Miss Aly Raisman, the most decorated American in London and the Olympic champ on floor.

She used to be called "my mini-me" by Alicia Sacramone and then she became one of the most consistent gymnasts in the United States. She clinched team gold for the Fierce Five  in London with a clutch performance on floor. That routine featured some of her trademark INSANE tumbling. She's back in the gym and ready to return to competition later this year.  We discuss:

• If she's still on track to be back for Classics in Chicago.
• Bars, bars and bars, yes, she talks about her love/hate relationship with bars.
• Her advice about handling pressure (because she's so freakin' good at it!)
• Crazy skills she's been working on. Kenzo look out!
• What helped her improve her flexibility and toe point last year.
• What happened with Jordyn in the training room when Aly advanced to all-around finals without her.
• How her relationship with coaches Mihai and Silvia Brestyan has changed since the Olympics.
• Her thoughts on the Chinese age controversy in Antwerp.
• How she deals with fear, even when Miahi calls her a chicken!

Aly's Twitter and Facebook 

• 63: Doctor Larry Nassar
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• Episode 39: Victoria Moors
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches

In the news, Jessica, Uncle Tim, and Evan Heiter chat about:

• Screaming women losing their minds at the Winter Cup
• Anthony Macullum - the JayZ of double layouts
• Dannel Leyva failing to make the national team
• Is the Olympic Training Center the next great gymnastics "club?"
• Why The Nastia Liukin Cup is one of the best all-around events in the biz (Kyle Shewfelt's meet where the judges wore clown outfits was tied before it was retired)
• American Cup preview - our picks for winners and cool skills
• Gabby Douglas and UCLA get a fantastic new coach in technical phenom, Dominic Palange.
• This week's NCAA 10's: Illinois's Amber See on vault, Sydney Sawa on Floor and controversy over score escalation at the Perfect 10 Challenge in Oklahoma.

And here are the latest news stories from around the gymternet:

• Louis Smith and Dan Keating back in the saddle!
• Shawn Johnson having trouble being critical as a commentator
• Nastia explains why Russians don't smile
• Unrest in Ukraine disrupts gymnastics
• Jess's Rage-o-Meter strikes again

How to Watch the American Cup! Set your DVRs for Saturday, March 1 on NBC TV from 1-3pm ET. You can also watch online before the broadcast starts from 11:30-1pm ET. Podium training will start on Feb, 27 at 10:30am ET online at www.ATTAmericanCup.com Save Temple Men's Gymnastics BUY THIS CALENDAR! Bri Guy tears both achillies at the same time. Masters (adult, 18+) Gymnastics Meets!

• 2014 British Vets Championships will take place at the home of British Gymnastics, Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Newport, Shropshire, on the 1st November. Info here.
• World Masters Gymnastics Championship in Oakville Gymnastics Club in Oakville, Ontario on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Info here.

USAG NCAA weekly update

• Gym Nerd Poll: The 2014 American Cup
• Quick Hits: 2014 Winter Cup Challenge – Finals
• Catching up with John Orozco at the 2014 Winter Cup Challenge
• 2014 Winter Cup: Chris Brooks on Broken Bones, Blaniks, and Rio
• Catching up with Jake Dalton at the 2014 Winter Cup Challenge
• • 72: John Orozco
  • Episode 35: Jake Dalton
  • Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men’s NCAA Championships
  • Episode 13: Justin Spring
  • Episode 7: Ruggeri, FIG Elections, Geddert on Goodbyes & Halloween Costumes Ideas

Find our episode playlist here

This week Jessica and Lauren Hopkins from The Couch Gymnast chat about:

• The 5th annual Nastia Liukin Cup: pink, roses, great level 10s and no ties!
• Márta Karolyi commentating live during the Nastia Cup broadcast! SQUEAL!
• Elizabeth "Ebee" "Consistency "Price winning by almost 3 points.
• The solution for Orozco's mental game--we are sending him to Texas Dreams.
• American Cup a preview of World floor podium? Ferrari, Ebee and Moors?
• Why Moors' coach,Elvira Saadi, should always carry a spare leotard.
• NBC broadcast commentary, including, "She doesn't look very Japanese."
• Why John Macready should have his own game show for kids.
• The level of difficulty for the women at the American Cup versus NCAA.
• TV etiquette for gymnastics fans. Shame on you parents of North Carolina!

