Technique Magazine

Update and clarifications: 1997-2000 Age Group Competition Program

To: Men’s Gymnastics Community

From: Age Group Competition Committee

Ray Gura - Chairman

Date: January 13, 1997

Re: Update and clarifications: 1997-2000 Age Group Competition Program

This is the third update which contains clarifications and rule modifications for the 1997 - 2000 Age Group Competition Program. These changes and clarifications constitute all of the changes and modifications to the Age Group Program including the changes/clarifications in updates number one and two, dated June 16 and November 26, respectively. This document will be in effect immediately. The majority of these changes are the result of reaction to FIG Code of Point rulings and modifications which were not finalized until January 1997. The specific changes in this document from the last update are found in "Changes:" # 2 and # 7 and "Clarifications:" # 6. The committee would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding with respect to these rule changes and modifications. The committee does not anticipate any further rule changes for the 1996 - 97 competition season.

Changes:

  1. Age determining date. In an effort to make the age determining rules as clear as possible, please amend page 8, A, number 3 to read: Gymnasts under the age of six will not be permitted to participate in the Age Group Competition Program under any circumstance. The athlete must turn six years of age before he may begin competition.
  2. Repetition: The Junior Age Group Competition Program will recognize the FIG definition of repetition as it appears in Article 16 of the FIG Code of Points and will apply repetition rules regarding bonus points to all Developmental D's and also to C value skills at the Class III and IV levels. Exception: For Class III and IV Floor Exercise, there will be no repetition deductions or non-recognition, due to repetition, for acrobatic skills or acrobatic connections. This is for Class III and IV only and at Floor Exercise only. In addition, all Developmental D's should be treated as FIG C value skills with respect to awarding connection bonus. (i.e. - the still rings straddle Maltese and 30 inverted cross. Note: the Developmental D press handstand is not eligible for connection bonus as per FIG)
  3. Swings which pass through or end in handstand positions: The 1997 FIG Code of Points and the 1997 - 2000 Age Group Program are at odds in the way they treat the handstand position. The FIG Code of Points defines swing elements which pass through or end in a handstand with 0° to 15° of deviation as 0.0 deduction, the Junior Program currently recognizes the elements with 0° to 5° of deviation as 0.0 deduction (Section II, I, F). The Junior program will recognize and use the FIG rule. Handstand hold positions are still subject to the FIG deduction for deviation from vertical.
  4. Spotting: The junior program will use the rule as written in Section II, E, 3 on page 13 of the Age Group Program Manual with following modifications.
    • Number 1 - No change
    • Number 2 - delete
    • Number 3 - change to: If the spotter assists in the execution of the skill, deduct .4 for the spot and any execution errors. The judge has the discretion to not recognize the skill if, in his opinion, the gymnast could not have completed the skill on his own.
    • Number 4 - No change
  5. Compulsories - Intermediate swings. All intermediate swings in compulsory competition will be deducted as per FIG (1/2 swing -0.2, entire swing -0.4). Intermediate swings are not added parts. To make the correction in the Age Group Competition Program Manual change:

    a. Page 14, A, number 2: Delete the words or swing.

    b. Page 14, A, add number 7: Intermediate swing (as per FIG).

  6. Special Bonus for Class III & IV: The junior program will recognize that the first C value skill in Class III and IV modified optional routines will receive +0.1 bonus. To make the correction in your Age Group Competition Program manual, change Section II, number III, D, 1, on page 16, to read: C = +.1 (eliminate the word additional).
  7. Commensurate dismount: The junior program will not recognize the FIG non-commensurate dismount deductions. Dismounts are required to be, at minimum, an "A" value skill for all classes. Dismounts which are not of at least "A" value (no dismount) or dismounts partially shown would receive the appropriate FIG deduction.
  8. Class III Required Skill number 2 on Parallel Bars: Minimum B value, stutz or backtoss to support (page 20 & 83). Change to read: Minimum B value forward stutz, back toss or Diamadov.
  9. B value skills: The junior program will recognize B values for the following FIG skills as defined below. There is no A value for these skills.
    • PB - stutzkehr - executed 45° to 74° above horizontal = B value, 75° to 90° = C value
    • PB - backtoss - executed 45° to 74° above horizontal = B value, 75° to 90° = C value
    • PB - peachbasket - executed 45° to 74° above horizontal = B value, 75° to 90° = C value
    • HB - stoop circle rearward (stoop in, jam out)- executed 45° to 74° above horizontal = B value, 75° to 90° = C value

    The skills listed above, when executed below 75°, must be valued as B skills and cannot be considered as C value skills with deductions. In addition, the FIG 15° degree rule will begin for B value skills at 45° which results in the following: 31° to 44° = -.1, 16° to 30° = - .2, Horizontal to 15° = -.4. Below horizontal results in non-recognition, .4 deduction and no B credit.

