The Piked Double Front
Is it named or is it not named?The piked double front has been competed before. Tia Orlando is listed as competing the piked double front in 2003. The video I see links to a double front that's piked in the first salto and clearly tucked in the second. If anyone finds a better video of it, let me know. (pass at 1:12)
Next, we have Veronica Wagner of Sweden. Wagner has said herself that she's competed it 5 times "Nationals, Euros, Nordic Champ, Worlds 2005 and Worlds 2006." Wagner's was beautiful, fully rotated and controlled. Although she competed it at Worlds, she fell both times and, as per the rules, did not get the skill named after her.
Yessenia Estrada, a long time competitor for Mexico, has also attempted the front double pike but fell on it from the video I've seen.
That brings us next to Brenna Dowell who has a strong piked double front. At 2013 Classics, she tried to connect it to a leap for connection bonus. (2nd pass)
So, what do we call this skill?
This gets confusing because, although the skill has been attempted multiple times, no one has successfully landed it at a World Championships or Olympic Games. What makes it even more interesting is that the skill isn't even in the Code of Points!
Many people get angry when a round off half on, layout full twist off vault is called a "Mustafina" when it is not called that in the Code of Points. Best friend Tatiana Nabieva has also competed this vault but compatriot Anna Pavlova was the first of the recent Russians to compete the vault. So, why isn't it called a Pavlova? Apparently, the vault was already in the CoP, so Pavlova couldn't get it named after her either. Madness! The Tsuk 2.5 is also in the CoP but has never been competed before so, theoretically, the first person to compete it, won't get it named after herself either!
The piked double front is in a different situation because it's not even listed in the Code of Points. It's been given a provisional ranking of an F, which seems appropriate given that a tucked double front is rated an E. But what will we call it? If Brenna Dowell makes it to Worlds, it is likely that she will be the one to get it officially named after her. However, if Brenna doesn't make the Worlds team, we'll have to wait for another strong front tumbler to delight us with this skill at a World Championship or Olympic Games.
Handy Source - WAG Firsts
(Please correct any errors in the comments.)
The Tia Orlando video posted has a double front as her final pass, not the third (opens with a double layout, then a crazy combination pass, then piked full-in and then a double front ... wowza). It doesn't really look piked at any point there, but I can't really tell. Damn though, I really love it when gymnasts run into double-fronts Produnova-style :)
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you for saying that! I linked to the wrong video. I rewatched it and it looks even less piked than I thought. Still impressed though, like you see, just running into a double front. Blows my mind!
DeleteI remember seeing footage of Tia Orlando competing the pike double front. I'm 90% sure it was at 2002 Gymnix as her third pass, while her form was a little sloppy it definitely retained more of a pike shape throughout. However, the video appears to have been taken off Youtube. :(
DeleteI really hope Brenna gets to show this off at Worlds - it's nice to see some epic front tumbling that's actually done really well! But if Marta sends the "locks" for the AA, Biles and Ross, to Worlds and then Maroney on floor and vault (given that she won floor at nationals) that fills up the floor places :( ... Really hope I'm wrong though!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's unfortunate. Brenna's a decent all-arounder so she'll be left filling that UB/BB space even if those aren't her best events. She's definitely one of the strongest in the USA on those 2 events, though. You never know with injuries and such too how things will finally play out.
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