Trampolining at the Olympics

trampolining at the olympicsThe London Olympic Games takes place from the 27th July to 12th August 2012. Trampolining is a relatively new discipline in the Olympic Games. London played host to the first ever Trampoline World Championships in 1964 when they were staged at the Royal Albert Hall. However Trampolining didn’t make it into the Olympics until the Sydney Games in 2000.

In this blog post we take a look at Trampolining in the London Olympics. From how to compete, who to watch out for and when to watch, it’s all in this guide.

Field of Play

The competition consists of two rectangular trampolines placed just 2metres apart from eachother. The trampolines must fit with the Olympic requirements and measure:

  • 5.05metres long,
  • 2.91metres wide
  • 1.155metres high.

Trampoline Field of PlayThe trampoline spring bed (or mat) is made up of durable woven nylon material bands that are 6mm-thick and woven together. The spring bed is attached to a frame by 118-126 steel springs. The centre of the trampoline is marked with a 70cm red cross. Also marked on the trampoline is the jumping zone in which the trampolinist must keep. This zone is 215cm long and 108cm wide.

Around the trampoline are large mats to ensure the safety of the competitors, these are called ‘end decks’. There are also four spotters around the trampolines to ensure trampoline safety. The spotters are ready to break the fall of any gymnast misjudging a bounce. The judging panel sits just 10metres away from the trampolines.

During the London Olympics both Men’s trampoline and Women’s trampoline qualification and final will be held at the North Greenwich Arena on the banks of the River Thames.

The Rules

How to Play

medals in trampoliningWhilst bouncing on the trampoline (up to 10metres high), the gymnasts must try to achieve certain positions (twists, bounces and somersaults) and finish by landing on the trampoline with both feet on the trampoline bed and holding an upright position for three seconds.

The gymnasts perform a series of 10 skill routines and must achieve 10 contacts with the trampoline (ie 10 bounces). These contacts can be with the feet, backside (sitting down), front (lying face down) or back (landing on your shoulders).

In the qualifying rounds, gymnasts must perform 2 routines, one is compulsory and one is optional. The compulsory routine sees the gymnasts perform a set of prescribed moves whilst the optional round is a routine created by the gymnast. The optional round must include 10 recognised skills. Only 8 of the 16 competitors will advance from the qualifying round, with the best 8 scorers going to final round. In the final round they perform another optional routine, with the highest scorer winning the gold medal.

There are just 2 gold medals on offer, one for Mens Trampoline and one for Womens Trampoline.

There are nine judges marking each routine. They award points based on difficulty, execution and time of flight. The judges will also deduct points for errors and infringements.

The Moves

Each move must usually be performed in one of the three following basic shapes:
Trampolining - the tuck

  • The Tuck: With knees pulled in to the chest and hands clasped around knees holding them in place
  • The Pike: Both arms and legs are straight but the gymnast is folded in half, with hands trying to touch toes.
  • Straddle: Legs create a triangle and hands are on ankles

