ICYMI

Russia donated $20,000 worth of equipment to Cambodia! Read the full story here.

Courtesy of Valentina, we have an update on AG: Aliya will compete UB/BB at Nationals; Vika is doing great; the fifth Olympic spot will be between Dasha, Melka, or Kapi; the World Cups [to be attended by Seda and Maria] are not important to the Russian selection process for Rio; the team sent to Euros will be the Olympic team; Vika and Paseka have the best gold medal chances in Rio while beam remains unpredictable; USA will be their stiffest competition in every final; and lastly, she is unsure of any medal prospects for the men's team but believes Denis Ablyazin will be in the hunt and is capable of gold. (x)

The gang in class for english lessons
Source:mustagym.tumblr

The FIG renewed its contract with VTB, one of the leading universal banks in Russia and sponsor of the Russian Gymnastics Federation. (x)

David up to his old shenanigans! In 2010 (with Demy rehearsing in the background) and 2016:

 

From Feb 12-13, an inter-regional competition honoring USSR Olympic champion, Maria Filatova, will take place in Biysk with over 70 gymnasts expected to participate. Filatova will attend the event. 

Two Olympic hopefuls

Svetlana Khorkina on the men's team winning no World medals last year: "the guys shouldn't just believe that everything will turn out well, but do everything possible to ensure that it will." She also expressed disgust that outsiders ("they") are trying to tarnish Russia's name with accusation of doping (IAAF) but believes everything will turn out well and that the athletics team will get to go to Rio. She reiterated her annoyance with the lack of confidence, mettle, and stamina on the women's team and decried their "stupid mistakes" in Glasgow. Speaking of stupid, she thinks the four way tie was a joke and doesn't understand how four girls could have the same e-score and d-score (they weren't identical & kinda confused why matching d-scores should offend her but she's always been vocal about the Russians not doing more on bars). She hopes that a Russian will win UB gold and continue Olympic dominance on that apparatus. Khorkina was speaking in her new employment as deputy chief of CSKA, in which I congratulate her. I'm used to her inflammatory words and occasionally her bluntness is legit (even when tactless) but sometimes? she's such an eye roll lol. Just remember- as I try to- she wants the best for Russia and is not speaking ill of the team out of spiteful glee but because she believes they need more introspection. (x)

RG: A livestream for the Miss Valentine Cup is here. The stream is already playing so you can watch training, but the comp starts tomorrow (2/11) for the pre-juniors, with the juniors and seniors on Friday and Saturday. Russia is sending a junior group along with junior individuals, Katerina Panchenko (2001), Irina Antonova (2001), and senior, Anna Bubenshchikova (1999). International big names include Vika Mazur, Anna Rizatdinova and Sabina Tashkenbaeva. 

A pictorial day in the life of Komova and Spiridonova can be viewed here. 

A question to you, readers: Do you think Seda and Maria's performances at the FIG World Cup's ought to be evaluated as regard to Rio? Whether they do well or meh, an international assignment with strong intl contenders could be a much better test than the low key affair that is domestic comps in Russia. What do you think?