Coming soon our website, Christy Linder's In The Arena: a photo essay from The American Cup. 

March gym nerd contest: Enter our #gymitation contest by imitating your favorite gymnast. Just post a photo or video doing a pose, skill or impression of a gymnast. Tell us who you are imitating, tag us and include the hashtag #gymitation. We'll pick our favorites to win one of these fantastic four prizes!

Here are the latest news stories we discussed from around the gymternet:

• The Houston Chronicle reports that Simone Biles and Coach Aimee Boorman have left Bannon’s Gymnastix.
• Oklahoma Men’s alumni have an acrobatic network at Disney World in Florida.
• The dream team grows! Oleg Stepko is set to compete for Azerbijan.
• Rebecca Tunney debuts a Church to Bhardwaj at the Welsh Open.
• The Michigan’s Men’s team are training in PUERTO RICO for spring break!

2014 Nastia Liukin Cup

2014 American Cup 

American Cup full results.

Kayla Williams reasons for leaving her home gym after becoming World Champion.  

• 13 Awesome Photos from Podium Training at the 2014 American Cup
• 79: Winter Cup AKA The Screaming Gym Moms Championships
• Gym Nerd Poll: The 2014 American Cup
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama's Sarah Patterson
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• 72: John Orozco

The pink and black leos from the Nastia Cup. 

Jenny Hansen (R) with her coach Randy Lane.

Jenny Hansen is here! Follow her on Instagram as you listen this week and you'll be giggling along with us. The Wisconsin native attended the University Kentucky where she won three consecutive NCAA All-Around Championship titles between1993 and 1995. She is the only person to ever win three straight All-Around titles. Jen won a total of eight national titles. She accomplished all of this while competing as an individual, without a team to set up her scores at NCAA Championships. Then 14 years after her career ended, Make It Or Break It pulled Jen right back into gymnastics when she started doing stunts for the show. In 2011, she went elite again at age 37. We discuss:

• Why you should never drink before taking a backflip bet while wearing steel toe boots
• The sport that drew her to the University of Kentucky (Hint, it involves Fascinators).
• Why she stayed away from elite gymnastics in her youth, but not as a adult.
• The importance of fans when competing as an individual.
• The ways in which trampoline can save your life.
• How to describe your athletic lifestyle on blind dates when you are a stunt woman/gymnast/acrobat/horseback rider.

Jenny on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

38 year-old Jenny Hansen’s Beam Routine From The Final Elite Qualifier

“I want to inspire…show there can be longevity in gymnastics” – new Jenny Hansen Interview

37-year-old Jen Hansen Says That Her Comeback Isn’t Over Yet

Killing Age Stereotypes: 40 Adult Gymnasts to Follow to London 2012

• Episode 2: Age of Olympians Increases, Daggett on Kindness
• Episode 15: Joan Ryan Author of Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 27: Tricia Woo - An Artistic Gymnast Finds Her Home in the Circus
• Episode 26.5: Jenny Hansen, Casey Jo Magee and Anna Li with an Announcement!

Jenny Hansen on the cover on International Gymnast Magazine after winning her third NCAA AA title in a row.

In the news, Jessica, Uncle Tim, Lauren Hopkins U.S. editor at The Couch Gymnast chat about:

• Norah Flatley, the best thing out of Iowa since Chow landed, is going to Jesolo!
• The Australian gymnasts have been released from gymnastics prison! We like Georgia Godwin.
• Low scores, fulls on beam and clean gymnastics at Cottbus.
• Rodionova, Scheder or Komova -who will be the new queen of the inbar stalder?
• Princess Catherine Lyons of Europa teaches us how to salute
• Broken floor plates, vault mastery and Louis Smith at the English Championships.
• The 30 year-old swan of Chilean gymnastics, Ochoda ballet's it up on floor.
• Danusia gets a 10 on beam with her insanely difficulty dismount.

