Cassina Cuts Out "Cassina II"

Igor Cassina

For several years, Cassina has been training a double-twisting Kovacs with an eye on defending his high bar title this summer at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The Italian already has a move named after him: the layout Kolman (full-twisting Kovacs) that he debuted at the 2001 Worlds in Ghent.

"After the triumph of Athens 2004, my goal was to be able to complete the 'Cassina II,'" said Cassina, who recently posted a video of the trick on his Web site. "Being able to make it fills me with pride. In the gym with my coach, Maurizio Allievi, I can do it consistently."

Cassina qualified fifth to Sunday's high bar final, behind world champion Fabian Hambüchen (Germany), Vlasios Maras (Greece), Umit Samiloglu (Turkey) and Aljaz Pegan (Slovenia). However, he likely won't compete the double-twisting Kovacs. A single-twisting Kovacs already is a F-value skill, the maximum rating. (The layout Kolman also has a F value.)

Despite the innovative value, Cassina said it is not worth the risk to attempt the skill in a tight field.

"We have come here in order to bring home a medal," said Cassina, whose Italian team finished eighth in Saturday's final. "The adversaries are always the same ones: Hambüchen, Maras, Pegan.... A lot of competition, but we are all there. For the Cassina II, I wanted to keep a promise that I had made to myself in 2004. The move is there on the Internet, under the eyes of everyone, but until the Code of Points gives the move more value than the old one, it's not worth the risk."

External Link: Cassina II on IgorCassina.it