Let’s talk D-Scores: routine composition choices, scores awarded, and potential future options based on the routines at Classic.
| SIMONE BILES FLOOR |
| Double layout full H (0.8) Composition requirements = Salto w/ full turn 0.5 Double salto 0.5 |
| Front Full + Double tuck double full C (0.3) + H (0.8) Bonus = 0.2 connection Composition requirement = Fwd/bwd saltos 0.5 |
| Wolf turn double D (0.4) |
| Switch leap to Split leap 1.5 B ( Composition requirement = Dance passage 0.5 |
| Double layout 1/2 G (0.7) |
| Switch leap full + Straight jump full D (0.4) + A ( |
| Double layout F (0.6) Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = HHGFC 3.2 Dance = DDD 1.2 |
| Connection bonus 0.2 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.8 |
Here, Biles would have been intending to include the stag jump after the double layout 1/2 for another 0.1 in connection and a D-Score of 6.9. Obviously already far more difficulty than is necessary for her to have the top floor routine of 2023.
Options to get to a 7.0+ would include adding back the triple wolf turn for another 0.1. Reintroducing the triple double would add 0.2 compared to the double layout full first pass. And if she were to do triple double first pass and double layout full as the final pass instead of the double layout, that would add an additional 0.2 for a 7.4 altogether, but we’re getting a little excessive here.
| SIMONE BILES BEAM |
| Switch split mount + Switch split 1/2 + Back pike D (0.4) + D (0.4) + C (0.3) Bonus = 0.3 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Dance connection 0.5 |
| Wolf turn triple E (0.5) Composition requirement = Turn 0.5 |
| Aerial walkover + Split jump + Straddle jump D (0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Fwd/bwd acrobatic 0.5 |
| Back handspring + Layout stepout + Layout stepout B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Acrobatic series 0.5 |
| Aerial cartwheel D (0.4) |
| Back handspring + Back handspring + Double tuck full B ( Bonus = 0.1 series, 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = GDDCC 2.1 Dance = EDD 1.3 |
| Connection bonus 0.5 Series bonus 0.4 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.5 |
The addition of the switch split mount in combination has allowed Biles to get back to up 6.5, which is 0.2 shy of her intended D-Score from 2021 but has also allowed her to eliminate two dance elements from her routine.
| SIMONE BILES BARS |
| Glide kip A ( |
| Weiler 1/2 + Maloney + Giant full + Tkatchev piked + Pak D (0.4) + D (0.4) + C (0.3) + E (0.5) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.4 connection Composition requirements = Grip change 0.5 (Weiler 1/2) Full turn 0.5 (Giant full) Same-bar release 0.5 (Tkatchev piked) High to low 0.5 (Pak) |
| Van Leeuwen E (0.5) |
| Toe-on full + Double tuck full D (0.4) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements EEDDDDDC 3.3 |
| Connection bonus 0.5 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.0 |
The addition of the giant full is how Simone solved the problem of not being allowed to do both Tkatchevs now. This drops 0.2 in total D compared to her routine with the Tkatchev but, like beam, has also made for a more efficient routine that eliminates a cast handstand.
The giant full is not completely ideal for connection value because you don’t get anything for connecting out of it, though that would be more of an issue for someone aiming for bars gold and needing to maximize connections for every element.
The double double dismount remains an option, which would gain 0.2 over the dismount from Classic. But then if you don’t connect out of the toe-on full, it’s only a 0.1 gain compared to the current routine (and you’re adding a giant or two).
| SUNI LEE BEAM |
| Side split sit mount A ( |
| Wolf turn triple E (0.5) Composition requirement = Turn 0.5 |
| Aerial walkover + Split jump + Back handspring D (0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series |
| Switch leap + Switch leap 1/2 + Split ring jump C (0.3) + D (0.4) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.3 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Dance connection 0.5 |
| Aerial cartwheel + Layout stepout + Layout stepout D (0.4) + C ( Bonus = 0.3 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirements = Acrobatic series 0.5 Fwd/bwd acrobatic 0.5 |
| Switch ring leap E (0.5) |
| Gainer tuck full C (0.3) |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = DDC 1.1 Dance = EEDDC 2.1 |
| Connection bonus 0.7 Series bonus 0.3 |
| FINAL D = 6.2 |
For what was allegedly going to be a downgraded beam routine for Lee at Classic, this one was not so downgraded. It’s just 0.2 lower than what she was getting credit for domestically in 2021, heavily the result of not being able to do two wolf turns. Lee is also hurt by not having a D+ dismount to get that 0.2 bonus, which would put her above her 2021 routine if she had one.
I mean, she’s doing a dismount named after Nellie Kim. One would think it would be a G or something.