GYMITATION CONTEST: Enter our #gymitation contest by imitating your favorite gymnast. Just take a photo or video of you doing a pose, skill or impression of a gymnast. Tell us who you are imitating, tag us and include the hashtag #gymitation. We’ll pick our favorites to win one of these fantastic four prizes! Check them out here.

No show is complete without discussion of the latest news stories from around the gymternet:

• Shawn Johnson in the running for The Celebrity Apprentice
• Our favorite commentators from the Big 10 Network
• Alicia Sacramone marries her longtime love.
• Kalon Ludvingson is on the mend and looking great.
• Greg Marsden throws a fit about seeding and he's kind of right.
• Beth Tweddle robbed of Dancing on Ice win.

• Safe for Athletes survey.
• Lisa Mason on Instagram

• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price
• Episode 10 : Greg Marsden
• Episode 4: Louis Smith, Spanny's Athlete Oath, Making Men's Gymnastics More Popular
• Episode 26: Ivana Hong
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• Episode 47: Justen Millerbernd,Tumbling and Kalon

Gymitation Contest entries so far! Two weeks left!

Louis Smith in his Union Jack shorts at English Championships

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University of Georgia head coach, Danna Durante.

This week's guest is Danna Durante (née Danna Lister). She grew up as an elite gymnast in Oklahoma. After the 1988 Olympic Trials she went on to a successful career at Arizona State where she scored 5 perfect 10's, then became a judge and college coach. She had a very rocky start at the University of Georgia. It was easy to see that the team was still loyal to outgoing coach Jay Clarke and reluctant to embrace a new head coach. But in her first year, she lead Georgia to their first NCAA Championship final in four years. Entering her second year at Georgia, we discuss:

• If she will be wearing sequence gowns and heels like her predecessor Suzanne Yoculan.
• Lindsey Cheek's vault - fans want it to get a 10 already for crying out loud!
• Collaborating on choreography with Georgia alum, Cassidy McComb 
• How she got her very divided, Jay Clarke devoted team on board when she took over.
• If former head coach Yoculan gives her advice or
• Creating a welcoming environment for both atheist, agnostic and religious student-athletes.
• How she determines when to push the difficulty level with athletes like Brandi Jay who's doing a full-out on floor.
• How her college boyfriend made a gym-fantasy marriage proposal come true.
• Making a gymnastics coach marriage work.

Danna Durante on Twitter.

The 2014 GymDog show.

Danna Durante (Lister) 1988 Olympic Trials article and results.

• Episode 27: Tricia Woo - An Artistic Gymnast Finds Her Home in the Circus
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama's Sarah Patterson
• 81: Jenny Hansen
• 70: The 2014 NCAA Season Has Begun!
• Episode 10 : Greg Marsden
• Classic Episode - UCLA's Miss Val

Danna Lister in her college days at ASU

British all-around Champions, Rebecca Tunney and Max Whitlock. Why is his cup so much bigger than hers?!

In the news, Jess, Blythe, and Emma chat about:

• Would dismounting onto a bed of nails be punishment enough for this coach?
• After his domination at Doha, could Epke Zonderland take over p-bars next?
• The return of Australian Floor World Champ, Lauren Mitchell at Doha.
• Our new and veteran favorites from the British Championships.
• Princess Catherine of Europa - was her leo created with the metal from an actual crown?
• Our picks for Commonwealth and European Championships teams.
• Can Azerbeijan grow their imported team into a sustainable future?
• All the British gymnasts we want to come to the US to do NCAA gymnastics.

To see all four of our Gymitation contest winners go to our website here.  Prizes are first come, first serve. E-mail us at gymcastic@gmail.com to claim your prize. 

Someone recruit this girl to NCAA stat! We can't get enough of Laura Mitchell from Heathrow Gymnastics in London. She is fierce on beam. Here is her maniac beam mount.

