TOP 5: FLOOR

My Favourite Floor Routines of 2013

As 2013 draws to a close I want to take a look at some of the routines that have stood out for me throughout the year. They may not necessarily be the highest scoring or the the most difficult, but simply ones that I have enjoyed watching. You can find my top 5 Vaults here, my top 5 Bars routines here and my top 5 Beam routines here. And here are my top (5) Floor routines of 2013:

Ok, so I know this post is called 'Top 5: Floor', but there were so many fantastic floor routines to choose from, I have had to include a few others that I feel really deserve a mention:

Catherine Lyons - graceful and elegant
Simone Biles - dynamic and powerful with phenomenal tumbling
Kseniia Afanaseva - powerful yet beautifully elegant
Victoria Moors - incredible tumbling and very artistic

And now to my top 5:

5 - Louise McColgan
Still only 12 years old, Louise McColgan has really impressed me in her first year as a British Espoir, especially with this beautifully artistic floor routine. The routine suits her perfectly and you can really see her personality shine through as she performs. I simply cannot wait to see more from this budding young gymnast, especially her fabulously expressive floor routines.

Louise McColgan, Floor, 2013 British Espoir Championships

4 - Roxana Popa Nedelcu
Normally I tend to favour the less dynamic type of floor routine so I was very pleasantly surprised to discover just how much I loved Roxana's floor exercise. Her energy suits this routine which is brilliantly choreographed and brilliantly performed. She really makes a mark on floor and is definitely one to watch out for in the future.

Roxana Popa Nedelcu, Floor, 2013 World Championships

3 - Larisa Iordache
Larisa approaches floor with the confidence we see on every apparatus, but here she gives us that little bit extra - she interacts so well with her audience, using her expression and her eyes to draw you into her performance. Add to this some fabulous tumbling and you get an absolutely superb routine.

Larisa Iordache, Floor, 2013 World Championships

2 - McKayla Maroney
I absolutely adore this routine from McKayla Maroney. I love the way it combines her elegance and grace with the more dynamic side of her personality. The routine itself is structured brilliantly, allowing McKayla to show off her elegance and her energy side by side as the music switches. With McKayla's natural ability to perform and the height in her tumbles, this routine is one that I simply love to watch.

McKayla Maroney, Floor, 2013 P&G National Championships

1 - Vanessa Ferrari
Seven years after bursting onto the scene and winning the 2006 World Championships, Vanessa is still a force to be reckoned with. Still performing the amazing tumbling she became known for at the age of 16, she now brings experience and maturity to her floor routine. As well as being dynamic in her tumbles, Vanessa gives a performance that is sophisticated and inviting. She knows how to sell her performance and she does so with style.

Vanessa Ferrari, Floor, 2013 World Championships