Women Vault scoring - L8 vs L9/10

[B.Gold]

I thought the new vaulting rule in L8/9/10 is that the second vault score is used, regardless if the score is better or not, making it a strategic decision whether a gymnast should even compete a second vault. My dd argues this is just for L8, and that L9/10 still takes the better of two. Is she correct?

 

[Empowered]

She is right, level 8 only at the moment.

 

[B.Gold]

Thank you, glad to have that straightened out. When is it slotted to change for 9 and/or 10?

 

[fuzi]

Ditto, just for level 8 at this point. No one knows yet if it will change for level 9 and 10. Most coaches hate the new vault rule for level 8, so it may not last long either. Time will tell.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

I didn't know about this rule, glad someone brought it up. It seems like it would discourage a lot of gymnasts from doing a 2nd vault at all if their first one was solid, even though the 2nd vault could potentially be even better! =( Is it supposed to discourage girls from trying vaults that aren't competition ready? (since L8 is that big step up for vault.)

 

[fuzi]

I didn't know about this rule, glad someone brought it up. It seems like it would discourage a lot of gymnasts from doing a 2nd vault at all if their first one was solid, even though the 2nd vault could potentially be even better! =( Is it supposed to discourage girls from trying vaults that aren't competition ready? (since L8 is that big step up for vault.)

Yes, the justification was to discourage vaults that weren't ready. Say a L8 gets up and does a tsuk to her face for her first vault. Clearly, she doesn't want to count that score. She is going to do a second vault. Rather than risk a "O" for another tsuk to her face, she will vault a FHS and take the lower start value but at least get a score. Another option, a gymnast gets up for her first vault and does a decent tsuk. Rather than trying a second which might score lower or land on her face, she just stops and takes the first score.

Pretty much every coach I have talked to hates the new rule. From the judging side, it doesn't seem like it is making vaults any safer (just putting more pressure on the gymnast to make the 2nd vault count) and resulting in a lot of debate between coaches/gymnasts and one coach and another coach.

But, that's where it's at right now.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

Yes, the justification was to discourage vaults that weren't ready. Say a L8 gets up and does a tsuk to her face for her first vault. Clearly, she doesn't want to count that score. She is going to do a second vault. Rather than risk a "O" for another tsuk to her face, she will vault a FHS and take the lower start value but at least get a score. Another option, a gymnast gets up for her first vault and does a decent tsuk. Rather than trying a second which might score lower or land on her face, she just stops and takes the first score.

Pretty much every coach I have talked to hates the new rule. From the judging side, it doesn't seem like it is making vaults any safer (just putting more pressure on the gymnast to make the 2nd vault count) and resulting in a lot of debate between coaches/gymnasts and one coach and another coach.

But, that's where it's at right now.

Thank you so much for the explanation! =)