WEEKEND ROUND-UP

This is a collective guide to the hectic weekend we've had throughout Friday to Sunday, so sit back and relax!

FRENCH WORLD CUP: RESULTS
The French World Cup in La Roche Sur Yon finished about an hour ago. It was a good competition and the first real World Cup where we see specialists as the American Cup is more of a selective, private meet to the best all-arounders. On the vault, Swiss gymnast Giulia Steingruber took the honour of gold with a 13.433 average. In the fight for second, American Cup competitor Maegan Chant came out on top (13.133). New Uzbekistani representative Oksana Chusovitina brought home the bronze (13.082) and Chilean Macarena Pinto Adasme was 4th (12.133). Surprisingly, Giulia Steingruber won the bars final also, this time with a much higher 13.600. Top qualifier Kaitlyn Hofland of Canada just got pipped to the post and had to settle for second (13.466). Czech veteran Jana Sikulova managed a sturdy routine posting a 13.366 for 3rd. Canadian Sabrina Gill got a 12.933 after various mistakes and she didn't have a D-rated dismount. 

Italian favorite Carlotta Ferlito brought home the gold on beam, arguably, her best event. A 14.300 was enough to seal the deal, just 0.633 ahead of her teammate Vanessa Ferrari. Bronze went to 28 year old Vasiliki Millousi with a 13.133. Unfortunately, Ksenia Afanasyeva, 5th placer at last year's Olympic beam final, couldn't find her feet on her side somi skill and fell, leaving her with 13.066 and in fourth. Strangely, there was 5 gymnasts in the floor final. Putting her previous disappointment behind her, Reigning World Champion Ksenia Afanasyeva pulled out the goods and redeemed herself with a 14.633, claiming the gold. Romanian star Diana Bulimar grasped silver. Carlotta Ferlito got a 13.733 and a silver. Only 0.033 points behind Ferlito was Canadian Megan Chant, her day wasn't too bad though, a silver on vault and 4th on floor, still applausable. Home favorite Marine Brevet had a bit of a nightmare on floor, 0.3 in out of bounds deductions and much more, left her with a 12.700.

BRITISH ESPOIR CHAMPIONSHIPS
I've already informed you about the British Espoir Championships this weekend. Hot favorite was Georgia Mae Fenton clenching 2 golds (AA, Bars) and 2 bronzes (Beam, Floor). Other bright talents included Catherine Lyons who got 1 gold (Floor), 1 bronze (Bars) and 1 silver (AA), Teal Grindle, winning 1 bronze (AA), 3 silvers (Vault, Bars, Floor) and 1 gold (beam)

This meet was a qualifier to the British Championships next weekend at the Echo Arena. Teal Grindle, Lucy Stanhope and Maisie Meuthen all qualified to all 4 event finals. 

Georgia Mae Fenton, Catherine Lyons, Louise McColgan, Phoebe Turner and Bethany Lavelle all qualified to 3 of the event finals.

Claudia Barkes is the only gymnast to have qualified to 2 events.

Abigail Solari, Rebecca Jones, Latalia Bevan, Caitlin Tsang, India Weller and Alice Kinsella all qualified to 1 events.

INJURIES
At the French World Cup yesterday, Kristian Thomas and Janine Berger were both injured and taken off the podium. Thomas, an Olympic bronze medalist, was taken to hospital for a leg injury. We haven't heard anything else but I wish them both a swift recovery!

DOHA WORLD CUP GYMNASTS
The annual Doha World Cup is coming up and the roster was announced last weekend. It should be an interesting competition. It's a huge line-up of different countries. North Korea have sent 3 girls out as their ban is now finished. Morocco are also sending 2 girls which will be interesting. It says that Larisa Iordache should be competing but she withdrew from the French World cup so I'm not sure about her being their. Janine Berger of Germany will not be going, I'm guessing, because the doctors told her to have 2 weeks rest and this meet is in 2 weeks time so don't expect her to be in Qatar either. I think that Giulia Steingruber will win the vault final.

My Expected Podiums

Vault:
1. Giulia Steingruber (SUI)
2. Un Jong Hong (PRK)
3. Ri Un Ha (PRK) or Thi Ha Phan (VIE)

Bars:
1. Tan Jiaxin (CHN)
2. Lisa Hill (GER)
3. Ruby Harrold (GBR)

Beam: 
1. Siqi Zeng (CHN)
2. Diana Bulimar (ROU)
3. Kim Un Hyang (PRK)

Floor:
1. Diana Bulimar (ROU)
2. Gabrielle Jupp (GBR) or Siqi Zeng (CHN)
3. Sasa Golob (SLO)

Full participants are here