2021 Koper Challenge Cup | Event Finals Day 2 Live Blog

Welcome to the live blog for the second day of event finals at the 2021 Koper Challenge Cup, held in Koper, Slovenia!

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11:50 am. High Bar Standings

1. Maxime Gentges BEL 13.800
2. David Vecsernyes HUN 13.750
3. Felix Dolci CAN 13.650
4. Alexander Benda AUT 13.600
5. Joshua Nathan GBR 13.600
6. Matteo Levantesi ITA 13.200
7. Carlo Macchini ITA 11.750
8. Marco Pfyl SUI 10.850

11:47 am. Felix Dolci CAN HB: Yamawaki to Endo, one-arm front pirouette, tak half, Kolman, Kovacs, stalder Tkachev, stalder Tkachev to mixed grip, some leg separation after he catches there, but overall it was really strong and he kept his rhythm well throughout all of the releases despite maybe being a little hesitant on some of his skills? Stalder, full-twisting double layout with a small hop back. 13.650 (5.5, 8.150)

11:44 am. Joshua Nathan GBR HB: Yamawaki, Kovacs, straddle Tkachev, straddle Tkachev to mixed grip, maybe a little late on that catch, tak half, tak, some front giants in L grip, turns himself around for a stalder and then a full-twisting double layout dismount, stuck, but piked it down a bit in the air. Great routine otherwise! 13.600 (5.3, 8.300)

Ugh, misses third by a tie-break on E, just a tenth back.

11:41 am. Alexander Benda AUT HB: Yamawaki, nice air, good Kolman, layout Tkachev, straddle Tkachev, hop full, Rybalko, Endo to Endo half, stalder, and a full-twisting double layout dismount, clean and stuck! Fab job. 13.600 (5.2, 8.400)

11:37 am. David Vecsernyes HUN HB: Tak full, tak half, Kolman, clean! Straddle Tkachev, straddle Tkachev to mixed grip, one-arm front pirouette, arched swing into his Yamawaki to Endo, stalder, then a full-twisting layout dismount over the high bar, hop. Good set! 13.750 (5.5, 8.250)

11:33 am. Marco Pfyl SUI HB: Cassina, mostly straight and clean but a little iffy on the catch, layout Tkachev, straddle Tkachev connected to another straddle Tkachev, probably meant to connect into a half/mixed grip but just didn’t have the height so his D score will be rough, Yamawaki, Rybalko, tak full, finishes it under the bar, tak half, legs come apart and he flies off. Hop full, bent arms throughout, and a full-twisting double layout with a step back. 10.850 (5.4, 5.450)

11:28 am. Carlo Macchini ITA HB: Pegan! Ugh, then a HARD fall on his Cassina, but he’s okay. Gets it the second time, but his legs are wild, then does a layout Kovacs, and then a Kolman, which also goes a bit wild and he falls again. WHY. Does it a second time and it’s still a bit iffy in the air but catches. Gets his pirouette elements in, a little late on a couple, hop full, and a full-twisting double layout with a step to finish. 11.750 (6.6, 5.150)

11:26 am. Maxime Gentges BEL HB: Kovacs to Kolman, awesome! stalder Tkachev to straddle Tkachev, straightens up out of a sketchy body line after catching, stalder half, tak, triple back!! Really deep with a lunge back but awesome. 13.800 (6.0, 7.800)

11:23 am. Matteo Levantesi ITA HB: Layout Tkachev, some leg form, straddle Tkachev to straddle Tkachev in mixed grip, legs went WILD on a pirouette, slows down and gets it back under control, one-arm front pirouette, Yamawaki, bent arms on the swing out of it, just looks a bit rushed and nervous. Twists SO quickly in the double twisting double layout, think he stuck the landing. 13.200 (5.5, 7.700)

11:16 am. Women’s Floor Standings

1. Claudia Fragapane GBR FX 12.900
2. Ana Derek CRO 12.750
3. Dorina Böczögö HUN 12.700
4. Cassie Lee CAN 12.500
5. Lucija Hribar SLO 12.300
6. Aida Bauyrzhanova KAZ 12.100
7. Yana Fedorova UKR 12.050
8. Aiyu Zhu GER 11.350

11:13 am. Lucija Hribar SLO FX: Stuck the double pike to start. Double full, a little overrotated but steps back. Switch ring to split ring leap. I think the switch looked good from this angle! Couldn’t see the second super well. Hit the third pass and then a couple of jumps. Good routine! 12.300 (4.3, 8.000)

