DGS 9.9's European style scarf featured in TV Movie

Shiloh Fernandez above seen modeling the DGS 9.9's Gymnastics USA Scarf

The DGS 9.9's Gymnastics USA European style soccer scarf was recently featured in a Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness featuring former Superman Dean Cain.

Z. Champ, the designer of the scarf commented on the discovery, "product placement like this shows that DGS 9.9's has a keen awareness of the pulse of Hollywood," Champ said. "While we are proud to be placed in a scene with the likes of Shiloh Fernandez, we would much rather be featured with a high profile 'A list' celebrity like Chuck Norris, Stephen Colbert or Rosie O'Donnell," Champ continued. "I wouldn't be surprised if our "No Parking" sign were to show up either," Champ mused, citing an internal company feud. That kind of hunger for improvement is typical of a company known nationwide for its restlessness and want of success.

For those unfamiliar with DGS 9.9's it should be noted that this is not the company's sole brush with the glitz and glamor of celebrity. The company was previously featured in episodes of NBC's The Apprentice, Discovery Channel's Trading Spaces: Kid's Edition, as well as providing stunt mats to lesser cast members of SNL and morning show exercise and fitness personalities.

Dean Cain was unavailable for comment at the time of publishing.

Five U.S. athletes advance to final round of Acrobatic Gymnastics World Cup Final

PUURS, Belgium, April 8, 2007—The mixed pair of Andre Solodar of San Jose, Calif., and Xiau-Ling Wee of Sereno, Calif., and the women’s group of Mariah Henninger of Walnut Creek, Calif., Ally Kidd of Livermore, Calif., and Tisa Penny of San Leandro, Calif., qualified for the final round of the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Cup Final in Puurs, Belgium. Tomorrow’s final round features the top four finishers in each event from the preliminary round.

Solodar and Wee placed third in the mixed pair competition after earning a balance score of 28.100 and dynamic score of 28.603, totaling 56.703. The trio of Henninger, Kidd and Penny claimed the fourth and final qualifying spot in women’s group with a routine that included a balance score of 27.690 and a dynamic score of 27.551 for a 55.241 total.

The top finishers in each discipline were: Alexei Dudchenko and Konstantin Pilipchuk of Russia, men’s pair; Natalia Kakhntuk and Kristina Maraziuk of Belarus, women’s pair; Revaz Gurgenidze and Tatiana Okulova of Russia, mixed pair; Maaike Croket, Soen Geirnaert and Corinne Van Hombeeck of Belgium, women’s group.

For complete preliminary round results, visit http://www.fig-gymnastics.com/LOB/media/MEDIA14777.pdf.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics.

Mazeika named head coach for the 2007 U.S. Men’s World Championships Team

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 5, 2007 – 2004 U.S. Olympic Coach Kevin Mazeika of Houston was named head coach for the U.S. Men's Team that will compete in the 2007 World Championships, Sept. 1-9, in Stuttgart, Germany. Mazeika, who also led the men’s squad for the 2001 and 2003 World Championships, guided the U.S. Men’s Team to the team silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2001 and 2003 World Championships. Mazeika was chosen by the Men’s Program Committee.

“Kevin has distinguished himself in this role at previous Olympic Games and the World Championships, earning him the respect and confidence of his peers and the athletes,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “This experience will surely play a role in creating a successful effort this fall in Stuttgart.”

Mazeika coached the U.S. Team to three of its most successful performances in recent history. The men’s silver team medal at the 2004 Olympics was the men’s best finish since they won the team gold medal in 1984, as well as the first team medal in a non-boycotted Olympics since 1932. The U.S. Men's Team also earned the team silver medal at both the 2001 and 2003 World Championships. Prior to the 2001, the men had not won a world team medal since 1979.

"I'm honored, grateful and very excited to serve as head coach for this year’s World Championships Team," said Mazeika. "We achieved our success in 2001, 2003 and 2004 via detailed planning and a total team effort, and we expect this same process to help us earn a berth to the 2008 Olympic Games and win medals in Stuttgart."

Currently, Mazeika is the head coach at the Houston Gymnastics Academy. Among the athletes he coaches are U.S. senior national team members Sean Golden, a member of the 2005 World Championships Team; Sean Townsend, 2001 parallel bars world champion and a member of the 2001 silver-medal World Championships Team; and Raj Bhavsar, 2004 U.S. Olympic Team alternate and a member of the 2001 and 2003 silver-medal World Championships Team. Mazeika began coaching men's gymnastics in 1984 and has served on the National Team Coaching Staff since 1988.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.

Ludvigson and Johnson win bronze medals at Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup

LAKE PLACID, N.Y., April 2, 2007—2006 U.S. tumbling champion Kalon Ludvigson of Cedar Lake, Ind., and 2007 Winter Classic tumbling champion Susannah Johnson of Roanoke, Va., both won their first World Cup medals when they claimed bronze medals in men’s and women’s tumbling, respectively, at today’s Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. Canadian trampolinists set two world records for degree of difficulty at the World Cup. Canada’s Jason Burnett set the mark in men’s trampoline at 17.5, while Rosannagh MacLennan and Karen Cockburn of Canada set a world record at 14.2 in their women’s synchronized trampoline win.

