Worlds 2015 – It's Almost Here

We're swiftly approaching the beginning of the World Championship and our customary annual journey into forgetting what sleep is. First things first, I embedded my usual scoresheets for the first day's subdivisions here for reference, just in case you've reached my level of nerdiness. It takes most people a lifetime. 



Day 1 lineup news and notes:
-The big news of the day is that Romania looked at Russia and said, "Anything you can garbage fire, we can garbage fire better." Anamaria Ocolisan contracted 20 polios (or something) during training and will not be competing. Apparently, Andreea Munteanu is also down with a severe case of the Romanias and can't be the replacement for some reason, so Romania will be putting up an old tire in the sixth position instead. The team is now Larisa Iordache and a random collection of limbs. She's still enough to carry them into TF.

 -Maria Kharenkova lost the "Ick, these vaults, you guys" sweepstakes, meaning that the European silver medalist won't be competing the AA in qualification. It will be up to Tutkhalyan and Spiridonova. Spiridonova as a top-two Russian AAer. Sit on that for a while. In better news, it seems Afanasyeva's kidney looked at her and was like "CHECK IT, I'M THE BEST," so she's good to go now. Phew.

-Fragapane will not be doing the AA, competing on VT, BB, and FX. AAers for Great Britain are Downie 2.0, Harrold, and Tinkler. 

-Tea Ugrin will not be the alternate for Italy after all. In fact, she's doing the AA in qualification along with the favorites to make the AA final, Ferrari and Ferlito. Fasana continues to be out on beam. Enus "Don't Call Me Anus" Mariani is the alternate now. Are you worried about bars? I am. 

-Roxana Popa is indeed competing only bars for Spain. If you're exceptionally concerned about beam, you should be.

-Brazil has four AAers: Saraiva, Barbosa, Hypolito, and Oliveira.

-Murakami is in for Japan, so let's hope she once again proves why she was the next big thing for a hot second. This is a solid, relatively well-rounded team, and I'm excited to see how they do.

-Erja Metzler is out for Austria, so Austria will be putting up 5 on every event, except vault, where 4 will compete, all scores counting.

-Madison Copiak is the alternate for Canada. Black, Onyshko, and Woo will be doing the AA, and Black and Rogers will both be doing two vaults.

-Ida Gustavsson is out for Sweden, replaced by Marcela Torres on three events. Wagner will do vault and beam while going, "Remember that time you didn't let me go to the Olympics? Suck on my continuing career."

-Mackenzie Slee is out for New Zealand. Also out are Yana Fedorova of Ukraine (leaving Ukraine with just Kysla—remember when Ukraine was a country?), and Julia Rumbutis of Georgia, depriving us of the ability to never stop saying, "Rumbutis," along with Eddachraoui of Morocco, Leinonen of Finland, and Kaylee Cole from Texas Dreams Of Bolivia. 

-15 people will (allegedly) be competing two vaults on day 1:
Maria Paseka (RUS)
Seda Tutkhalyan (RUS)
Oksana Chusovitina (UZB)
Ellie Black (CAN)
Brittany Rogers (CAN)
Ellie Downie (GBR)
Courtney McGregor (NZL)
Annika Urvikko (FIN)
Teja Belak (SLO)
Tjasa Kysselef (SLO)
Ana Derek (CRO)
Dina Madir (CRO)
Norma Robertsdottir (ISL)
Paula Mejias (PUR)
Najwa Dassalm (MAR)