CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, 12:30 p.m.: Warmups are underway for what promises to be one of the most exciting flights of competition here at the Canadian Championships -- the women's HP Novice category. It's another chance to see 10-year-old phenom Shallon Olsen in action, as well as performances from the next generation of Canadian stars, a generation that certainly includes Olsen's chasers, Brianna Clark of Quebec and Heaven Latimer of Ontario.
Rotation one:
Warmup notes: The leaders group will compete in Olympic order (vault, bars, beam, floor), and on vault, all look quite strong. Tiny Rose Woo, the smallest of the group, just powers down the runway and punches into a great handspring front tuck.
Emilie Dumont has a wonderful front stalder to front toe stalder combination on high bar.
Ivy Lu, vault: Yurchenko pike with steps back.
Hailey Kardos, bars: Didn't see it, but believe it was a hit routine.
Tara Mauchel, beam: Switch, back tuck. Bhs, layout, layout, great! Switch half, needs to be a little more split. Ditto jumps. Big check on side aerial. Roundoff, 1.5 twist with small step forward.
Coral Strugnell, floor: Good strong double pike, step back. Jazzy, big band piece of music, the same as was used by Yelena Zamolodchikova at the 2000 Olympics. Double full second pass. Switch, Tourjete half. Front layout full, step forward. Very nice 2.5 twist to end. Good routine.
Shallon Olsen, vault: FTY, easy. Second vault: DTY! Terrific and nearly stuck. Amazing.
Sydney Townsend, bars: Toe stalder (hesitation in handstand), clear hip and can't save it, falls over. Toe hecht to high, half turn to full turn to giant to half turn to giant and open double tuck, stuck.
Sophie Quindon, beam: Press mount. Front aerial. Bhs, back tuck, almost comes off but saves it. Switch, wolf. Switch side. 2.5 twist.
Victoria Peetoom, floor: 2.5 twist to open. Tango music. Double full. 1.5 twist to end.
Brianna Clark, vault: Yurchenko layout with a step back. Second attempt: Very nice handspring front tuck, legs totally together, just a little step.
Madison Brannen, bars: Banana handstand on first element on low bar (toe stalder?) and comes off. Comes off again late in the routine and sits on the mat, apparently shocked but nodding at her coach that she's not hurt. Lots of "Come on Maddie!" in the crowd. Courageous to get back up there. Giants to full twisting layout dismount.
Cassandra Buchan, beam: Press mount to lovely handstand position. Switch, scissone. Side aerial. Bhs, layout, bends at the waist but doesn't fall.
Taylor Chan, floor: Double pike, stuck. Double tuck. 1.5 to front layout half, piked.
Rose Woo, vault: Very powerful handspring front for such a tiny athlete!
Taylor Davison, bars: Great swing! Tkatchev and a double pike dismount.
Charlie Wright, beam: Full turn in wolf position. Off on side somie.
Heaven Latimer, vault: Her coach is sitting right in front of me in the stands and instructing her pupil with an enchanting Russian accent. FTY tucked, lands with chest low but good form. Looooooooong wait for her second vault, a handspring front tuck with a small step.
Emilie Dumont, bars: Hands down on dismount, but nice swing and cool aforementioned combination of front stalder to front toe stalder.
Angel Zhong, beam: Back pike, small check. Bhs, layout, falls. Front aerial. Side aerial, check. Sheep. Switch half. Nice form. Didn't see the dismount.
Marilou Banville, floor: Switch half. 1.5 to double full, step to the side. Good double tuck to very good landing. A kind of classical jazz piece. Switch, switch side half. 2.5 twist to end, keeps it in bounds, step forward.
Kirsten Peterman, vault: A Saadi gymnast here...FTY, low landing and big step to the side. Hmm...sat down handspring front tuck. Not quite sure what the problem on that was, maybe trying too hard to stick it after the mistake on the first vault? She looks like she's got more than enough power to land it...
Sydney Davison, bars: Toe hecht to high, ful turn, great full twisting double tuck dismount! Impressive.
Samantha Poirier, beam: Off on punch front (fell on the beam). Bhs, layout. Back pike. Switch, wolf. Bhs, 1.5 twist dismount.
Halee Grimsdale, floor: Double tuck, low landing. Second pass ends in a double full. Switch, Tourjete full not quite around but great amplitude! Front layout full third pass? Sits down 2.5 twist to end.
Rotation two:
Victoria Peetoom, vault: Yurchenko open tuck, very nice. Gymnasts are getting bonus for doing different vaults, for doing straight layout vaults, and for doing forward flipping vaults...same second vault, better landing.
Shallon Olsen, bars: Inbar stalder, toe stalder, stalder to Ray (or toe hecht to high), full turn to giant to blind to front giant half turn and full twisting double tuck, stuck. No release move, but nice!
Sydney Townsend, beam: Full turn. Switch half. Punch front, step forward. Scissone, sheep, very nice sheep! Switch, back tuck. Bhs, back tuck and comes off. Roundoff, bhs, 2.5 twist to end! Great distance and height on the 2.5.
