U.S. gymnastics nationals coming up - the 2007 Visa Championships!! Gymnastics T.V. schedule for the championships, from Gym Chat tv listings page: Visa Championships Event dates: 8/16/07 - 8/19/07 Location: San Jose, CA NBC TV Schedule: Womens: August 18th 8:00-9:00 pm EST; August 19th 7:00-8:00 pm EST (check your local listings) Mens: September 9th 12:30 - 2:00 pm EST (check your local listings) For some reason the men's gymnastics broadcast is like a month later! Anyone going to watch the Visa Championships live in San Jose?

ya, our club got a whole section of seats!

Next year, the Visa Championships are even going to be in a different state for the men's and women's competition! Men's artistic gymnastics competition, along with rhythimic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling competition, is going to be in Houston at Reliant Park (May 22-24). This will actually be the first time trampoline and tumbling competition is held at Visas. Women's artistic gymnastics will be at Agganis Arena at Boston University (June 5-7). So this time, the men's competition is like 2 weeks before the women's artistic gymnastics competition - it will be funny if the men's still gets aired later. lol. The 2008 Visa Championships will be important in qualifying for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The 2007 Visas are important for qualifying for the 2007 Worlds, which is also stepping into the competition to the Olympics! Why the 2008 Visa Championships are being held separately like that: [quote]Both events will be covered by NBC Sports. The men

If you want to get tickets and haven't yet: [quote]Visa Championships tickets for men's and women's artistic and rhythmic/acrobatic gymnastics are on sale now at the HP Pavilion at San Jose Ticket Office; all Ticketmaster locations, charge by phone at (408) 998-TIXS; or online at www.ticketmaster.com. [/quote] More info. on scheduling, competitors, etc.: "Three Olympians, five world champions highlight Visa Championships field" - http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/news/2007/aug10-VisaChampsThreeOlympians.html

Here's the direct link for tickets for 2007 Visa Championships, with the different ticket options: http://www.ticketmaster.com/search?tm_link=tm_header_search&keyword=2007+visa+championships Sr. women's all-around isn't listed, just sr. men's all-around, so I guess you have to buy the all-session tickets to go to that? You're not allowed to take video or audio recording unless you're authorized: [quote]Photo and Video Policy In consideration of athlete and spectator safety, spectators are permitted the use of still cameras only in this venue. Professional camera equipment, including but not limited to tripods, monopods, lenses greater than 6 inches or 210 mm, and flashes or strobes of any kind, are not permitted. No video, audio or digital video or audio recording of this event is permitted. Video cameras of any kind are not allowed without a proper credential issued by USA Gymnastics. Any person using or attempting to use any of the above may be subject to removal from the venue. All rights connected to the competition, athlete images, musical recordings and performances remain the sole possession of USA Gymnastics. [/quote] http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/events/2007/championships/venue.html So I guess no youtube amateur video. Prob. cuz NBC is broadcasting it.

the gymnastics coverage on NBC is on at 8pm today - same time as eastern time - on the west coast here.

So if you're on the West coast, gymnastics (day one competition) is on tv right around the time the Women's AA/individual events day two competition is over (it starts at 6pm). It would have been cool if they had coverage each day of the competition. USA today said gymnastics was the most watched summer Olypics sport, but there's not that much coverage going on now. And you're not allowed to take video to the competitions unless you're one of the authorized videotapers.

So what did you guys think about the first day of compeition women's gymnastics coverage? The coverage on Nastia Liukin in the papers was a bit too dramatic - with more practice after her ankle injury she could be on top - her bars routine is the best in the world right now - an event she could practice more of while she was still not landing/tumbling on her ankle. She's looking good. Good job Nastia! After the 2nd day of compeition, Nastia comes in 3rd - check the Visa Championships topic under the Artistic Gymnastics forum: http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=1159 .

I agree, Nastia's doing good; she should be considered for AA at Worlds. Her save on floor and vault at not sitting her dismount down was amazing - she came so close to the floor. Some of the leotards seemed really up high, way above the hip bone - like Nastia's on beam - but at least there wasn't that problem like Daria Zgoba's - probably because these leotards were fitted beyyer, but still, they should be worn closer to the hip bone. Shawn is really aggressive and fast on beam - no thinking in between skills, just one after the other pretty much, go-go-go. On floor she's really aggressive too. Great routines, fun to watch. It looked like she was stepping out of bounds when she was going for one of her tumbling passes, but no one called it. She's like Kim Zmeskal's body type, and Nastia is kind of like Khorkina.

The news reporters have great seats! right in front of the events! Shayla Worley has nice make-up, like a model. Ivana Hong's german giant skill with the straddle back (what Tim said people called reverse hecht) was cool. Her coach stands in near the low bar on her over shoot. Looks like Jana Bieger slipped from the high bar on her release move catch because the bar was slippery - she catches it nicely, and then just slips off - so she sprays the bar a little bit after re-chalking her grips. Tim said spraying the bar in the middle of the routine isn't really done, and there might be a deduction, but it makes sense that that is legal to do - important for safety.