Women's Competition
The women's competition had too many errors to be very exciting for the crowd.

Just as in the men's competition, the women were divided into two groups and started on vault. Russia's Pavlova and America's Shire did double twisting Yurchenko, and Romania's Nistor did roundoff full-on to backhandspiring tucked full twisting back somi. Those vaults had 9.8 SV and the gymnasts scored well. Japan's Ishizaka and Oshima did 1 1/2 twisting Yurchenko and landed cleanly. They, too, started well.

However, the gymnasts started to fall apart on uneven bars. Pavlova fell twice: she missed an el-grip giant combination and Jaeger. America's Shire and Price also broke their rhythm and fell on release elements. (Actually, their routines would have been the best at this competition if they had hit their routines!). Oshima sat down on her double pike dismount. The competition was full of falls, but Japan's Uemura and Kuroda hit their routines with 10 SV. They were the top two at the last nationals on this event. They both scored more than 9.50. *Kuroda competed exhibition only in this competition.

On beam, Russia's Ziganshina fell twice and had a lot of wobbles. Nistor showed a superb tucked full but fell. Ishizaka could not connect her dance and acrobatic combination and lost some SV. Pavlova and Oshima hit their routines for good scores.

On floor, Pavlova put her hands down on her piked double back somersault dismount. Ziganshina downgraded her routine but could not score high in spite of her error-free performance. Uemura missed her tumbling passes twice. After very disappointing performances, Ishizaka, and the two Romanians hit their routines. Ishizaka was stable as usual on her tucked full-in, double pike, 2 1/2 back somi to punch front, and triple twist. Nistor and the other Romanian, Izbasa, showed very high and excellent tucked full-in and triple twist. They scored high for medal positions, and eventually Nistor won the final; Ishizaka and Izbasa were second and third, respectively. Ishizaka became the first Japanese woman to win a medal for the all-around at the Chunichi Cup.

Mayu Kudora, competing exhibition only, actually tied with the winner, Nistor. She needs to improve her weak vault still, but her routine on uneven bars was world class. She will become a senior gymnast next year, then we can expect more from her than this year.

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