Sophie Quindon, floor: Lovely orchastral piece, very light...Double tuck, OOB. Front layout to punch front, good. Switch ring to switch something. Double turn with leg at head, nice! 1.5 twist to end, steps forward and OOB again. Very nice routine all the same. Great presentation.
Taylor Chan, vault: Didn't see it.
Brianna Clark, bars: Stops after toe shoot (or Ray) to high, then comes off on a stalder blind. Repeats the skill through to a wonderful double front, one of the best ever.
Madison Brannen, beam: Bhs, back tuck, nice. Off on tuck jump full. Unique element, one not often seen at this level. Comes off again on side aerial.
Cassandra Buchan, floor: Double tuck to open. Falls to knees on second pass, however. 1.5 to layout. Switch ring.
Rose Woo, bars: Stalder to Ray, Tkatchev, full turn, toe stalde, blind to front giant and great double front dismount with a bounce forward.
Taylor Davison, beam: Press mount. Punch front. Bhs, layout, good. Switch, back pike. Jumps. Bhs, back tuck.
Charlie Wright, floor: Double tuck to open. Follows up with stuck double pike!
Marilou Banville, vault: Yurchenko pike, tiniest of hops. Very nice vault!
Heaven Latimer, bars: Tkatchev, blind to front giant, half turn, full turn not quite in handstand, full twisting double tuck with a step. Not bad!
Emilie Dumont, beam: Front aerial. Bhs, layout. Didn't see the rest.
Angel Zhong, floor: A tango! Double pike, fairly big step back. Stumbles forward on 2.5 twist and has tp put her hands down.
Halee Grimsdale, vault: Yurchenko pike, step back.
Kirsten Peterman, bars: Jump to high, soe stalder, blind, half turn, bail to toe shoot to high, full turn, giant, Arabian double front out. Some hesitations in hand
Sydney Davison, beam: Press to middle splits. Bhs, layout, windmills arms several times but saves it. Jumps. Fell twice late in the routine: side somie and side aerial. Tuck front full to end, small hop.
Samantha Poirier, floor: Double pike, very powerful! Double tuck, stuck. Great ending pass as well, believe she stuck the landing.
Coral Strugnell, vault: Yurchenko tuck, step back. She's going to be a strong, powerful gymnast.
Ivy Lu, bars: Apparently she has a heck of a Jaeger...toe stalde rto toe hecht to high, clear hip to full, a little off but OK, blind to front giant to amazing pike Jaeger, half turn giants to easy double tuck to great landing!
Hailey Kardos, beam: Bhs, layout, very good. Off on double turn (very quick spin on that). Front aerial, leg comes up but she saves it. Switch, scissone, little more amplitude needed. Roundoff, 1.5, stuck.
Tara Mauchel, floor: Open double tuck. 1.5 to punch front. Double pike to great landing to end.
Rotation three:
Cassandra Buchan, vault: Yurchenko tuck.
Taylor Chan, bars: Missed it.
Brianna Clark, beam: Swing through mount. Side somie with straight legs. Bhs, layout, leg comes up but stays on. Doubl eturn, gutsy. Side aerial. Switch, scissone. Side somie, excellent technique. Punch front, great save. Shuffles forward and looks like she's going to come off but doesn't. Double full dismount, excellent in her twist.
Madison Brannen, floor: Double pike to open, well done. Barely gets around her second pass, a double tuck. Switch to Tourjete half. Front layout to front tuck. 2.5 twist to end. Double pike.
Charlie Wright, vault: Missed it.
Aleeza Yu, bars: Hit routine! A little bit of hesitation on her front stalder on low bar, but very nice swing and form all the way through. Double pike dismount to very good landing.
Rose Woo, beam: Save of the day! Bhs, layout, windmills her arms 20 times and stays on! Amazing. That deserves a medal right there. Roundoff, double tuck, small step.
Taylor Davison, floor: Double tuck. A fun version of "He Had It Coming" from "Chicago." 1.5 twist. 2.5 with a little step forward.
Angel Zhong, vault: Yurchenko pike, small step back. Nice vault. Yurchenko tuck, basically stuck.
Marilou Banville, bars: Toe stalder to toe hecht to high, double pike with steps back.
Heaven Latimer, beam: This has the potential to be one of the routines of the day...here we go, bhs, bhs to two feet, layout to two feet, wobbles but stays on. Punch front. Sheep. Bhs, layout, layout, fights but comes off. Shoulders weren't quite square on either flight series. (Note: I initially wrote here that this was better than the fall Heaven had on day one, but she did not fall on the first day. Apologies.) Bhs, bhs, double tuck, good and high, small step on the landing.
Emilie Dumont, floor: Double tuck, OOB. Switch, Tourjete half. Punch front to layout half.
Samantha Poirier, vault: Sits down handspring front tuck. Tsuk pike. Doesn't get a lot of power or block off the horse.
Halee Grimsdale, bars: Toe shoot to high, stalder to giants to double tuck with a small step back. Not much in the routine, but she got through it.
Kirsten Peterman, beam: Off on punch front, small wobbles throughout. This has not really been her day. 1.5 dismount.