• April Fool's Day Show 85: John Roethlisberger & Justin Spring on 2015 FIG Rules
• April Fool's Day Show 2013 Episode 26.5: Jenny Hansen, Casey Jo Magee and Anna Li with an Announcement!
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!
• Episode 55: Worlds Wrap Up & Ferlito-Gate
• Episode 54: Event Finals Recap from 2013 World Championships
• Episode 53: All Around Finals Recap from Antwerp World Championships
• Episode 52: Triumph & Heartbreak Prelims Recap from Antwerp Worlds
• Episode 51: Podium Training Report From Antwerp
• Episode 50: 2013 Antwerp World Championship Preview

An all-interview episode with 1988 Olympic alternate at the Seoul Games and Florida head-coach, Rhonda Faehn. She is a super gym-nerd, just like us. We discuss:

• Competing at World Championships with no ligaments left in her ankle.
• The pile of injuries that led to her injury-retirement from UCLA.
• How she met her super-hot, French, tennis coach husband at Florida.
• What was Rhonda thinking as her team made uncharacteristic falls at Regionals.
• What it was like living away from home with Phoebe Mills and then the Kristie Phillips family.
• Being a Karolyi Kid; one of the first crop of gymnasts to train with Nadia's coaches when they first came to the US.
• If there were any perks, like extra leo sparkles for becoming national champions.

Mackenzie Caquatto won a silver medal with the US team at the Rotterdam World Championships in 2010. Then she became a key player at the University of Florida and led the Gators to their first ever, national championship.

• Can having a boyfriend actually improve a girl's gymnastics?
• Choosing artistic gymnastics over rhythmic gymnastics.
• The injury that ended her elite career and landed her in a wheelchair two years in a row.
• How college improved her consistency and confidence on beam.
• How her elite coaches and college coaches worked together to help her reach her goals to compete for the US.
• Her suggestions for improving the team dynamic in elite gymnastics to improve the confidence and experience of elite gymnasts.

Announcement! The first ever GymCastic Meet-up is happening at the NCAA Championships. Come join us for a drinky-poo and gym-nerd out with your people!

When: 3:30-4:30 on Saturday, April 19th before Super-Six Finals.

Where: Todd English Pub, right behind the parking structure at BJCC arena.  It’s only a three minute walk to the meet from here. The address is: 2221 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203.

• Episode 18: Bridget Sloan
• 83: University of Georgia Head Coach Danna Durante
• 75: Classic Episode - UCLA's Miss Val
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama's Sarah Patterson
• Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall & The American Cup

 Check out Rhonda and Macko in action in this week's playlist here. 

Oklahoma sophomore, Haley Scaman (L), co-national champions Oklahoma and Florida, Florida senior Mackenzie Caquatto embraces Alaina Johnson (R). 

In the news, Jess, Uncle Tim, and Spencer from our absolute, hands-down favorite NCAA gymnastics analysis website, The Balance Beam Situation, chat about :

• The Ljubljana World Cup - the return of Ana Pavlova with a win on bars, Danny Pinheiro-Rodrigues with his light as a feather-stiff as a board inspired, super-human skill on rings and Mr. Oleg Verniaiev winning two events.
• The Korea Meet - Louis Smith beat Krisztian Berki (woah!), Brandon Wynn gold, Yang "The God of Vault" Hak Seon debuted a new vault and why Olivia Vivian and John Orozco should be on Dancing With The Stars.
• Komova's latest injury and Ferlitto is forced to pull out of Euros.
• Romania vs. Belgium vs. France -  Iordache won everything, Diana Bulimar impresses in her comeback and we fall in love with a buttery french chocolate- eclair of a routine from France's Loan His.
• Jessica gives us a behind the scenes and hotel bar report from NCAA Championships!
• Home Court Advantage: Is it really possible to have a "neutral site" host the meet?
• Scoring: The results of Spencer's analysis from NCAA's compared to the regular season and previous seasons. Was it higher or lower than regular season on each event? You'll find out why Jessica had to scream until she lost her voice.
• The most ROBBED gymnasts of the meet.
• Our favorite individuals and event specialists: Kalliah McCartney, Marie Case, Alexis Gunzelman, Lindsay "Precision" Mabel, Hannah Norquist, Chayse Capps, and gymternet heartthrob Katherine Grable.
• The painfully long wait Oklahoma had to endure before finding out they had won the first ever NCAA Championship.
• Brandi Jay's accidental double twisting yurchenko.
• The Senior Curse: how the NCAA time-line effects performance.