11:10 am. Yana Fedorova UKR FX: Double tuck, clean, tiny bounce back. Sneaks around the double L turn, 2.5, some leg and hip form, steps out of the landing. Split jump full not quite there. Switch leap through to switch half to split jump, switch half maybe looked a little sketchy. Front full, some leg form, steps back. 12.050 (4.4, 7.650)

11:05 am. Ana Derek CRO FX: Ring leap full through to a switch full, will always love that opening series, she does it SO well, then a front tuck through to double tuck, mostly clean, step back with her foot on the line. I think had a Memmel turn in there. 2.5 with a step forward, some crossed ankles in the air. Tour jeté full, not super controlled on that landing but looked good in the air. Double full to finish, stuck! Split jump full. Queen! 12.750 (5.0, 7.850, -0.1 ND)

11:02 am. Aiyu Zhu GER FX: In a unitard! Double tuck, comes up short with a lunge out of it. Okay, I had to tune out for part of this, but she hit her second pass (a 1.5 to punch front…tuck maybe, but this is from my trash memory), and then also hit the rest. Double full to finish I think, some messy leg form. She had some nice extension on a couple of her leaps that I saw, just not a super difficult routine. 11.350 (4.2, 7.250, -0.1 ND)

10:58 am. Claudia Fragapane GBR FX: Double layout to stag, great connection! Arabian double front, a little deep and I think she lands OOB…or hops OOB. Or close to the line if she wasn’t out. Hit a split jump full after that, then a wolf hop through to tour jeté full. She looks really good! Tour jeté half didn’t quite make it to where she needed it in terms of the split. Layout full for her last pass, to a straight jump, I don’t see how that can be a legitimate connection, but go off. Had a jump at the end but I missed what it was. Either way, a strong effort. Clearly not at full difficulty but she could be on her way. 12.900 (5.0, 7.900)

10:55 am. Aida Bauyrzhanova KAZ FX: Memmel turn. Double pike is a little short, but just takes a couple of small steps out of it. Switch to switch half. Split jump full. Double full, some leg form, also a little short but saves it well. Hit a leap into the corner before her last pass, a front layout full, step forward. 12.100 (4.7, 7.400)

10:51 am. Dorina Böczögö HUN FX: Double front with a tiny bounce, lots of power! Double tuck with little steps back. Split jump full. Layout full to split jump. Had another strong leap, then a double pike to finish. Really great work! 12.700 (4.7, 8.000)

10:48 am. Cassie Lee CAN FX: Triple wolf turn and then a double at the start of her routine. Double tuck, little steps back. Y turn to full turn and a tour jeté half to split leap something or other, I didn’t pay super close attention. 1.5 to front full. Double pike, good landing! 12.500 (5.0, 7.500)

10:42 am. Medal ceremony time…you could see the women warming up floor in the background during p-bars. So efficient here in Koper!

10:40 am. Parallel Bars Standings

1. Sercan Demir TUR 14.500
2. Farukh Nabiyev KAZ 14.350
3. Mario Macchiati ITA 14.250
4. Lorenzo Casali ITA 14.200
5. Leo Saladino FRA 14.100
6. Noe Seifert SUI 14.000
7. Nikolaos Iliopoulos GRE 13.800
8. Illia Kovtun UKR 13.400

10:38 am. Nikolaos Iliopoulos GRE PB: Walked back a handstand before his Tippelt, adjusts there, double back salto, good. Walked around a pirouette after, arched on a transition between the bars, one-arm pirouette had just slight ankle separation but was strong overall, double pike with a lunge back. 13.800 (5.5, 8.300)

10:35 am. Sercan Demir TUR PB: Pike to handstand, slow but gets there, the rest of his handstands/pirouettes go well, maybe just some pike down in his hips on some, but strong overall! Tippelt is clean, Bhavsar, press to handstand, double front is a little slow, pulls his form together in the second flip and lands it with a small hop. 14.500 (5.9, 8.600)

10:31 am. Leo Saladino FRA PB: Basket to handstand strong at the start, short on the next handstand, Tippelt had a little muscle up in it, I think a 1.5 pirouette, had some hand adjustments, the rest was strong, double front half dismount good! 14.100 (5.8, 8.300)

10:28 am. Noe Seifert SUI PB: Good handstand at the start, holds it forever, basket to handstand, looked like he came short out of a transition between the bars, but mostly his handstands and pirouettes look fine, Tippelt was pretty smooth, slow around on the double front dismount and he sits it, ughhhhh, excellent until that moment. 14.000 (6.2, 7.800)

10:25 am. Illia Kovtun UKR PB: Lovely first handstand, crazy arch and sway on a pirouette after, adjusts on transition between the bars, and then can’t make it to handstand after, falls. 1.5 pirouette had little adjustments, then rushed another transition between the bars, the rest isn’t bad, double front with a little step. 13.400 (5.7, 7.700)

10:22 am. Farukh Nabiyev KAZ PB: Tippelt, nice one-arm pirouettes, big straddle salto to pike hold, nice, presses that to handstand, front pike to handstand, clean there too, stuck the double front half. Beautiful work! 14.350 (5.7, 8.650)

Make this E score make sense compared to the last routine?!

