On Saturday 30th March the second stage of the trials for the training squad for the European Championships in Patras, Greece, and the squad for the friendly international versus Spain at Rushmoor on April 6th, took place at Lilleshall NSC. There were fewer trialists than at the previous trial a week and a half before, Katie Seabrook is in Russia filming the second edition of Trading Places for the BBC, and a few minor injuries prevented seniors like Beth Tweddle, Nicola Willis and Becky Owen (shoulder, toe and back respectively). Still, there were 12 junior and 8 senior trialists.

The juniors started on floor, and there were errors abound. For many girls this was the 3rd competition in 10 days, after the previous trial the wednesday before and the British Schools competition at the weekend. Mel Roberts from Liverpool was up first and despite landing a decent double pike, 2 1/2 twist and front through to double twist scored a 7.80 from a 9.1 SV. She was rather imprecise with her dance elements, but this was to set the tone for the marking of the whole competition, at least .2 lower than was deserved. Sarah Burden from Lynx did a huge double pike, but thanks to an awkward run into her final tumble meant she faced her double tuck. 7.40 from a 9.0 SV. Ashtone Johnston was carrying a minor foot injury and left out her full-in, but still managed to fall on her 2 1/2 punch front layout and triple twist. 6.9 (8.9). She had a 9.5 start value last week. Other outstanding routines came from Pascal Cramer (Pipers Vale) who had fantastic choreography to Latin music and some very good jumps for an 8.0 (9.0). Emma Jagger (South Essex) also hit her simple routine very well with a double pike, 2 1/2 twist and front through to double twist (most people performed these tumbles). 8.1 (9.1) Vanessa Hobbs of Dynamo fell on her double arabian but landed a front double twist and a front through to double pike 7.8 (9.3). She had some nice dance skills also and seems to have matured greatly as a performer from last year's British, she was also very well supported by the centralised seniors.

On vault, the yurchenko rules. Only 2 of the twelve gymnasts vaulted without the round-off entry. Vanessa Hobbs top-scored with a hristakevia with slightly loose knees 8.675 (9.4). Amy Doddsley did two nice piked fronts for 8.625 (9.4). Other than that it was a somewhat disapointing round. Ashtone didn't twist her straight yurchenko because of injury and Sarah Burden should definitely have as her straight was easy.

Bars was very tightly marked. Pascal Cramer, who top scored, received a 7.825 from a 9.1. She performed a good undershoot to handstand immediate toe-shoot back to the high bar, giant-full to tkatchev and a double front. She hits a very strange shape in the double front dismount. Her coach was heard to complain that even with a fall on the dismount at recent international versus Belgium and Holland, she scored only 2 tenths less, and indication of the severity of the judging. Sarah Burden unfortunately peeled off on a swing down into a giant, landing on the mat on her back. However, her knees came up and made what was a simple fall a very serious one as she split her head open above the left eye to the bone, requiring 9 stitches. Ashtone was up next and was somewhat flustered, forgetting to lower the bar again. She has added a healy after her Ono turn, which has improved greatly, but fell out of a forward giant half turn, hit her feet on her undershoot and tucked her double back dismount. 6.5 (8.9) Helen Galashan performed a neat Teslenko (stalder, geinger-roll to L-grip) immediate jaeger, and a good double front off. 7.6 (9.0) Mel Robert had the highest start value with a good pirouette sequence to a geinger, an undershoot to handstand and a double pike dismount 7.75 (9.2). Emma Prest was going well with a Kim (giant 1 1/2 to mixed-L grip). forward giant half turn to geinger, but sat down her arabian double front dismount 6.55 (8.8).

Beam has become a very tedious event under the new code, especially lower down the age groups and ability levels. Ashtone was the only gymnast to break 8, scoring 8.0 dead from 9.0. She has added a Kotchetkova (flic 1/1) to her routine and seems more stable on her switch-leap side somie combo, although I do worry about her lack of flexibility, she seems to struggle to hit the position needed in some leaps. Emma Jagger went celan with an 8.9 SV for 7.75. She performed a clean flic layout, switch-leap korbut and a good double twist dismount. Mel Roberts had a fall on her side somie, but hit a front, a flic layout and a clean double back dismount. 7.6 (9.1). Helen Galashan fell on her tuck jump full and as such had no gym series, but hit a good flic layout, free walkover and 2 1/2 twist dismount. She has a very nice line on this piece 7.6 (8.8) Vanessa Hobbs was hard done by on beam. She is no longer using her arabian (I hope she puts it back in) but had a Johnson to shushunova half, a switch-leap side somie and a flic layout. She unfortunately came off on her popa, but she has made great strides on every piece. 7.0 (9.0).

Overall, on the junior side I was very disapointed with Elyse Ong. She used to be one of the great hopes for British gymnastics, at 10 she was doing inverts pirouetting to a geinger and all with beautiful form; she is now performing an easier routine with very poor form. I very much hope her training gets back on track as she was the weakest gymnast who trialled. The junior team looks to be quite a weak one, but, Sam Bayley has been given the all clear, but is resting for another few weeks especially on bars, after she discovered stress fractures in her elbows. If she is back, the difficulty level of the team will improve hugely. She competed two events at the last trial without putting her hands down, performing a running double front and double twisting front on floor and consecutive layouts from a stand on beam! Alex Wilson and Amy Bagshaw are also injured, a particular pity given the great strides they have both made recently. Imogen Cairns, bronze medalist at last years British Espoires, did not trial, yet competed at the British Schools the weekend before. This is something of a mystery.

Overall Scores:
1. Helen Galashan - 31.55
2. Mel Roberts - 31.437
3. Amy Doddsley - 31.075
4. Pascal Cramer - 30.95
5. Vanessa Hobbs - 30.925
6. Emma Jagger - 30.875
7. Lamara Robb - 30.187
8. Ashtone Johnston - 29.862
9. Elyse Ong - 28.975
10. Emma Prest - 28.675
11. Carol Galashan - 23.2 (3 pieces only)
12. Sarah Burden - 22.476 (3 pieces only)