See below for a full A to Z list of trampoline moves

A-Z Of Trampoline Moves

  • Adolph: A Front Somersault with 3 and a half twists.
  • Airplane: Half twist to front drop (backwards take-off).
  • Back Drop: Landing on the back with legs together and arms & legs pointing upward.
  • Back In – Full Out: A double Back Somersault with a full twist performed during the 2nd Somersault.
  • Back Pullover A move starting on the back, three-quarter Back Somersault To Feet.
  • Back Somersault A backward initiated Somersault.
  • Ball Out A move starting on the back, 1 and a quarter Front Somersault to feet
  • Ball Out – Adolf A move starting on the back, 1 and a quarter Front Somersault with 3 and a half twists.
  • Ball Out – Barani A move starting on the back, 1 and a quarter Front Somersault with a late half twist.
  • Ball Out – Half Out A move starting on the back, 2 and a quarter Front Somersault with a half twist in the 2nd Somersault.
  • Ball Out – Randy A move starting on the back, 1 and a quarter Front Somersault with 2 and a half twists.
  • Ball Out – Rudy A move starting on the back, 1 and a quarter Front Somersault with 1 and a half twists
  • Barani A front Somersault with a half-twist.
  • Barani In – Back Out A double Front Somersault, with a half twist in the 1st Somersault, and no twist in the 2nd Somersault; also known as “Half In – Back Out”
  • Barani Out A double Front Somersault with a half twist in the 2nd Somersault. More usually known as “Half Out”.
  • Barrel Roll A move starting on the stomach, with one full twist, landing again on the stomach; also known as a “Log Roll”.
  • Bounce-Roll A move starting on the back, with a Front Somersault, landing again on the back. Also called a rebound.
  • Cat Twist A move starting on the back, with one full twist, landing again on the back.
  • Cody A move starting on the stomach, 1 and a quarter Back Somersault to feet. Named after Joe Kotys of Ohio USA, one of the few persons to compete internationally in both Trampoline and Gymnastics. In Australia it can also mean a forward three-quarter somersault from front to feet.
  • Corkscrew A move starting on the back, half Front Somersault With 1 and a half Twists To back.
  • Cradle A move starting on the back, half Front Somersault With half Twist To back.
  • Crash Dive Three-quarter Front Somersault (Straight).
  • Double Back A double Back Somersault without twist.
  • Double Bounce-Roll A move starting on the back, with a double Front Somersault, landing again on the back.
  • Double Full A Back Somersault with 2 complete twists. Not to be confused with the term “Full – Full” or more normally “Full In – Full Out”.
  • Fliffis Any double Somersault combined with a component of twist.
  • Front Somersault A forward initiated Somersault.
  • Full Full Twisting Back Somersault
  • Full In – Back Out A double Back Somersault with a full twist performed during the 1st Somersault.
  • Full In – Double Full Out A double Back Somersault, with 1 twist in the 1st Somersault, and 2 twists in the 2nd Somersault; also known as a “Miller”.
  • Full In – Full Out A double Back Somersault, with 1 twist in the 1st Somersault, and 1 twist in the 2nd Somersault.
  • Full In – Half Out A double Front Somersault, with 1 twist in the 1st Somersault, and half twist in the 2nd Somersault.
  • Full In – Rudi Out A double Front Somersault, with 1 twist in the 1st Somersault, and 1 and a half twist in the 2nd Somersault.
  • Full Out A double Back Somersault with a full twist performed during the 2nd Somersault. Also known as “Back In – Full Out”.
  • Full Twist Jump A move whereby a trampolinist rotates 360 degrees around the body’s longitudinal axis, finishes facing the same end of the trampoline.
  • Half In – Half Out A double Back Somersault with a half twist in each Somersault
  • Half In – Rudi Out A double Back Somersault, with a half twist in the 1st Somersault, and 1 and a half twist in the 2nd Somersault.
  • Half In (- Back Out) A double Front Somersault, with a half twist in the 1st Somersault, and no twist in the 2nd Somersault; also known as “Barani In – Back Out”.
  • Half Out A double Front Somersault with a half twist in the 2nd Somersault. Sometimes known as “Barani Out”.
  • Half Turntable A move starting on the stomach, 180 degrees of Side Somersault, landing again on the stomach facing the opposite end of the trampoline.
  • Half Twist Jump A move whereby a trampolinist rotates 180 degrees around the body’s longitudinal axis, finishes facing the opposite end of the trampoline.
  • Kaboom Somersault from front (or back) landing, where a double contact is made. The legs hit the trampoline bed momentarily after the body, reversing the rotation generated from the body.
  • Kick Out Extension of the legs to straight body position after the shape phase of a somersault is completed. Also called a Line Out
  • Killer A double Back Somersault with 4 complete twists.
  • Layout A straight (or slightly arched) position of the body.
  • Lazy Back A three-quarter Back Somersault, from feet, landing on the front. Usually followed by a back cody.
  • Log Roll A move starting on the stomach, with one full twist, landing again on the stomach; also known as a “Barrel Roll”.
  • Miller A triple-twisting double Back Somersault, originally performed as “2 and a half In – half Out”, nowadays usually performed as “Full In – Double Full Out”, with 1 twist in the 1st Somersault, and 2 twists in the 2nd Somersault
  • Piked Jump Move showing the “Piked” shape alone, ie. no rotation or twist.
  • Poliarush A double Back Somersault with 4 complete twists
  • Puck Semi-tucked shape allowable in competition for multi-twisting multiple somersaults. For competition, the rules require an angle between the body and thighs, and the thighs and lower legs, of 90 degrees – 120 degrees.
  • Quadriffis Any quadruple Somersault combined with a component of twist.
  • Randolph A Front Somersault with 2 and a half twists; also known as a “Randy”.
  • Roller A move starting on the Seat, Full Twist To Seat Drop
  • Rudi Out A double Front Somersault with 1 and a half twists in the 2nd Somersault”.
  • Rudolph A Front Somersault with 1 and a half twists; also known as a “Rudy”.
  • Side Somersault A 360 degree rotation around an axis passing through the navel
  • Somersault An acrobatic movement where the body makes a complete revolution, heels over head; also known as a “summy” or a “sault”.
  • Straddled Jump Move showing the “Straddle” shape alone, ie. no rotation or twist.
  • Swivel Hips A move starting on the seat, a half twist in upright position, landing again on seat.
  • Three-Quarter Front Three-quarter Front Somersault (tucked or piked), starting from feet landing on the back. Also known as ‘Forward Turnover’. A specific variant in the straight position is termed a “Crash Dive”.
  • Triffis [or Triff] Any triple Somersault combined with a component of twist.
  • Turntable A move starting on the stomach, a complete Side Somersault, landing again on the stomach.