10:18 am. Mario Macchiati ITA PB: Nice handstand before a one-arm pirouette into another strong handstand, good start. A little iffy as he transitions between the bars, arches over but corrects, really sloppy and late on a pirouette after that, pike through to handstand was much better, a little rushed in some one-arm work near the end, and a small hop on the double front dismount. 14.250 (5.8, 8.450)

10:16 am. Lorenzo Casali ITA PB: Came out short of a couple handstands at the beginning, went smoothly into his Tippelt, though, and a strong Bhavsar as well. Arched over out of a transition between the bars, and then a step back on the double front half-out. Solid overall! 14.200 (5.7, 8.500)

10:15 am. Getting into parallel bars in about two minutes.

10:11 am. Time for the medal ceremony!

10:07 am. Balance Beam Standings

1. Cassie Lee CAN 13.050
2. Ana Derek CRO 12.800
3. Zoja Szekely HUN 12.200
4. Emma Slevin IRL 11.700
5. Lucija Hribar SLO 11.650
6. Antonia Duta ROU 11.550
7. Rachael Riley CAN 10.750
8. Marlies Männersdorfer AUT 10.400

10:03 am. Antonia Duta ROU BB: Goes for a double wolf turn but hits her leg in the middle of the spin, lord. Stays on! Punch front, hands down and then falls. Bhs loso, slight adjustment. Switch ring, back leg isn’t there at all. Pretty solid jump series. Front aerial to split jump, not bad, split ring leap with sketchy form and a big wobble. Side somi, adjusts out of it. Double full, some leg form, but sticks it. 11.550 (4.9, 6.650)

10:00 am. Cassie Lee CAN BB: Double wolf turn, clean and solid. Side aerial loso, some knee form and her chest is a little off-center on the landing, but strong overall. Side somi, transverse split jump, sharp. Switch to switch half to split jump. 1.5 with a step forward. Really good! 13.050 (5.2, 7.850)

See, this E would have been lower than Rachael Riley’s E if you add back the two falls?! Idk why this is standing out to me more than other things and it’s not like it matters but it just seems REALLY bizarre.

9:56 am. Lucija Hribar SLO BB: Back handspring mount, nice. Side aerial to back handspring, lands it crooked and comes off. Front aerial, I missed something after that, full turn, hit a leap then a sissone to wolf jump, side somi, she’s doing really well after the fall. Split ring leap, some form in that but she’s really aggressive on it. Front layout with baby steps. 11.650 (4.9, 6.750)

9:53 am. Rachael Riley CAN BB: Bhs loso, slightly bent knees on both, but a solid series. Transverse split jump half into a straight jump full, nice connection! Split was pretty solid. Side aerial to split jump to straddle jump, neither jump is at 180, front aerial with a stumble and fall unfortunately. Illusion turn, low chest and grabs the beam when she finishes it, ultimately comes off again. Layout 1.5 dismount, small hop. 10.750 (4.8, 5.950)

A 5.950 E actually seems high…that would have given her the highest E score without the falls? Which, no.

9:49 am. Emma Slevin IRL BB: Layotu stepout mount was lovely. Bhs loso, slight check, switch leap to split jump, some foot form but strong overall on that series. Side somi, lands with her chest really far forward and has to take the fall, sadly. Transverse straight jump full. Side aerial, wobbled out of it, transverse split jump half, pretty solid split position, chest maybe a little low. Full turn. Tucked 1.5 dismount. 11.700 (5.0, 6.700)

9:46 am. Ana Derek CRO BB: Amazing amplitude on her bhs loso! She takes up the entire beam. Switch ring, a little iffy, but not bad. Switch half, check. Front aerial, side aerial, check on thel latter, a leap to wolf jump, switch leap, split leap to side somi with a big wobble there, and a gainer tuck to finish. Some little things on her leaps but overall they’re really strong and she worked the beam so well! 12.800 (5.0, 7.800)

9:42 am. Zoja Szekely HUN BB: Bhs loso looked good, small step back to steady the landing. Switch leap to wolf jump, solid. 1.5 wolf turn. Side somi with a little adjustment. Transverse split jump half. Front aerial, little break at the hips, side aerial, tiny adjustment, but overall she’s working it. Gainer full off the side of the beam, fun! 12.200 (4.5, 7.700)

9:39 am. Marlies Männersdorfer AUT BB: Slips on her punch front mount but stays on! Switch leap to split jump full, a little slow in the connection with a break at the hips at the end. Bhs loso, check there, and another check on her turn. Tour jeté half, big wobble there but I’ll give it to her, she’s fighting tooth and nail to stay on this beam…just gonna be a LOT of 0.3 deductions. Random cartwheel, wobbles into a couple of steps out of it. Gainer pike dismount with two little steps. 10.400 (3.9, 6.500)

9:38 am. Medal ceremony just finished! Onto beam.

