2009-2012 Code of Points – Vaulting

The new code continues to develop and comments are coming in. However, vault appears to still be an event that will score higher then the other apparatus. This needs to be thought out. I am not sure that just having all gymnasts doing two vaults is the answer. The difficulty tables could be adjusted as a simple answer but not neccesarily the answer either.

One thing for sure, do not ush a new or revised code foward too fast. The code for 2005-2008 has constantly been updated and new interpretations have been coming in each year and not just one or two but many changes. Most of these are made through out the year at the World Cup events. But, there are changes and new interpreatations at every World Championships. A better idea would be to have a time period were all rules are locked in.  Something like six months out and no new interpretations either.

This is a great opportunity to fix the code and improve the code for the gymansts, coahes and the spectators.

What do others think of the 2009-2012 code development? How would you fix the vaulting issue? Right now until all gymnasts have vaulted you have no idea how the gymnasts rank with each other. This is not a good competitive situation.

2009-2012 Code of Points – Is It Open Ended?

Following the 2004 Olympic Games, it was thought that the sport needed a new set of rules. it seems there were several problems at 2004 Olympic Games related to judging issues. Now remember the gymnasts had nothing to do with this, they like always were out doing their job and performing routines. The sport itself had created issued related to poor judgement in the evaluation of routines.

So, it was decided that since the administrators of the sport had caused these poor judgements, changes had to be made. Again, remember the gymnasts and coaches had nothing to do with the problems. The most important individuals in the sport, both gymansts and coaches, had to adapt to new rules based on the need for change.

So, an open end code of points was introduced as a new direction for artisitic gymnastics, even though this type of code was tested in the past and had its problems, it was presented to fix the problems and be the future. In fact, it was a code or points (rules for the sport) that would last forever and need no changes for many Olympics. Hmm, it appears it has already had many changes over the first years and now needs even more updating to fix the problems associated with it.

Is this an open ended code? I think a better terminology would be to call it an additive code. It is not open ended  since each apparatus has a limit based on the element groups and the limited number of D,E and F skills on each event.

The biggest problem with the present code of points is that the events are unequal in scoring. The old 10.0 system created a more equal system (in general) so, that the outcome of the competition was not going to be determined by the event a gymnast ended the competition on. In the present code of points the two lowest scoring events are PH and HB. Is it really fair that SR and Vault are worth more than PH and HB?

The new code of points is being developed and it appears there are some changes. The rumors floating around include the following:

General – No more chronological order

1. Floor Exercise – Only one combination pass and connection only with D skills, only two diagonal passes in a row

2. Pommel Horse – nothing mentioned

3. Still Rings – Combining skills for one value part is being removed – example Honma to Cross would valued as a B and B

4. Vault – nothing mentioned

5. Parallel Bars – skills using the reverse cut to HS will become two skills – Glide to Reverse Straddle Cut would then be A and B as an example

6. High Bar – Upgrading some releases to G skills – like the Cassina. The 1/1 Tak will have two values, to mix grip D to double under grip E

Just some things to think about. However, this is still not an open end code of points, it is additive.