Notes from the North: Tidbits from the Canadian Championships

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Training at the Canadian Championships gets underway this afternoon. The guys are training at the host club, Island Gymnastics Academy of Prince Edward Island, but the women should be in the training gym beginning in just a few minutes. 

• Everyone's invited to this party, but not everyone can make it: Among those prominently not coming: Reigning senior women's champion Kristina Vaculik (who is finishing her term at Stanford, I assume), Charlotte Mackie (foot injury), Christine (Peng Peng) Lee (dislocated kneecap) and junior dynamos Makaela Gerber (another foot injury, I believe) and Briannah Tsang (I was told she wouldn't be coming, but don't know why).

• Rogers returns: Somewhat to my surprise, Brittany Rogers, who crunched her ankle landing a double pike off beam at the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships in Australia. She has reportedly not gotten all of her difficulty back yet, but is here to make a statement.

• Junior National champion Jaylan Birl has quit gymnastics. Which is a huge shame for the Canadian men's team, as Birl had enormous potential, particularly on floor. Birl left the sport last summer to pursue academic opportunities. He left on top -- he was the reigning Canadian junior champion and had earned many, many titles in the Argo and Tyro divisions. The door is always open for Birl to return, Men's Program Director Jeff Thomson said. As Birl is only just out of high school, he still has plenty of time to make a comeback if he wants. (Check out this video of Birl at the 2010 Canadian Nationals and see why his absence is a disappointment.)

• Country-changers: Canada is a diverse country, so it doesn't come as much of a surprise that many of its gymnasts are multinationals or competing for different countries. Austrian national champion Barbara Gasser lives and trains in eastern Canada, and Jessica Dowling, whose mother is from the Netherlands, has announced her intentions to try to make the Dutch national team. Silvia Colussi-Pelaez, who had an excellent showing at the Canada Winter Games, is competing in the open division this year and may go compete for Spain. 

• Two to watch: 2010 World team member Jayd Lukenchuk is a big talent, especially on high bar, where he has already made finals at some World Cup events. He trains with another promising young gymnast, Anderson Loran, under the guidance of coach Markos Baikas. Lukenchuk and Loran push each other in the gym, Markos said, and both have improved immensely for having the other around.

• A boost from Brandon O'Neill: The 2008 Olympian is back and rounding into form, which is very good news for the men's team. O'Neill won silver on floor at the 2005 Worlds and competed at the 2008 Olympics despite having broken his ankle in training before the Games. That's some serious guts. 

• Everyone hates roll out skills on floor: If you have a World class floor routine these days, you likely do three roll-out skills on floor: A layout Thomas, a tucked Thomas and maybe a front 1 3/4. Alas, the guys who do this too much risk having very, very stiff necks by the time they're 35. If I had one wish for the code of points, it would be to see that skill banned forever.

• If you're going to the meet...: The Cari Complex has not only enough gyms to house a competition hall for men's and women's artistic, trampoline and tumbling and a giant training gym, it has activities for the kids as well. Including a wonderful acquatic complex with pools for lap swimming, leisure, as well as a hot tub, water-park worthy water slide and diving boards of all heights. All this for $4.50 or less per session.