“I definitely did a lot better today than I did in prelims,” said Ludvigson, who finished behind China’s Wang Jiexu, who won the gold medal, and Tagir Murtazaev of Russia. “In the finals, I did everything I planned to do. I was a lot more confident today and training went a lot better.”

“It’s definitely exciting,” said Johnson, who placed behind Russians Anna Korobenikova and Alina Yarullova. “It’s terrifying being with all of these girls who have done it for so long because they’re so good. I did not expect to place at all, so I’m really excited.”

In addition to Wang, Korobenikova, MacLennan and Cockburn, the other event champions were: 2000 Olympic trampoline champion Irina Karavaeva of Russia, women’s trampoline; 2004 Olympic trampoline champion Yuriy Nikitin of the Ukraine, men’s trampoline; and Tetsuya Sotomura and Yasuhiro Ueyama of Japan, men’s synchronized trampoline.

In men’s tumbling, Wang won the gold with a score of 77.20, followed by Murtazaev at 76.10. Ludvigson was third with a score of 74.40 points. Also competing for the United States in men’s tumbling was Chris Adair of Lubbock, Texas, who finished eighth at 65.50.

Russia went 1-2 in women’s tumbling with Korobenikova, the reigning tumbling world champion, in first with a score of 69.80, followed by Yarullova at 67.90. Johnson scored a 64.80 to place third in women’s tumbling.

In women’s synchronized trampoline, Erin Blanchard of Lafayette, La., and Brittany Dircks of Orland Park, Ill., placed fifth with a total score of 44.80. The pair of MacLennan and Cockburn won the gold medal with a score of 47.90, while Karavaeva and Natalia Chernova took second at 47.00. Maryna Kyiko and Yulia Domchevska of the Ukraine claimed the bronze medal with a 46.50.

Ueyama and Sotomura won men’s synchronized trampoline with a 49.90, followed by Vladimir Kakorko and Nikolai Kazak of Belarus in second at 49.30. Alexander Leven and German Khnychev of Russia placed third at 48.00.

Karavaeva won women’s trampoline gold medal with her 38.60. Cockburn was second with a 37.90, followed by Zhong Xinping of China in third at 37.60. Blanchard placed seventh at 35.60.

In men’s trampoline, Nikitin’s 40.70 put him in first. Burnett and Shunsuke Nagasaki of Japan were second and third, respectively, with just a tenth of a point separating them. Burnett scored a 40.00 and Nagasaki scored a 39.90.

A world record can only be set in an official International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) competition.


The majority of these athletes will compete in the second World Cup event of the season, April 6-7, in Quebec City, Quebec.

About the Olympic Regional Development Authority

ORDA, headquartered in Lake Placid, N.Y., was created by the New York State legislature in 1981. It manages, promotes, maintains and updates the venues that were used in the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. ORDA and Lake Placid offer venues that are used by the best winter athletes for training and competition, as well as for the enjoyment of recreational users. The sites offer the activities of skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and snow shoeing, bobsled, luge, skeleton, hockey, figure skating, speed skating, ski jumping, Nordic combined, biathlon, aerials skiing, mogul skiing and mountain biking.

About USA Gymnastics

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics.


Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup

U.S. Olympic Training Center

Lake Placid, N.Y.

April 2, 2007

Final round



Men’s Trampoline

1. Yuriy Nikitin, Ukraine, 40.70

2. Jason Burnett, Canada, 40.00

3. Shunsuke Nagasaki, Japan, 39.90



Women’s Trampoline

1. Irina Karavaeva, Russia, 38.60

2. Karen Cockburn, Canada, 37.90

3. Zhong Xingping, China, 37.60

Other U.S. Finish

7. Erin Blanchard, USA, 35.60



Men’s Synchronized Trampoline

1. Yasuhiro Ueyama and Tetsuya Sotomura, Japan, 49.90

2. Vladimir Kakorko and Nikolai Kazak, Belarus, 49.30

3. Alexander Leven and German Khnychev, Russia, 48.00



Women’s Synchronized Trampoline

1. Rosannagh MacLennan and Karen Cockburn, Canada, 47.90

2. Irina Karavaeva and Natalia Chernova, Russia, 47.00

3. Maryna Kyiko and Yuliia Domchevska, Ukraine, 46.50

Other U.S. Finish

5. Erin Blanchard and Brittany Dircks, USA, 44.80



Men’s Tumbling

1. Wang Jiexu, China, 77.20

2. Tagir Murtazaev, Russia, 76.10

3. Kalon Ludvigson, USA, 74.40

Other U.S. Finish

8. Chris Adair, USA, 65.50



Women’s Tumbling

1. Anna Korobenikova, Russia, 69.80

2. Alina Yarullova, Russia, 67.90

3. Susannah Johnson, USA, 64.80