  10. Pommel Horse, Class V, VI and VII: Concerning the special performance criteria in Class V, VI and VII pommel horse - on all leg cuts, stride support swings, false scissors and scissors the top leg should be at horizontal.
  11. Pommel Horse: The junior program will allow a gymnast to receive D Magyar credit even if the Magyar is broken up by flops on one pommel. The gymnast would receive both the Magyar and the flop credit.
  12. Pommel Horse: The junior program will not recognize the FIG flop repetition rule. A gymnast may do as many different flopping skills as he wants for credit. No other repetition rules apply to flopping sequences with the exception of the same flop sequence executed three times in a row.
  13. Pommel Horse: The junior program will recognize A value circles and flair circles (not B or C value) as being different skills with the same value for the code of points. This will particularly help with avoiding repetition infractions at the Class IV Modified Optional level.
  14. Still Rings: The junior program will recognize the Stretched Honma as a Developmental D. Hip flexion (pike) beyond 15 will not be recognized as a Developmental D.
  15. Vaulting: Take note of the new vault numbers which are valued at 8.3 in the junior program and the new categories of vaults for Class III & IV (Section II, III, F, 2 on page 16) - these changed in last edition of the 1997 FIG Code of Points.
    • Forward handspring with 1/1 twist - 2310
    • Yamashita with 1/1 twist - 2311
    • Cartwheel with 5/4 twist - 3309
    • Class III and IV vaults must come from the FIG Categories II or III.
  16. Vaulting - Technical Vault: The technical vault has a starting value of 9.8. A maximum of 0.2 bonus points may be awarded to the Technical Vault for a total of 10.0 points. Please make the appropriate change on page 72, number I, A.
  17. Mounting the parallel bars using panel mats. Amend page 10, B, number 1 to read: Panel mats may be used to mount any apparatus. At the parallel bars, a gymnast may not mount from stacked mats which would place that gymnast's shoulders above the bottom of the rails while in a standing position. In addition, a board or a mat may be used to mount the parallel bars but not both.
  18. FIG Super E value skills: Super E value skills will receive 0.4 bonus in the junior program.

Clarifications:

  1. Floor Exercise Class VI: A stalder roll substituted for the forward straddle roll in Class VI, FX, part 6 & 7, does not constitute virtuosity. If the stalder roll is substituted the forward straddle roll has been left out and the judge will be forced to deduct one point. Virtuosity on the press can only be earned through superior press technique.
  2. Floor Exercise Class IV - Must the Required Skill number 1 be a layout back somersault or would a twisting layout back somersault fulfill the requirement? Yes, only a layout back somersault will fulfill the requirement.
  3. Pommel Horse Class IV - Must all three parts of the horse be used? Yes. Even though the required skills in the Class IV modified optional pommel horse do not require that all three parts of the horse be used, the FIG general presentation requirements do require that all three parts of the horse be used. The deduction for not using all three parts of the horse, per FIG, is 0.2.
  4. Parallel Bars: For Class I, II, III and IV no more than one B or C value reverse straddle cut may count for difficulty beyond A parts. This also means that the second B or C value reverse straddle cut would not be recognized for bonus or as fulfilling special requirements.
  5. Short Routine/Partial Replacement: Even though the junior program follows the FIG rule which states that lower value skills cannot even partially replace higher value skills - those skills still count as parts. Example: A Class III gymnast performs a routine with 5 B parts and 2 A parts - he would lose 0.4 from difficulty for no C value skill, but would not have any deduction for having a short routine since the B skill is recognized which would give him seven parts.
  6. Missing or unrecognized parts in compulsories: If the judge determines that a skill (because of the manner in which it was executed) should not be recognized, the only deduction would be 1.0 for the missing part and for any appropriate execution errors. There would be no deduction for added parts or short hold etc. In addition, the deduction for missing parts should be carefully applied where the junior rules supersede the FIG Code of Points. Example #1, Class V floor exercise part # 6: The gymnast executes a forward stalder roll with good form to a handstand held less than one second. The FIG deduction for a less than one second hold is .4 and non-recognition of the part. However, the gymnast in this example has clearly completed more than 50% of the skill, therefore the deduction should be 0.4 for the short hold. Example #2, Class V parallel bars part #8: The gymnast executes a swing backward to 40 above horizontal with good form. This part would be unrecognizable because it did not achieve at least 45 (less than 50% of the skill). The deduction would be 1.0 (there is no additional added part or intermediate swing deduction).

Official update 1/13/97 per Dennis McIntyre/USAG.

Approved Jon Culbertson/NGJA

This article appears in the February 1997 issue of Technique, Vol. 17, No. 2.


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