2005 British Women's Championships, Guildford, 8/10 July
PREVIEW
The victory of the GB Team over China in Liverpool, on 25/26
June 2005, boosted the confidence of the country’s best
gymnasts at the beginning of the road leading to the 2008
Beijing Olympic Games.
All seven gymnasts who achieved this success (Beth Tweddle
(Liverpool), Samantha Bayley (Unattached), Imogen Cairns (The
Academy), Rhian Pugh (Bristol Hawks), Melanie Roberts (Liverpool),
Rosalie Hutton (Pipers Vale) and Helen Galashan, Reserve (Liverpool),
will take part in the 2005 British Championships in Guildford,
8th/10th July.
The competition in "The Spectrum", Guildford will
crown the best Senior, Junior and Espoir gymnasts from all
over the country and will put on display the emerging new
generation of young talents.
The expected highlight of the Championships will be Beth
Tweddle’s attempt to win her fifth British Senior All-around
title.
The 20-year-old from Liverpool will come fresh from her stunning
success in the meet against China -Gold medals in the Overall,
Team, Vault, A. Bars and Floor (in a tie with Fan Ye).
All this happened only 20 days after Beth’s ordeal
in Debrecen (HUN), where she was 1st on Floor and A.Bars and
2nd in the Overall in the Qualifications of the European Championships,
but fell from the A. Bars during the warm-up of Competition
2 and spent a day in hospital returning in a neck collar.
Local girl in this event is Amanda Russel-Lowe (Senior) from
Woking.
SENIOR
Saturday, 9th July 2005 - 17.40-19.45
British Champions 2004:
All around: 1. Beth Tweddle (Liverpool) 2. Katy Lennon (Leatherhead
& Dorking) 3. Nicola Willis (South Essex)
Apparatus Champions: Vault: Vanessa Hobbs (Dynamo), A. A.
Bars: Beth Tweddle (Liverpool), Beam: Vanessa Hobbs (Dynamo),
Floor: Beth Tweddle (Liverpool)
A number of our British elite gymnasts retired after the
Olympic Games in Athens, so the competition at Senior level
is very open. Only Beth Tweddle seems untouched by difficulties
and circumstances - she will compete in Guildford in an attempt
to add a fifth British title to her accolades, thus equaling
the achievement of M. Bell (Ladywell), five times British
overall champion between 1966-1970.
The record number of British titles belong to Pat Hirst -
8 titles (between 1947 and 1956), while C. M. Hanson has won
6 titles, between 1933 and 1948 (the last two titles as C.M.
Bell).
Last year’s Junior medallists Imogen Cairnes (The Academy),
Rhian Pugh (Bristol Hawks) and Rosalie Hutton (Pipers Vale)
are expected to fight for medals in their first visit to the
Senior rankings, together with Melanie Roberts (Liverpool),
Samantha Bayley (Unattached) , the twins Carol and Helen Galashan
(Liverpool) and Alice Green (Sapphire).
JUNIOR
Saturday, 9th July 2005- 10.45- 12.15 and 13.25- 14.50
British Champions 2004:
All around: 1. Imogen Cairns (The Academy) 2. Rhian Pugh
(Bristol Hawks) 3. Rosalie Hutton (Pipers Vale)
Apparatus Champions: Vault: Imogen Cairns (The Academy),
A. Bars: Rhian Pugh (Bristol Hawks), Beam: Rhian Pugh (Bristol
Hawks, Floor: Imogen Cairns (The Academy)
This is the most unpredictable and enigmatic section of the
Championships for two reasons:
On the one hand, all the 2004 Junior Champions now compete
at Senior level, leaving the floor to newcomers.
On the other hand the EYOF in Italy are being held during
the same weekend and three of the best British Juniors (Zoe
Allen (Wigan) and Hannah Clowes and Jodie Standish from Liverpool)
will compete there.
Therefore we can expect a wide-open event with many surprises.
ESPOIR
Friday, 8th July 2005- 12.35-14.20 and 15.35-17.20
British Champions 2004:
All around: 1. Rebecca Downie (Notts) 2.
Rebecca Wing (Pinewood) 3. Laura Jones (Notts)
Apparatus Champions: Vault: Hannah Clowes
(Liverpool), A. Bars: Rebecca Downie (Notts)
Beam: Rebecca Wing (Pinewood), Floor:
Kirsty Lawrence (Barry Girls)
With all three 2004 Overall medallists competing, along with
a few very much improved Espoirs from last years’ competition,
plus and a number of good first time gymnasts, expect a strongly
contested and very spectacular event!
Competition Schedule:
Friday, 8 July - Espoir- 12.35-14.20 and 15.35- 17.20
Saturday, 9 July -Junior- 10.45-12.15 and 13.25-14.50
Saturday, 9 July - Senior -17.40- 19.45
Sunday, 10 July - Apparatus Finals- 11.00-14.30
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