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1999 World Championship Trials - Women

Melbourne Sports & Entertainment Centre
20-21 Aug, 1999

Day One
Rotation One
Tam Le fell on her Jaeger release on UB for 8.35. Melinda Cleland and Zeena McLaughlin had major stumbles on their vaults, for 9.175 and 8.912 respectively. Brooke O'Brien, despite landing her handspring front layouts well in the warm up and in Thursday's podium training, landed both her attemps virtually on her back, scoring 8.137. Lisa Skinner of Qld took an extra swing on UB after her release. Solid routines were produced on UB by Allana Slater (9.650) and Jenny Smith (9.500); and on Vault by Brooke Walker (9.187) and Trudy McIntosh (9.45) who performed the Handspring front layout full for the first time, with a couple of landing errors.

Rotation Two Heidi Piccardi fell on her front on beam and didn't get her double twisting gainer all way round but somehow still scored 9.150. Slater was solid on beam (9.575) as was Cleland on UB (9.55). Smith had a silly fall off BB, and a simplified dismount of layout brought her score down to 8.150. Le had a few shakes in her jump half turn to split handstand on beam, but still got great applause from the crowd (8.975). McIntosh had great bars: caught her Gienger and stuck the landing for 9.550. Rotation Three Cleland took a few steps on her landing off BB for 9.35. Alexandra Croak had a beautiful bars set, including Kim, Lu Li and Gienger releases, and a double barani dismount (9.275 from 9.6 SV). On Floor, Slater fell on her double twist front (9.025), while Le sat down her 2 1/2 twist punch front (7.8) and Piccardi sat down her double pike and went OOB on her 1 1/2 twist punch front (7.925 from 9.3 SV). O'Brien's woes continued on beam where two falls (leap series and acro series) brought her score down to 8.200. Right, Zeena McLaughlin from Victoria placed 6th AA after the first day's competition

Rotation Four
Skinner sat down her first vault (1.5 twisting Yurchenko) but averaged 9.100 whereas Smith produced two solid vaults for 9.45. On the beam, Jacqui Dunn fell on her ff Onodi series, scoring 8.65. O'Brien's day didn't get any better on FX where she sat down her double pike (8.725). McLaughlin had two feet go OOB on her third pass and only just managed to pull her triple twist around for 9.225. McIntosh, despite training a punch layout front out of her 1 1/2 twist decided not to use it, yet did a great double layout but fell on her last pass (full in) for 9.325. Walker put her hands down on her double pike tp post her only score below 9 (8.850).

Results after Day One
1. Trudy McIntosh 38.000
2. Lisa Skinner 37.725
3. Melinda Cleland 37.650
4. Allana Slater 37.200
5. Brooke Walker 37.037
6. Zeena McLaughlin 37.012

Day Two
Rotation One
The first gymnast up was McIntosh on Bars, who fell on her Gienger release for 8.150. Skinner on BB fell on her ff layout series but still managed 9.175. The woes of the leaders continued, when Cleland lost one arm in her transition to the low bar after catching her Jaeger akwardly, and had a nasty looking fall (9.050). Le had a great beam set, despite a slighly underdone dismount for 9.45. Slater was equally impressive on BB for 9.500. With no fall, McLaughlin scored 8.525 on UB - something mustn't have been paid, I'm not sure.

Rotation Two
McLaughlin fell on her front on BB (9.00). Lisa Skinner, using new, interesting music with choreography to match went OOB on her 2nd pass, but did an absolutely gorgeous triple pivot to switch leap Shushunova (9.400). Croak again pulled off her Kim on bars, but took a couple of steps on her landing for 9.175. As she did in the Aus vs Esp competition in June, Cleland had to stop in the middle of her leap series, losing vaulable bonus points (9.200). Slater and Smith were both solid on FX (9.700 and 9.475 respectively), although I cannot say I like Jenny's music much. I also think her wrist guards really spoil her dance work on FX adn BB. McIntosh was solid as usual on BB (9.65) despite small wavers on her full turn and on her acro series.

Rotation Three O'Brien pulled herself together from her disappointing performance yesterday to perform well on FX for 9.350. Slater produced a clean set of piked Cuervos for 9.10, an improvement upon yesterdays score (8.95). Liz Wong did a lovely BB exercise characterised by a high RO layout series and stuck double tuck dismount for 9.550. Cleland went OOB on her first pass on FX (8.725) and Walker had a low landing on her first pass and possibly went OOB (9.200). On Vault, Skinner opted today for a pair of Hristakievas, for 9.337. Smith produced two high vaults, both with landing errors, averaging 9.525. McIntosh collapsed into tears after landing her full in on her behind and OOB on FX. Her routine was absolutely perfect until those last few seconds. Her score, 9.125. McLaughlin did not punch front out of her 2 1/2 twist as she ususally does and again struggled to get her triple twist fully round (9.125). Rotation Four Tensions were high in the final rotation, as the leader board had been going up and down with all the mistakes that were being made. Piccardi fell twice on bars (7.550). Cleland fell back on her first vault (average 9.050) and was visibly very upset. Walker ( pictured left) put her hands down on her first vault and lunged fwd on her second attempt for 8.925. Smith had a disaster on bars, with two breaks and a fall on her Gienger (7.475). In contrast, Skinner performed her UB set beautifully for 9.650.

Slater gave the crowd a heart attack as she slipped off the low bar as she regrasped her pak salto (8.50). Croak performed a lovely Floor exercise that included a double arabian and a double pike (9.400). McLaughlin sat down her first vault and averaged 9.137. O'Brien opted for a pair of handspring front pikes today and performed them well to score 9.150.

Final scores for the top seven are as follows:
1. Lisa Skinner (QLD) - 75.287
2. Trudy McIntosh (VIC) - 74.700
3. Allana Slater (WA) - 74.300
4. Brooke Walker (VIC) - 73.812
5. Melinda Cleland (VIC) - 73.675
6. Alexandra Croak (AIS) - 73.362
7. Zeena McLaughlin (VIC) - 72.799