The Balance Bean Situation - the best NCAA analysis.

Tons of videos from the floor at NCAA Championships on our Instagram.

Rewriting Russian Gymnastics on Komova's injury.

University of Oklahoma Women's Gymnastics site.

University of Florida Women's Gymnastics site.

Carlotta Ferlito on the illness taking her out of Euros.

• 88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• Gym Nerd Poll: The 2014 NCAA Gymnastics Championships
• 87: NCAA Regionals, Russian Nationals & Miss Lloimincia Hall is discovered
• 83: University of Georgia Head Coach Danna Durante
• The Most Annoying People To Watch Gymnastics With

University of Oklahoma had a painfully long wait while everyone scrambled to find out if there was a tie-breaker. 

Video Playlist here. 

World Cup Series Champion, Elizabeth Price has chosen to attend Stanford university rather than contend for a world title in the fall. Photo by Christy Linder.

In the news, Uncle Tim, Evan, and Jess chat about:

• Elizabeth Price's decision to retire from the national team in order to go to Stanford.
• The unprecedented 7th national title with a low for Kohei Uchimura.
• Chinese women's National Championships; mature choreography; Yao Jinnan's 7.0 bar routine; beam star, Bai "The Blue Finch" Yawen; Huang Huidan's bar dismount!
• Thi Ha Thanh Phan showing she's not just a vault worker at the Osijek World Cup, and Brazil debuts floor cosmonaut-tumbler, Angelo Dias de Assumpção.
• Is it fair that both an Arabian double pike is an E and an Arabian double pike ½ out is an E, or should the half turn have a greater value?
• FIG stepping in to fund Ukraine's trip to the European Championships.
• Louis Smith MBE is not happy about being off the Euro team and lets everyone know about it. Can British Gymnastics improve their intra-team communication?
• Our favorite champions from the level 10, JO National Championships, including Alicia Boren's hot FX and Olivia Karas stuck-like-a-mutha vault.

Then we discuss the latest news stories from around the gymternet:

• Louis Smith, Luke Carson and Theo Seager comment on the European Team selection.
• As Spanny reported months ago on this very show, Shawn Johnson WILL be on The Celebrity Apprentice next season.
• New Super Awesome Choreographer alert! Gina Starbuck, watch this and tell us which gymnast is best suited for her style.
• The similarities between coach Aimee Boorman and Simone Biles and the way Aliya Mustafina and her coach, Raisa Ganina work together.
• The latest McKayla Maroney interview gives us more details on her extremely serious leg injury on tour.
• How will gay and female fans be treated at the Doha World Championships in 2018?

Spanny Tampson recaps The Sarah and Suzanne show and NADIA the movie! Uncle Tim and Jessica weigh-in over at The Couch Gymnast for Love it or Hate it? The Non-Ballet Routine.

• Episode 17: Growing Up In The Soviet Gymnastics System And Training At Round Lake
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price
• 80: 2014 American Cup: Recap & Photo Essay
• Episode 35: Jake Dalton
• Episode 25: Fan Ye

Gymnast Yan Mingyong releases early wedding photos of himself and his wife Ma Qiujing via his Weibo account on Thursday, May 8, 2014.[/caption] Gymnast Yan Mingyong & former trampolinist Ma Qiujing tied the knot in style! Do any of you have gymnastics wedding, prom, engagement photos like these? Share them with us!  We want to see! More photos: buff.ly/1uNkYSf

Weekly YouTube playlist can be found  here.

