London Calling

Subscribe or Renew now to receive our 2009 U.S. Championships Issue (Sep/Oct)!

For the next three years, London will be the city on everyone’s mind as the U.S. men and women gear up for gymnastics at the 2012 Games. But London is not only a distant Olympic dream; it’s also the site of this year’s World Gymnastics Championships. The first step towards London 2012 is London 2009. (The Worlds venue, the O2, is the same site that will host gymnastics at the Games.)

For those hoping to make it to Jolly Old England for this year’s individual World Championships (all-around and event finals only, no team competition), the American selection process starts this week in Dallas.

For the women, all National Team members (to be determined in Dallas: the top ten all-arounders, in rank order, plus four additional specialist slots) will be invited to the first of two World Team Selection Camps, September 8-12 at the Karolyi Ranch near Houston.

In addition to the National Team, athletes that finish first and second on each apparatus “may” also be invited to the first selection, according to the official procedures. In fact, the Selection Committee—National Team Coordinator Martha Karolyi, IEC Chair Steve Rybacki and an as yet unconfirmed Athlete Representative (likely Kim Zmeskal-Burdette, if she doesn’t have any athletes in the Worlds mix)—can invite, “any number of athletes who competed in Visa Championships to attend the first Selection Camp.”

Petitions to the first Selection Camp will also be considered for any gymnast unable to compete at USAs due to injury or illness, “provided that she has competed at either the 2009 U.S. or American Classic, or on an international assignment in the fall of 2008 or in the year 2009.” Under those criteria, both Mattie Larson (part of the U.S. team to France and Germany in May) and Samantha Shapiro (Montreal World Cup this year, and PAGU event Championships last Winter), both dealing with ankle injuries and not expected to compete at USAs, will qualify to petition to the initial Selection Camp.

The final Selection Camp, which will determine the four-woman U.S. team, will be held September 30-October 4 in Texas. A “minimum of eight athletes” will advance from the first to the final camp and only athletes taking part in the first camp are eligible to move on. (No petitions allowed.) Who, exactly, advances is left solely to the discretion of the Selection Committee. (Theoretically, they could allow all athletes at camp one to continue to the final selection.)