Code of Points- What You Don't Already Know

Welcome back to the new blog site loyal readers!

The Finalized WAG 2013-16 CoP has been published officially. Yay! In my last blog, I went over the proposed changes. This week, I will discuss the finalized changes and additions. This also includes new skills that have been officially added to the CoP as of the London Olympics. Remember, for a gymnast to get an original skill named for her, she must perform it at an Olympic or World Championships and it must be submitted for approval.

Here are three new skills added to the code
:
The Moors: a bar dismount named for Canadian gymnast Victoria Moors. Under swing from the high bar to a stretched salto with a 1/2 turn. This is an E element, which has a difficulty value of 0.5.

The Ferrari: Italian gymnast, Vanessa Ferrari is one gymnast known most often for her unique floor routines, aside from sharing a surname with an uber expensive sport car. She didn't come home to Italy with Olympic bling on her neck, but she will be forever immortalized with the new dance element named for her after London. It's a split leap with a full turn to ring. This is a D element in the code and it's valued at 0.4.

The Wong, Angel Wong (ha!): This Hong Kong gymnast added her own original beam mount to the code at the Olympics. It's an E element, a front tuck with a 1/2 turn. Just check this out, it's pretty crazy. I'm interested to see who tries it. Unfortunately, in my head right now, all I see is that epic fall by someone with the initials A.S. Anyways, here is the video:

As you remember, in my last blog, I had heard there was a .3 connection added instead of the standard, .1 and .2. Upon checking the code today, I still see it, so it looks like they haven't taken that out. It's there, but in parenthesis, it just says "possible" so who knows if they will keep that or not. I'm thinking no, because upon my initial scan, I didn't see any scoring for the.3. So, I guess it's just a bust. 

As per my last blog, the change in the scoring calculation is definitely there. Instead of averaging the two vaults together in the event final and qualifications, the calculation is slightly different:  (DVT1 + DVT2)/2 - (VT1ex deductions + VT2 ex. deductions).

On the bars - there is no E + E connections anymore. Instead, we have C+D, D+E and D+D connections (worth .1, and .2 for the latter two). The Chinese will have to start learning other parts of the code as they love, love, love those E+E connections. This routine of He Kexin is packed with three in a row.

In the proposed CoP, beam had the least changes. Now, there is more changes in the finalized code. There are mounts that have been upgraded to one letter grade higher. Much like Brittany S. Pierce improved her grades to stay on the Cheerios (ha, sorry, had to add that). They've upgraded the front tuck mount up to a D element and up to an E if they do a pike front mount...and land it. The Kotechkova and Gainer flic-flacs have been upgraded

The biggest change on beam and makes the beam scoring nearly and entire CoP all on it's own. In addition to connection bonuses, acrobatic connections of three or more will receive an additional "series bonus" of 0.10. It will be added to the existing connection bonuses. The series bonus can include the dismount and/ or mount. 

The connection bonuses have also been expanded to included mixed elements. There is a C+C connection, and a D(salto)+A (dance element) and a dance connection for A +C.

On the floor, the 0.3 connection no longer exists... It was just a figure of gymnastics... Anyways, there is much emphasis on choreography. The goal is to reward gymnasts who differ from the cookie cutter routines out there and to encourage artistry. In the final code of points, there are three 0.10 deductions revolving around artistry. They range from lack of movement to lack of character. The H element I mentioned earlier has made it through to the final round. The H elements are a double double tucked and a double double in a laid out position. Some of the dance elements have been upgraded, and specifically, the leaps. A cat leap 2/1 (two turns) and the tuck hop jump 2/1 are now C elements. The split ring leap has been upgraded to a C element, same as a switch ring leap. I don't like this upgrade, I think it's going to incur some laziness on the part of weaker dancers. 

The biggest change is that the new CoP is really focused on the artistry element of gymnastics. I'm very happy about this. In the past four years, a lot of emphasis has been placed on the power tumbling and not so much the execution and artistry. Tricky elements are great, but it's far more interesting to watch the gymnasts who can combine the power and artistry seamlessly. This should make the competitions much more fierce.

Anyways, thanks for stopping by. Until next time, my friends.