As we’ve reached the end of 2016, a post of some of my favorite routines of the year from the British seniors, juniors, and a couple from the Espoirs. Some of the highest scoring routines, some that just caught my eye.
In this second post, beam and floor.

Beam

Ellie Downie Osijek Grand Prix

The best beam routine of the year from a British gymnast, both score and performance wise. I don’t know how Ellie felt, but she looked relaxed and completely confident in her abilities throughout.  14.950, a big score, the next big step for GB WAG on beam is getting the consistent performances and pushing the high scores in international finals, more routines like this from Ellie, and she’ll do exactly that.

Amy Tinkler Rio Qualification

A really strong routine from Amy, hitting all of her upgrades for 2016, competing with attack and confidence. With 14.833,  she finished as second reserve for the Olympic beam final, great to see.

Gabby Jupp European Team Final

Back in a major championships for the first time after her second major injury, Gabby was solid, clean and confident with great extension and light work throughout in the European team final. 14.100, so good to see her to see her back.

Becky Downie British Championships AA

Another routine pushing towards 15.00, Becky Downie scored 14.800 in the British Championships AA with a great routine, just a very small adjustment after her W jump her only loss of balance, Becky is so clean, and so classy on this piece, when she’s on, her work  flows beautifully, and is really enjoyable to watch.

Claudia Fragapane British Championships AA

The second outing for this new beam from Claudia, and she hit it again. Huge skills, and again a very confident performance from her on her way to winning the British AA title. For me this was her best routine of the year.

Tyesha Mattis British Teams

Tyesha Mattis returned from injury at British Teams, and reminded us all of the huge talent that she is. Having not seen her for a year since she took the senior British bars and beam titles in early 2015, she came back strong with flick layout layout, flick full twist, double spin, side somi, free cartwheel, and two and a half dismount. Tyesha has been injured through the year, but recently returned at the Rushmoor Rosebowl, and is training on four pieces so I very much hope we see her back to full strength in 2017.

Alice Kinsella Junior European Final

Alice made history for British WAG when she became the first ever Junior European medalist on this piece taking silver in Bern.  A wobble on her double spin aside, such good work in her first major international final on this piece. The free cartwheel layout which caused her grief in the AA so beautifully done, and a very clean, stuck two and a half dismount.

Maisie Methuen Junior European Final

Maisie’s routine from the team final of this championships was actually her highest scoring of the year, but unfortunately isn’t available. She may have had a couple of wobbles in the final, but clean classy, light flowing beam work with beautiful extension  from Maisie as we are accustomed to seeing from her. Soon to be senior Maisie could make a real impact on this piece, as when she hits well, she leaves little room for deduction.

Lucy Stanhope Elite Masillia

On her way to the beam final, a great routine from junior Lucy who also joins the senior ranks in 2017. Although a little tentative in just a couple of places, I feel that Lucy has really good potential on this piece. She has long lines, is elegant, and has a real lightness to her work that should see her develop into a lovely beam worker.

Amelie Morgan Olympic Hopes AA

What do you hope to see when a young gymnast is selected for her first GB international? This. Espoir Amelie took the pressure and performed brilliantly in the Olympic Hopes AA on her way to the silver medal against gymnasts up to two years older than her. Calm, clean, light, elegant work with great lines, eighteen months out from the 2018 junior Europeans which she is eligible for, this is very promising indeed.

Halle Hilton British Espoir Championships Apparatus Final

First year Espoir Halle is a very exciting talent on this piece, and indeed AA. Her acrobatics in particular are so sharp and snappy, whilst maintaining great extension. She competes with attack, confidence, and determination, everything you want to see from an up and coming gymnast. Halle is also eligible for the 2018 Junior Europeans, we could be heading for another very strong team, especially on this piece.

 

Leah Greenland British Espoir Championships Final

Another from the Espoir ranks, approaching beam with confidence and determination, Leah  like Halle is very much one to watch on this piece and AA. A real power pack, but clean with it. She combines beautiful light leaps at the beginning with snappy acro and a double twist that pops right off the end of the beam looking like it will upgrade easily.

 

 

Floor

Amy Tinkler Rio Final

History made by Amy Tinkler, with gold and silver always likely to go to Simone Biles and Aly Raisman, the medal up for grabs was the bronze. Amy stepped up and hit the routine of her life for 14.933, earning herself an Olympic medal on an unforgettable night for fans of British gymnastics.

Ellie Downie European Final

Ellie’s second individual medal of the 2016 Championships, a silver on floor with 14.566, climbing two places from qualification. Considering she had room for improvement on two of her four landings, you can see again why Ellie is such a strong AA gymnast, with potential to qualify for all finals.

Ruby Harrold European Qualifications

One of the best floor routines I can recall Ruby doing, strong tumbles well landed, dramatic dance, great performance level. She was unlucky to be two per country’d out of the floor final by Ellie and Claudia, as fifth in Europe is an enormous achievement.

Claudia Fragapane European Qualification

The highest scoring floor from a British WAG this year, 15.000 for this huge routine from Claudia. Big tumbles, high energy all the way through, It may not have happened for her this year in the final, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she was crowned european Champion on this piece within the next couple of years.

Alice Kinsella Junior European Final

Alice took her second individual silver of the Junior European Championships with a great routine beautifully performed. She led the final right until the very last competitor, and was second by just 0.067. Alice has upgraded since this routine too, and looks ready to start her senior career.

Maisie Methuen British Championships AA

Maisie doing what Maisie does best, clean, light, well performed gymnastics, on this occasion on her way to the junior British AA title. I imagine Maisie will have a new floor for the start of her senior career, and while I have no doubt it will be just as lovely, I will miss this one, as it suits her so well, and is a pleasure to watch.

Megan Parker European Championships Final

Another lovely junior floor, and another Junior European finalist. Such an elegant balletic  performer such as Megan with such a dramatic routine is unusual, and really works well. Her performance level is always deservedly appreciated by the audience, and this time was no exception

Taeja James Elite Masillia Final

This I think is the best floor Taeja has competed so far, and a great time to do it, in the Elite Masillia Final up against both junior and senior gymnasts. A new triple twist, dramatic performance and choreography well suited to her personal style, great performance to earn the silver medal.

Zoe Simmons Junior British Final

I love this routine from Zoe, fun, energetic, bouncy and endearing , packed full of character from beginning to end. In her first year in the junior ranks, Zoe took the British junior floor title, thanks to this excellent performance.

Holly Jones Junior Commonwealth Games Final

Holly spent much of the first part of this year recovering from injury, so it was great to see her coming back so well during the latter half . I love this routine, elegant and fluid with high clean tumbling and expressive dance. The junior Commonwealth title for Holly, with hopefully many more successes to come.

Jennifer Gadirova English Espoir Championships

If you like to feel as though you’ve stumbled across a previously undiscovered routine from the Soviet Batumi championships, English Espoir floor champion Jennifer is for you. Intricate detailed choreography, beautiful carriage, musicality and fluidity. Every nuance of the music expressed in perfect timing with sharp as a tack movements , eye contact with the judges, and wonderful engagement. Jennifer’s performance was deservedly rewarded by the judges, and loved by all.

Isla Lees British Espoir Championships Final

A beautiful routine from Isla to take the British Espoir floor title, another very classy, elegant young floor worker coming through the ranks. Isla combined her classical style of dance with great range of movement through the leaps, and high clean tumbles to take the title.  With another year left in the Espoir ranks, look out for her again in the spring at the English Championships where she will likely challenge again.