Catherine Lyons, 2014 European Junior Floor Champion.

This week, London Olympian Jennifer Pinches joins Uncle Tim and Jessica to chat about:

• Russian great, Anna Pavlova returns to competition for Azerbaijan with a medal!
• Uncle Tim reveals sexy data hidden in the results from the meet, including the surprise of team Germany beating everyone on one event.
• The new floor artistry rules are in place, but did floor champion Ferrari comply?
• The incredible rise of the British junior and seniors teams with crowd pleasing and incredibly difficult, artistic gymnastics.
• Queen Mustafina and Iordache show their true depth and consistency of Romania and Russia, year after year.
• Why Jessica is outraged that Romania's Larisa Iordache placed second on balance beam despite seemingly superior execution.
• The impressive, new senior Maria Kharenkova of Russia who rocked a shoulder height two-foot layout on beam and demonstrated a mature attitude.
• We award the first ever, Prize for Execution for highest execution score in the all-around to Princess Catherine Lyons of Europa.
• Roxanna Popa is a friend to all and everyone is her fan.
• The Slinky Pink Panther routine from Marta Pihan-Kulesza of Poland that we can't get enough of.
• All-around silver medalist, Laura Jurca (ROM) does "The Swim" on beam, we weigh in, smart move or too campy (see gif below)?

Here are the latest news stories that we discuss in depth:

• Shannon Miller “I would get death threats at the age of 15."
• Jake Dalton is  now married *cue weeping sounds worldwide*
• Ksenia Afanasyeva talks about her ankle surgeries.
• Danell Leyva has a 7.3 D on high bar!
• Spain's (University of Florida) Silvia Colussi-Pelaez, is transferring to Oregon State this fall.
• Lloimincia Hall selected for Nike Internship.
• Kenzo posted a video of his yurchenko 3.5!!
• Our solutions for City of Liverpool gymnastics club closure.

• 89: Everybody Loves Raymond! Pacific Rim, Men's NCAA Championships, plus a Russian Championships/Tokyo World Cup recap DO OVER!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 80: 2014 American Cup: Recap & Photo Essay
• 64: Glasgow World Cup & NCAA 2014 Previews
• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• Episode 19: Andreea Raducan

Laura Jurca (ROM) doing "The Swim" on beam. Claudia Fragapane, superhero.

Watch our playlist as you listen! Watch here. 

Blythe and Jessica talk to Emma Bailey direct from the hallway of her hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria at the Women's European Championships about:

• The great Soviet Pink Panther routine by  Elena Shevchenko (USSR) vs. the new Pink Panther performed by Marta Pihan-Kulesza (POL).
• The red carpet, the banquet dances, and other cool stuff the organizers did.
• Could Sandra Izbasa return for Rio?
• Diana Bulimar, the unsung hero and backbone of the Romanian team.
• Teams on the rise and lesser known fan-favorites; Noemi Makra (HUN), Claire Martin (FRA), Emma Larson (SWE), Gaelle Mys (BEL), Lisa Top (NED)
• Emma gives her impression of the once great Ukrainian women's program.
• Are there too many World Cups schedule, without sufficient time to rest before the European Championships?
• And finally, high bar Olympic medalist Krasimir Dunev proves he is freakin' cool as hell.

Emma's YouTube Channel has some videos of fan favorites not captured on the broadcasts. Leotard series postcards (leocards) and prints by Meg. Buy them here. 2014 European Gymnastics Championships site.

• 94: Women's European Championships Part One!
• 89: Everybody Loves Raymond! Pacific Rim, Men’s NCAA Championships, plus a Russian Championships/Tokyo World Cup recap DO OVER!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 80: 2014 American Cup: Recap & Photo Essay
• 64: Glasgow World Cup & NCAA 2014 Previews
• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• Episode 19: Andreea Raducan

Insert YouTube play list here.

World Champion, Lauren Mitchell, back on beam at the 2014 Australian National Championships.

She has been named to the Commonwealth Team for Scotland later this summer.

