A post-Post!

Hello!

Here is my catch-up post about the finals day.  We are home now safe and sound but the story cannot go untold!

All of our girls had competed in the Open category which put them alongside the top athletes from around the world.   The top 8 in DMT went on to the final round.  In the final were 3 athletes from Portugal (Ana Simoes, Ana Robalo and Sylvia Saiote), 1 athlete from the Rebublic of South Africa (Bianca Budler), and all 4 of the girls from Canada's National Team (Kim Evans, Gillian Bruce, Julie, and Corissa).

It was an interesting final.  The format laid out had the announcers setting the pace with one athlete in the Open women's DMT,  followed by an U13 DMT athlete followed by a tumbler, then one of the trampolinists, then another trampolinist.  All before the next woman from Open DMT.  This meant 10-15 minute waits between routines and Corissa who was going last had to wait absolutely forever before even taking her first turn.

Julie went for her first routine and despite a bit of crookedness executed a nice HOT FFT.  This is a pass that she doesn't normally do but was perfect as an easier routine given her beaten up ankle.

Julie's second routine (HOS FOS) was fantastic and she lifted the dismount and stuck it dead.  Shortly afterwards I was signaled by people from 3 different countries in the stands that the DD judges had decided that Julie's HOS was not straight enough and had been considered piked.  They were even offering their cameras to me to help with requesting a review.  This cost 3.2 off her score and was a surprise.  After taking a second look it was ultimately decided that they were correct and Julie would have to rely on the beauty of her execution for her score.  Yay for stuck landings!

Corissa went last (as she was ranked 1st after prelims).  She was competing a HFT FOT and the mount was high and clean but a little long which resulted in a small struggle in the FOT.  Strong and confident though.

The final pass for Corissa was HFS FOS.  She was the only woman in the competition trying such a difficult mount and she found herself a little long and had to rush the dismount a bit but saved the routine without too much given away.

In the end Julie and Corissa tied for 1st and were only separated by the tie breaking rules.  Both had pulled through and had trained and competed with great aplomb especially considering that as of the Friday before we had not even been sure that either of them would be able to travel.  Amazing heart and effort.

This day was also, finally, Bianca's chance to tumble!  She found herself competing against only 3 girls but all were very competent.  She found the experience inspiring and came away ready to train bigger and better routines like the girls she was competing against.  Her tumbling was long and strong and she debuted her new 3 Back fulls pass without a problem.  Way to go!  Ironically Bianca actually earned some prize money for her eventual 3rd rank placing (as did Julie and Corissa).  When I asked her what she was going to do with it she immediately replied that it was going to her mother to help pay for the trip.  Wise girl.

That evening we decided to forgo the banquet and, instead, had a nice dinner back at the resort.  It was great and we enjoyed a low key evening before heading to bed for some rest before our vacationing day at the aquarium and the beach.

What a great trip and what a great team.  I am lucky to be working with them and we were all incredibly happy to have Marthe as team manager and judge.  She was an enormous help and we would not have been able to have the girls travel without her.

Thanks everyone!

Jamie