada at the 2000 Olympic Games in
Sydney, Australia is expecting a baby boy! Last year she married actor
Jeff Goldblum, sharing the happy news of her pregnancy on the eve of their
wedding.
The pair also recently appeared on David Letterman:
JANUARY 2 - ARABIAN PUNCH FRONT: NANSY DAMIANOVA "I WOULD DO IT ALL
OVER AGAIN"
2005 Stella Zakharova Cup Photo courtesy of Edwin
Koppers
Arabian Punch Front has published a piece about Nansy Damianova, who
completed her NCAA career last season. The article chronicles Damianova's
early memories in gymnastics, to her own success as one of only two
Canadian women competing at the 2008 Olympics, the successful NCAA career
that followed, and what she's been up to now. Hint: She's considering
trying out for Cirque du Soleil, another Montreal-grown sensation.
Gymn.ca is once again honoured to make Coach Rick's Gymternet - Best of 2014 list. He writes:
Jenn Isbister’s
Gymn.ca
(Canada) … perhaps the original dedicated National site
Editor's note: I have much less time for websites these days, but
still try to promote Canadian gymnastics nationally and abroad. Happy to
still be cited for the efforts! Next year, Gymn.ca turns 15 years old.
Madison Copiak and
Jackson Payne picked up medals at this weekend's
Tokyo Cup. Copiak won bronze on bars, and a silver on beam. She also
finished fourth on floor.
Jackson Payne's comeback continues, and he took bronze on the high bar.
Also competing were Robert Watson (5th R), Zachary Clary (6th PB, 8th
R), and Ken Ikeda (7th PB).
DECEMBER 6 - CYRENNE PLACES 7TH AT ABIERTO MEXICANO
Helody Cyrenne placed seventh in a field of eight at this year's
Abierto Mexicano Invitational in Acapulco, MEX.
Watch her FX:
DECEMBER 6 - BLACK WINS SILVER AT GLASGOW GRAND PRIX
Ellie Black finished off her 2014 competitive season
with a brilliant second place finish in Glasgow! Next up for Ellie is
likely the American Cup, the third in the World Cup A series after DTB Cup
and Glasgow Grand Prix.
It was an "off" day for Ellie Black in Stuttgart,
Germany today at the DTB Cup. She placed 7th in a field of 8. Next up for
Ellie is the Glasgow Grand Prix.
Junior Sydney Soloski won silver in the all-around at
this weekend's prestigous Top Gym competition, and picked up another two
medals in the apparatus finals (silver on beam and bronze on floor).
Earlier she and teammate Sydney Laird competed alongside Hungary, winning
a mixed team medal.
Here's a look at Soloski's floor at last weekend's Coupe Avenir
competition, also in Belgium:
Canada is participating in the exciting Trofeo Jesolo for the first
time! The event, held outside of Venice, Italy, is one of the most
anticipated of the gymnastics calendar, featuring full junior and senior
teams. 
There
were no big surprises at the recent Canada Winter Games; Canada's top 3
juniors dominated the podium.
2010
World team member - and current Gator in the NCAA - Bianca
Dancose-Giambattisto her eyes set on medical school at McGill,
following her undergraduate program at Florida.
Olympic
gold medalist Kyle Shewfelt graces the cover of Calgary's Avenue Magazine
Megan
Roberts dominated the junior field at this weekend's Elite Canada
competition, easily winning the all-around and adding three apparatus gold
medals to her haul (vault, beam, and floor). She also placed third on
bars. Megan is a strong contender for Canada's team to the 2016 Rio
Olympics, with her stiffest junior aged competition, Rose-Kaying
Woo and Shallon Olsen, choosing to move up to
the senior field this year. 
Madison Copiak and
Jackson Payne picked up medals at this weekend's
Tokyo Cup. Copiak won bronze on bars, and a silver on beam. She also
finished fourth on floor.