2026 Elite Season Begins!

HEADLINES

• Simone Biles went to the Winter Olympics to cheer on Team USA
• Morgan Price, who earned Fisk's first ever 10, got another 10 this week for Arkansas
• Two more GAGE coaches were suspended in addition to Al Fong and Armine
  • Karla Grimes was suspended from all contact
  • Tiffany Davenport (GAGE) was hit with a Center temporary suspension
• Elite season is warming up with Winter Cup and the Cottbus World Cup

ELITE SEASON IS WARMING UP: COTTBUS

• Why does the Cottbus World Cup matter in terms of Olympic qualification?
• Sugihara Aiko did not defend her floor world title here, with several OOB deductions
• Anna Kalmykova (AIN) won FX and VT with an ode to Mother Paseka
• A shocking upset on bars where Kaylia Nemour, the reigning Olympic Champion, finished 7th
• Elisa Iorio won bars with a 14.266, Milana Kayumova (AIN) finished second, and Giulia Perotti (Italy) took the bronze
• Why wee are giving the GymCastic Award for Elegance (Cottbus version) to Lea Marie Quaas
• Nakashima Karin is taking the GymCastic opportunity for comedy award
• Can we talk about the fart noises during Makovickova's floor?
• Someone please get Sam Mikulak a polo shirt that fits him better!!
• Artistry discussion: Anna Kalmykova edition

WINTER CUP

• So apparently everyone missed the memo that Winter Cup is supposed to be a flop?
• Hezly Rivera won the all-around with a monstrous 56.750, winning beam and floor
• New senior Charleigh Bullock took silver with a 55.200, winning bars
• Claire Pease took bronze with a 54.350, taking the vault title with two vaults
• The American Cup roster has been announced with Hezly Rivera, Charleigh Bullock, and Claire Pease all on the squad
• The US will send Charleigh Bullock, Reese Esponda, Greta Krob, Caroline Moreau, and Simone Rose to Jesolo
• And now for a Spencer Rage-O-Meter: Winter Cup Edition
  • DID THEY JUST PICK THE TOP 3 AA FOR A MIXED TEAM, NON-AA COMPETITION?
  • Why Reese Esponda deserves justice after this decision
  • If Winter Cup is the selection competition, why aren't we using Winter Cup scores to select the team?

NCAA

• We have four more 10s this weekend
  • Kailin Chio is on fire and got 10s on vault and beam
  • Morgan Price's 10 on vault
  • Avery Neff's 10 on vault
• The race between Kailin Chio, Jordan Chiles, and Selena Harris-Miranda for the gym slam
• Ranking updates
  • Oklahoma stays in no. 1, followed by LSU, Alabama, Florida, and UCLA
  • NQS season is upon us! How will this shift the rankings?
  • Jordan Chiles still leads the all-around standings
  • Chio moves ahead of Fatta for the no. 1 position on vault
  • Chloe LaCoursiere maintains the no. 1 position on bars
  • Chio breaks the tie and moves ahead of Torrez on beam
  • Chiles and Nikki Smith stay 1-2 on floor

GYMTERNET NEWS

• Suni Lee did an interview with the Today Show, leaving the door open for the 2028 Olympics
• Jade Carey made a post on the socials, hinting at an elite return
• Sabrina Voinea underwent a successful emergency appendectomy surgery
• Rhys McClenaghan adds a new title, MBE, to his collection of accolades
• Helen Kevric leaves Stuttgart gym, where Aimee Boorman is coaching

FEEDBACK

• Has there ever been a gymnast taller than Casey Brown competing in the NCAA?

CHAPTERS

0:00:00 – Intro: Morgan Price Makes History & 2026 Elite Season Begins

0:01:07 – Simone Biles at the Winter Olympics: Counseling the "Quad God"

0:02:22 – Morgan Price’s Historical 10: From Fisk to Arkansas

0:03:12 – Headline News: More GAGE Coaching Suspensions & New SafeSport Investigations

0:04:03 – Cottbus World Cup: Individual Apparatus World Championships Qualifications

0:06:20 – Floor Routine Debates: Should Gymnasts Have to Get New Routines Each Year?

0:10:48 – Flying Banana Jesus: Dramatic Vaults at Cottbus

0:12:31 – Nemour’s New Bars Skill & The In-Bar Arms Race

0:18:35 – GymCastic Award for Elegance: Lea Marie Quaas & "Cherish the Beam"

0:37:14 – Winter Cup: Did they not get the memo that Winter Cup is supposed to be bad?

0:43:05 – Winter Cup Senior Analysis: Hezly Rivera’s Dominant Performance

0:56:09 – Gymnasts in the Winter Olympics: Recruiting "Fast Twitch" Athletes for Bobsled

0:59:43 – NCAA Update: Avery Neff & The Race for the First Gym Slam

1:22:12 – Feedback: Tallest Gymnast in NCAA

1:23:58 – Closing & Upcoming College & Cocktails: Georgia at Kentucky

UP NEXT

• Fantasy Gymnastics podcast every Wednesday
• College & Cocktails: This week's meet is Georgia at Kentucky, Friday, February 27 at 5pm Pacific
  • Cocktail of the week: Code Hacker 
  • 2026 Cocktail and Mocktail menu here
  • Add exclusive Club Content to your favorite podcast player (instructions here).

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