In the news, Uncle Tim, Brigid head honcho at The Couch Gymnast, Evan, and Jessica chat about:

• Bela Karolyi style scratch-and-petition-nastics at Australian National Championships and the Godwin Factor for Commonwealth Games team.
• The Russian men dominate with gorgeous, clean, high flying skills at European Championships while Ukraine earns a spot on the podium despite war at home and neck tattoos.
• Max Whitlock beats Krisztian Berki on pommel horse!
• Fabian Hambuechen had a scary fall, did Epke Zonderland's hair cut help his high bar form, and  should Mr. Alexander Shatilov have won the Mr. Sofia title?
• Mtv Germany has a shirtless gymnastics video shoot that we investigate like Grandi at a rhythmic judging exam.
• The shinning hope for Australia after a dark time, Larissa Miller of tribe Uneven Bars.

We get to the bottom of the top news stories from around the gymternet :

• Anna Pavlova's fall out of the show and down the stairs
• THIS KID! Emmy doing the most adorable routine we've ever seen. 
• New skills submitted for evaluation at the European Championships
• Updates from The Ranch: Laurie Hernandez, MyKayla Skinner and Maggie Nichols
• Steve Butcher, Men’s Tech Committee Chair , sounding reasonable.

Pre-sale tickets for 2015 World Championships in Glasgow are on sale here. Full results from the 2014 Australian National Championships here 

• 95: WAG European Championships Part Two -- Lesser Known Stars and a Behind The Scenes Report
• 94: Women's European Championships Part One!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!

Igor Radivilov's neck tattoo.

2014 Australian All-Around Champion, Georgia Godwin of Queensland.  Click on this Post

by Gym Qld WAG High Performance Centre to watch the video of her beam routine that Jessica references in this episode. 

In the news, Uncle Tim and Jess chat about:

• The star of Portugal, Filipa Martin winning a medal on floor while Jessica Lopez just keeps getting better every year.
• Which gymnast would be capable of much more if she were training elsewhere?
• We pick our beam songs and discuss the horrors of background techno.
• The correct moment to pick a wedgie if the television cameras are watching.
• If we’ll ever get this whole difficulty world record thing going in artistic.
• Is the call for a ban of the Produnova vault is just sexism?
• Could Ellie Black contend for a medal on balance beam at Worlds in China?
• Trampolinist, Karen Cockburn placed third at Canadian Nationals, proving once and for all that any woman can go back to adult gymnastics after giving birth.
• The Enrique Tomás González, Eddie Penev, Sam Mikulak epic showdown on floor exercise at the Anandia World Cup.

And here are the latest news stories from around the gymternet discussed this week:

• TUMBLE! A new gymnastics show coming to BBC, featuring Louis Smith, Beth Tweddle and Nadia!
• Uncle Tim quizzes Jessica on: What’s Your Country’s Weakest Event
• Belu is threatening to leave the Romanian gymnastics team for the 700th time.
• The awesomeness of Rachel Gowey and Alyssa Baumann.
• Gabby Douglas and Mary Lou Retton's daughter, McKenna Kelley, are at the Ranch training together.
• University of Florida student charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault for pointing an Airsoft-style rifle at Mackenzie Caquatto and Marissa King.

• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men's NCAA Championships
• Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall & The American Cup
• Episode 40: Michigan's Stacey Ervin
• Episode 39: Victoria Moors
• Episode 54: Event Finals Recap from 2013 World Championships
• 79: Winter Cup AKA The Screaming Gym Moms Championships
• 96: Australian Nationals & Men’s European Championships

Gymnastics Moustaches for Movember - featuring Mr. Enrique Tomás González

Watch the full broadcast of the Anandia World Cup here.

Follow along as you listen by watching our YouTube playlist for this epiosode here. 

Eddie Penev competing for Bulgaria at the 2010 World Championships in Rotterdam.