Sydney Davison, floor: Using the same music Shawn Johsnon used in 2007...double pike, excellent landing. Front layout full to single stag jump. Switch half.
Tara Mauchel, vault: Yurchenko layout, great body position in the air and good landing.
Coral Strugnell, bars: Toe stalder, toe shoot to high, blind to half turn to giants and double pike, underrotated and puts her hands down.
Ivy Lu, beam: Back tuck. Bhs, bhs. Sheep, very good, small check. Switch, split. Moves more like a dance than a gymnast -- refreshing! Falls on side somie. And again on double turn, which she didn't have much chance of saving. Front layout full dismount.
Hailey Kardos, floor: Nice double pike to open. Double tuck. The last one had Shawn Johnson's music, and this one moves quite a bit like Johnson as well. Bhs to splits in the middle of the routine, showy. 1.5 to 1.5, I believe. Double full to end. Great showmanship and nice job in selling this routine!
Sophie Quindon, vault: Yurchenko pike. Sits down handspring front tuck.
Victoria Peetoom, bars: Toe stalder, misses and kips off and covers up, toe shoot to high to something of a dead hang...layout dismount.
Shallon Olsen, beam: Onodi, great. Sheep. Front aerial, bhs, layout, terrific. Nice needle scale with head back! Side somie, wobble. She looks so calm...takes her time. Switch ring, right on. Bhs, bhs, double tuck, step forward. A little bit of hesitation coming off the beam, which is not usual for her, but she doesn't freak out and makes the dismount fine.
Sydney Townsend, floor: Double tuck to open. Punch front to 2.5, big step forward and OOB. Double turn, a little short. She has a great body for gymnastics, and very good form. Double full. She may not win here, but she is one to watch for the future. Switch, switch side half, little more amplitude needed, but there is nothing wrong with her tumbling. Double pike with a step back. Very, very promising.
Rotation four:
Taylor Davison, vault: Great Yuchenko layout.
Charlie Wright, bars: Toe shoot to high, clear hip to toe stalder, rather misses her foot and doesn't get over and falls. Blind, half turn, giants to double layout.
Aleeza Yu, beam: Didn't see it.
Rose Woo, floor: Whip to two bhs to double tuck, nice. Easy and tight 2.5 twist. Music is "Blue" by Eiffel 65...Switch, switch side. Double full to single stag jump. A little wild because she has so much bounce out of the double full. Double pike to great landing to end!
Emilie Dumont, vault: Didn't see it.
Angel Zhong, bars: Hit routine! Toe stalder to toe hecht, a bunch fo stuff on high bar but no major release, and a nice double pike dismount.
Marilou Banville, beam: Solid bhs, layout.
Heaven Latimer, floor: Arabian double front, step forward but really good...Full in tuck, again a step to the side but fine. Double turn. Indian piece of music. Wonderful triple full! Boy, that was great. Punch front to double tuck to end! A great routine. What both Heaven and Shallon Olsen could use now is a little bit more attention to detail on dance. But both are still very young, and both have improved in that vein since last year, and I'm sure will continue to do so.
Sydney Davison, vault: Handspring front tuck.
Samantha Poirier, bars: Didn't see it.
Halee Grimsdale, beam: Press mount. Bhs, layout. Switch, back pike, well done. Split jump, wolf jump. Off on punch front -- too bad! Side aerial.
Kirsten Peterman, floor: Didn't see it.
Hailey Kardos, vault: Yurchenko layout, small step.
Tara Mauchel, bars: Hit routine with good double layout dismount.
Coral Strugnell, beam: Great save on side aerial. Front layout full dismount.
Ivy Lu, floor: 2.5 with a step back, a bit underrotated. Layout half to punch front second pass. 1.5 to close. Switch ring and a lot of dance before her ending pose.
Sydney Townsend, vault: FTY tuck, very good landing, just moved one foot a little bit.
Sophie Quindon, bars: Clear hip, toe hecht to high, blind to front giants to front layout.
Victoria Peetoom, beam: Fall early in the routine, didn't quite see on what.
Shallon Olsen, floor: Full in pike to open. Double twist. Double pike to end.
Madison Brannen, vault: Yurchenko layout.
Cassandra Buchan, bars: Didn't see it.
Taylor Chan, beam: Back tuck? Front walkover to back tuck. Bhs to two feet to layout stepout, a combination not a lot of gymnasts opt for...off on side aerial. Roundoff, double full with a step. Big big hug from her coach.
Brianna Clark, floor: Violins piece, and Clark has taken some dance lessons, I think. Very nice sense of movement. Double back, overrotates it and falls on her bottom. Too bad! Front layout full. Switch, switch ring. 1.5 to front pike to single stag jump. Wonderfully choreographed routine, with lots of real dance. 2.5 twist with a step forward to end. Shame about the fall.
3:38 p.m.: Since Shallon Olsen went four for four and Brianna Clark had a few errors, the competition has got to be hers. With this, the 10-year-old from British Columbia, who earns her first Canadian title. What a promising future she has! Really, what a promising future everyone in the top five has...
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