9:30 am. Men’s Vault Standings

1. Andrey Medvedev ISR 14.800
2. Courtney Tulloch GBR 14.625
3. Felix Dolci CAN 14.425
4. Gabriel Burtanete ROU 14.375
5. William Emard CAN 13.875
6. Andrin Frey SUI 13.850
7. Ondrej Kalny CZE 13.750
8. Riley Loos USA 13.725

9:26 am. Andrey Medvedev ISR VT: Tsuk double pike, comes in for the landing like a dart, but his chest is really low and he ends up needing to take a big step to the side. Pike shape was nice in the air! 14.600 (5.6, 9.100, -0.1 ND)

Piked handspring double front, excellent landing! Knees were a tiny bit soft on the second flip, but easily the best vault of the meet regardless, tiny hop back. 15.000 (5.6, 9.400)!

14.800 average to take the gold!

9:23 am. Ondrej Kalny CZE VT: Throws a kaz double and it’s actually mostly strong, big leg separation coming onto the table, some knee form and leg separation in the air, gets it ALMOST around but lands with his legs awkwardly (one looked like it was crossed over the other) and is still in motion as he lands, crashes it. 13.250 (5.6, 7.950, -0.3 ND)

Shewfelt for his second vault, some ankle form and a big step to the side off the mat and OOB. 14.250 (5.2, 9.150, -0.1)

13.750 average.

9:20 am. Riley Loos USA VT: Handspring randi, ugh, block looked like it went straight up but not out, tries to whip it around but comes up short and crashes the landing. 13.200 (5.6, 7.900, -0.3 ND)

Kaz 1.5 is better, mostly clean in the air with a small bounce forward on the landing. 14.250 (5.2, 9.050)

13.725 average.

9:16 am. Andrin Frey SUI VT: Handspring double front, goes a little low but gets the distance…ends up low on the landing but no problems standing up out of it. Butt grazed maybe? Hard to see. 13.950 (5.2, 8.750)

Kaz 1.5 also goes low and long, deep landing again that he bounces back out of and then lunges to keep it upright. Mostly decent in the air, nothing too bad. 13.750 (5.2, 8.550)

13.850 average.

9:13 am. Gabriel Burtanete ROU VT: Kaz 1.5, his arm form on his twists is actually really bizarre to me? He’s mostly clean, a few little things at every stage of the vault but nothing severe. Not super controlled on the landing but not bad either. 14.400 (5.2, 9.200)

Handspring double front goes well, really not bad on his tuck form in the air, just comes in a bit deep. 14.350 (5.2, 9.150)

14.375 average.

9:10 am. William Emard CAN VT: Big and beautiful kaz 1.5! His form is absolutely BRILLIANT throughout. Maybe a hair short on the landing that causes him to take a step back but overall a fantastic start. 14.400 (5.2, 9.200)

Huge handspring double front, but ends up being a little too much power so he’s super forward on the landing and has to punch front out of it. His coach’s reaction is my reaction. 13.350 (5.2, 8.150)

13.875 average.

9:06 am. Felix Dolci CAN VT: Kaz double, pretty great! Legs are glued on and off the table, just pikes a little into his block. Really powerful, though, and is still rotating a bit when he lands. Big step to control it. 14.600 (5.6, 9.000)

Handspring double front for vault two, hyperextended on the landing, which is a theme of Koper, OOF. Doesn’t seem to affect him, though, just kinda jolts him for a second but he takes a step back. 14.250 (5.2, 9.050)

14.425 average.

9:03 am. Courtney Tulloch GBR VT: Handspring double front half-out, really strong! Gets it around with no problems, and just takes a big step back to steady the landing. Chest maybe a little low. 14.650 (5.6, 9.050)

Tsuk double pike for the second, big leg separation onto the table, comes off the table a little low and comes in REALLY deep on the landing, big step as well. 14.600 (5.6, 9.000)

14.625 average.

9:02 am. The competition is getting underway in just a minute! Courtney Tulloch up first on vault.