The US is lucky enough to have a World floor finalist, Stanford alum and Nissen-Emery Award winnerEddie Penev back on their team. With dual-citizenship, he used to compete for Bulgaria but now he's alllll ours again.  He just won floor and vault at Anadia and has basically has every skill in the book on floor. This week he chats with Blythe and Jessica. We discuss:

• Why he switched from Bulgaria to the United States even though the US is so much more competitive and will be harder for him to make a World team.
• What he learned from teammate Jordan Jovtchev.
• Standardizing equipment for international competitions.
• The current state of Bulgarian gymnastics.
• The biggest party animals and goofballs on the US men's team.
• Growing up in New York with gymnastics parents.
• How he can help the US with our pommel horse deficit.
• Presentation and artistry work at US training camps.

Remember to call in and leave a voicemail question or topic for debate on the GymCastic hotline for our 100th episode. 

• 97: Anadia World Cup & Canadian Nationals
• Episode 35: Jake Dalton
• Episode 24: Sho Nakamori & Match-Play Meet Debrief with Justin Spring
• Episode 55: Worlds Wrap Up & Ferlito-Gate
• Episode 54: Event Finals Recap from 2013 World Championships
• Episode 53: All Around Finals Recap from Antwerp World Championships
• Episode 52: Triumph & Heartbreak Prelims Recap from Antwerp Worlds
• 72: John Orozco
• Episode 40: Michigan's Stacey Ervin
• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men's NCAA Championships
• Episode 21: Kyle Shewfelt

Watch this week's YouTube playlist here. 

Princess Catherine Lyons and her coach, former international elite, Rochelle Douglas have been together since Catherine was six!

Princess Catherine Lyons of Europa and her coach, former international elite gymnast, Rochelle Douglas, are here! We noticed these two in the very popular YouTube series called Team Sparkle. Princess Catherine is known for her exquisite form, her elegance, her uncommon maturity, making audiences cry with her expressive melancholy and angst-filled modern dance choreography. She's on a major winning streak, in 2012 she won the all-around at the  British Espoir Championships; in 2013 she swept it, winning all-around and all four event finals; and this year she’s won gold on floor in every meet she entered, including the English Championships and British Championships; and finally she capped off the year by becoming the 2014 Junior European Floor Exercise Champion where she helped the British team take silver. At Euros she also had the highest Execution score of any junior. And you know how we LOVE that. We have her coach, Rochelle Douglas, to thank for this. Rochelle was an International gymnast from 1994 to 2000 and competed at European and World Championships along with Lisa Mason and Holly Murdoch, only just missing out on the 2000 Olympics.  She’s passionate about building truly artistisc gymnasts and getting them to the highest level. We discuss:

• Achieving such a high level of artistry and execution at such a young age.
• The story behind Princess Catherine's floor routine and choreography.
• Why having puppy feet can be an adjustment, even for an artistic master.
• A typical day in the life of Miss Lyons and her coach who has two jobs!
• Why Catherine likes danger and how she mastered her switch split mount.
• Creating confidence and commitment to performance in young gymnasts.
• Keeping judges attention and drawing them into a routine.
• How Rochelle handled the disappointment of not making the 2000 Olympic team.
• Shenanigans that Rochelle and teammate, Lisa Mason, got into in their elite days.
• Steps the British program has taken to improve their results since Rochelle was competing.
• What happens at the Lilleshall National Training Centre training camps and what makes Amanda Reddin a special kind of leader.
• What Princess Catherine and her coach think of her nickname.

Full slide show of Rochelle and Catherine since the very beginning on our site here. 

Catherine Lyons on Twitter Rochelle Douglas on Twitter Europa Gymnastics Centre website.

• 94: Women’s European Championships Part One!
• 89: Everybody Loves Raymond! Pacific Rim, Men’s NCAA Championships, plus a Russian Championships/Tokyo World Cup recap DO OVER!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 80: 2014 American Cup: Recap & Photo Essay
• 64: Glasgow World Cup & NCAA 2014 Previews
• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• Episode 19: Andreea Raducan
• 95: WAG European Championships Part Two — Lesser Known Stars and a Behind The Scenes Report
• 94: Women’s European Championships Part One!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!

Watch it on YouTube here.