The Competitors

Trampoline CompetitorsIn total 32 men and women will compete for medals at the Olympics. Each country is only allowed to have two men and two women representing them. Men and women compete individually.

Qualifying for the London Olympics began in November at the world Trampolining championships in Birmingham. Top 8 ranked men and women from these championships qualified (max 2 per country). Also qualified are the top 5 ranked men and women from the Olympic Test Event in London (max 1 per country).

One man and one woman are nominated by the FIG (Federation International de Gymnastique) and one gymnast is selected as a wildcard by the International Olympic Committee.

Ones to Watch

Typically Canada have been the ones to watch in Olympic Trampolining events. Though Karen Cockburn - Canadian Trampolinistthe Canadians have yet to win an Olympic gold medal, they have won more medals – five – in the sport than any other nation and have a strong team for London 2012. Canadian Karen Cockburn is recognised as one of the Trampolining greats of all time.

Undoubtedly one of the ones to watch this year is British gymnast Kat Driscoll. Ranked as number one in the world and with the home crowd behind her, she is tipped to get gold this year. Great Britain have a strong trampoline team at the moment with three women in the world’s top 10 and men ranked 12th and 18th.

China will be looking to repeat their success in the 2008 Beijing Olympics where they won gold in both Mens and Womens Trampolining.

Past and Present Olympic Greats 

Read on for a guide to past gold-medal winners and videos of the all-time great trampolinists

Alexandre Moskalenko

Born in 1969, Alexander Moskalenko is a Russian Olympic Champion. He won the gold medal in the men’s section of the first ever Olympic trampolining competition in Sydney 2000. He then went on to win silver in 2004 in Athens

Karen Cockburn

Karen Cockburn was born in Toronto, Canada in 1980 and is considered one of the world’s top trampolinists. After starting trampolining at the age of 11, she went on to win a bronze medal at the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney and then a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She earned her place in the 2012 Olympic Games at the Trampoline World Championships 2011 and is a strong contender for the top spot.

This video shows the routine that won her Gold at the Trampoline World Cup Final 2006

Wenna He

Chinese-born He Wenna won the ladies gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with a score of 37.8.

In this video you can see her getting the 2nd highest score at the World Trampolining Championships 2011.

Chunlong Lu

Chunlong Lu also took gold for China at the 2008 Olympics. Here is his final routine that won him gold in Beijing.

Schedule – When is it Happening?

north greenwich arena - trampolining at the olympics This year the Trampolining events will take place on the afternoons on 3rd and 4th August. Mens Trampolining is on Friday 3rd August and Womens is on Saturday 4th August.

The event will be hosted at the North Greenwich Arena

 

Useful Links

The Guardian Guide

The Guardian’s Guide to Trampolining at The Olympics

Trampolines

Fancy being the next trampolining world champion? Get started by getting a garden trampoline. We are specialists in good quality garden trampolines – explore the rest of the site to find out more

Author: Bob Bounce

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One Response to Trampolining at the Olympics

  1. Pingback: Olympics Trampolining – the results | Atlantic Trampolines Blog

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