Archive: January 2003
Back to the News Archive IndexJANUARY 27 - NOTES AND QUOTES FROM ONTARIO WOMEN'S TRAINING CAMP
Some of Ontario's top female athletes gathered in Oshawa this weekend for an Ontario provincial training camp, hosted by the Gemini Gymnastics Club and head coach Yelena Davydova. The camp, which was optional, drew athletes from five of Canada's recently named Clubs of Excellence (for more information about the Clubs of Excellence, click here), including Sports Seneca, Ottawa, Bluewater, Winstonettes, and of course the host Gemini Club. Click here for some thoughts and observations from Friday's camp session.
JANUARY 23 - FLIP, FLOP, AND FLY WITH GYMNASTICS AND TRAMPOLINING ON WTSN
Join WTSN for a tour through Europe with three great artistic competitions. WTSN premieres the European Trampolining Championships from Russia, the World Cup Gymnastics Final in Stuttgart, Germany and the Arthur Gander Memorial Gymnastics Competition in Switzerland. Coverage begins Monday, January 27th on WTSN – Women’s Sports Television.
All Times Eastern
European Champs Trampolining – Russia – Individual Finals
Monday January 27, 2003 @ 11 pm
Encore Presentations:
Tuesday January 28, 2003 @ 3:30 am & 3 pm
European Champs Trampolining – Russia – Team Finals
Tuesday January 28, 2003 @ midnight
Encore Presentations:
Tuesday January 28, 2003 @ 4:30 am & 4 pm
World Cup Final 2002, Great Four from Stuttgart, Day 1
Monday February 03, 2003 @ 8 pm
Encore Presentations:
Tuesday February 04, 2003 @ 1 am & 3 pm
World Cup Final 2002, Great Four from Stuttgart, Day 2
Monday February 03, 2003 @ 9 pm
Encore Presentations:
Tuesday February 04, 2003 @ 2 am & 4 pm
Arthur Gander Memorial Gymnastics 2002 - Switzerland
Monday February 17, 2003 @ 11 pm
Encore Presentations:
Tuesday February 18, 2003 @ 4 am
* Schedule subject to change. Please check your local listings.
JANUARY 11 - WOMEN WIN MULTIPLE MEDALS IN AUSTRALIA
 |
| 4 medals so far for Mackie |
The Canadian women's team has enjoyed a very successful competition thus far at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, currently underway in Sydney, Australia. On Thursday, the team of Gael Mackie (Omega), Melanie Banville (Ottawa), Melanie Tham (Mississauga), and Elyse Hofner-Hibbs (Seneca) took the bronze medal in the team competition, with a total score of 103.00 behind first place China (105.075) and the host team Australia (104.375). The Canadians overcome a rough start on the uneven bars to finish strong on the other events, led in the all-around by Mackie with 35.05 (fourth best AA score), followed by Hibbs (33.825), Banville (33.45), and Tham (32.70).
Mackie again led the team in the standings in the all-around finals Friday, earning another bronze medal despite a poor start on the competition on vault (her 8.1 score was 19th best in the field on that apparatus). She earned a solid 9.0 score on the balance beam (out of a 9.9 start value - the second highest beam score of the day) en route to an all-around total of 34.575. The top two all-around were Australians Monette Russo (36.10), and Stephanie Moorhouse (35.325). Banville improved her all-around score from the team event, scoring 33.80 en route to 7th place - earning the day's top score on floor exercise (8.925) to boot. Finishing just 0.025 Banville in 9th was Hibbs, whose top score came on beam (8.775 out of a 9.4 start value). Tham finished 14th with 32.625, with her best effort coming on the balance beam (8.625 out of 9.6).
Mackie continued her medal haul on Saturday, finishing third on uneven bars with an 8.787, and second on floor exercise with 8.987. Moorhouse took gold on both apparatus. Banville also had a strong showing on floor, scoring an 8.9 to finish 5th.
Competition concludes Sunday, where Mackie will compete on beam and vault, and Banville competing on vault and Tham on beam. National team coach Andrei Rodionenko is pleased, acknowledging the importance of competitive experience by saying: "The most important aspect for us is to get experience. This competition shows how important competing internationally is in assuring our athletes can get better."
Complete results can be found here.
JANUARY 7 - 2003 MARKS RETURN OF BLUEWATER INTERNATIONAL
 |
| Team Russia and Ukraine at '99 Bluewater |
After a three-year absence, the popular Bluewater International Invitational will return to the Canadian competition circuit this March. Last held in March of 2000, the Bluewater International, which is hosted by Sarnia's Bluewater Gymnastics Club, became one of the most prestigious events on the international calendar each spring. With rosters that featured some of the top names in Canadian and world gymnastics, fans in southern Ontario were treated to gymnastics of the highest calibre. Previous competitors at Bluewater have included Olympic champions Yelena Zamolodchikova of Russia and Amy Chow of the United States, as well as Canadian stand-outs Yvonne Tousek and Kate Richardson, and local heroes Abby Pearson and Melanie Rocca.
The major impetus for reviving the competition in Sarnia was the return of head coaches Dave and Liz Brubaker to the Bluewater club after a two-year stint in Burlington that came to an end in July. While the meet is scheduled just eight months after his return to Sarnia, head coach Dave Brubaker remains optimistic the event will be a success. "I considered holding off for many years, [but] the board and parents are motivated to host this event for one more year, and I have agreed to help to give guidance for the event," Brubaker told Gymn.ca. "The event has been something they would have liked to continue after our departure in 2000 but it was difficult without a head coach in place."
The format of the competition will be the same as in previous years, with junior and senior international competition, as well as a provincial and national level invitational. "All I can say for now is that we are hosting an international event. We are giving top priority to those countries that have supported our event in the past," said Brubaker. "The gymnastics community is very excited. I quietly launched the event at Elite Canada and I think we will get an excellent domestic response."
Brubaker also expressed satisfaction with the level of support within the Bluewater club. "I think we have one of the best gymnastic cities in the country, largely do to the positive image that our people project and because of the profile the event has had in the past."
The 2003 Bluewater International Invitational will be part of a busy March for the Canadian women's gymnastics team. The Canada Winter Games will be held in New Brunswick from March 1-8, and will be followed by the popular Jurassic Classic from the 14-16, Bluewater from the 21-23, and the Gymnix International on the last weekend of the month. Check back with Gymn.ca for official competition schedules and roster information for this spring's competitive season as they become available.