Mostly, attention now turns to the prospects on the big one, bars. If we put together what Lee was showing in podium training at Classic for her just-in-case bars routine, we get this.
| SUNI LEE BARS |
| Glide kip mount A ( |
| Van Leeuwen E (0.5) |
| Blind change + Jaeger + Pak + Maloney + Gienger B (0.2) + D (0.4) + D (0.4) + D (0.4) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.4 connection Composition requirements = Grip change 0.5 Same-bar release 0.5 High-to-low 0.5 |
| Toe-on full + Double tuck full D (0.4) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.2 dismount Composition requirement = Full turn 0.5 |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements EDDDDDDB 3.1 |
| Connection bonus 0.5 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 5.8 |
It’s a little baby routine by Lee’s standards—I mean it counts a B—that would nonetheless score competitively if all put together. And then if she were to add the Nabieva to Bhardwaj combination you’re looking at 6.5, which would be the top bars D in the US and would be an identical D-Score to her 2021 composition, which was a 6.8 at the time but would now be 6.5 because of code changes.
A possibility for higher D than that could feature connecting the Nabieva + Bhardwaj + Van Leeuwen up to 6.7, which is a lot but also necessary to get into Qiu Qiyuan/Kaylia Nemour territory.
A 6.5 would pass the current leader in the US, which is Zoe Miller on 6.4.
| ZOE MILLER BARS |
| Glide kip mount A ( |
| Inbar full + Stalder Shaposhnikova 1/2 E (0.5) + E (0.5) Bonus = 0.2 connection Composition requirement = Full turn 0.5 |
| Inbar 1/2 + Jaeger D (0.4) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirement = Grip change 0.5 |
| Stalder Tkatchev piked + Pak F (0.6) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.2 connection Composition requirements = Same-bar release 0.5 High to low 0.5 |
| Van Leeuwen E (0.5) |
| Giant + Giant + Double layout B ( Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements FEEEDDDD 3.7 |
| Connection bonus 0.5 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.4 |
Skye Blakely has also scored well on bars, going comfortably into the 14s, though is doing it with a much lower intended D-Score.
| SKYE BLAKELY BARS |
| Jump to high bar mount A ( |
| Stalder 1/2 + Jaeger piked C (0.3) + D (0.4) Composition requirements = Same-bar release 0.5 Grip change 0.5 |
| Stalder Tkatchev piked + Pak F (0.6) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.2 connection Composition requirement = High to low 0.5 |
| Toe-on full + Van Leeuwen D (0.4) + E (0.5) Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirement = Full turn 0.5 |
| Toe-on 1/2 + Front giant + Double front 1/2 C (0.3) + B ( Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements FEEDDDCC 3.4 |
| Connection bonus 0.3 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 5.9 |
Blakely’s vertical positions in pirouetting mean that she can score better than most without needing the same D, and the reintroduction of the Stalder Tkatchev piked this year has bumped her up 0.2 to bring this routine closer to the difficulty of those who might go on bars in a team final. We’ll see if the Ricna, which she has performed together with the piked version before, ever makes a comeback.
But beam is really the one for her.
| SKYE BLAKELY BEAM |
| Neck stand 1/2, 1/2 mount B ( |
| Wolf turn triple E (0.5) Composition requirement = Turn 0.5 |
| Back tuck full F (0.6) |
| Front handspring + Front tuck + Split jump + Wolf jump B ( Bonus = 0.3 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirements = Dance combination 0.5 Acrobatic series 0.5 Fwd/bwd acrobatic 0.5 |
| Switch leap + Switch leap 1/2 + Back tuck C (0.3) + D (0.4) + C ( Bonus = 0.2 connection, 0.1 series |
| Aerial walkover D (0.4) |
| Aerial cartwheel D (0.4) |
| Round-off + Double pike B ( Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = FEDDD 2.3 Dance = EDC 1.2 |
| Connection bonus 0.5 Series bonus 0.2 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.4 |
Blakely is just 0.1 behind Biles’ current D-Score on beam and has more difficulty in pure skill value. It’s the series bonus alone that makes the difference, with Biles performing four 3-element series while Blakely has two.
So how about we tack a rando B dance element onto that aerial walkover and even this race at 6.5? Agreed? Agreed.
Also in the beam D-Score race is Joscelyn Roberson, who went 6.3 for her routine.
| JOSCELYN ROBERSON BEAM |
| Jump 3/4 turn in hand support mount A ( |
| Back tuck full F (0.6) |
| Switch leap + Switch leap 1/2 + Back tuck C (0.3) + D (0.4) + C (0.3) Bonus = 0.2 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Dance combination 0.5 |
| Side aerial + Layout stepout + Layout stepout D (0.4) + C ( Bonus = 0.3 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirements = Acrobatic series 0.5 Fwd/bwd acro 0.5 |
| Full turn A (0.1) Composition requirement = Turn 0.5 |
| Onodi + Split jump + Pike jump D (0.4) + B (0.2) + A (0.1) Bonus = 0.1 connection |
| Straddle jump from side C (0.3) |
| Back handspring + Back handspring + Double pike B (0.2) + B (0.2) + E (0.5) Bonus = 0.1 series, 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = FEDDC 2.2 Dance = DCC 1.0 |
| Connection bonus 0.6 Series bonus 0.3 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.3 |
Roberson is lower on overall skill value (counting three Cs) but matches Biles in terms of total bonus.
Roberson also matched Biles in the bonus department (on the day, at least) as well as dance element difficulty on floor, but is down 4 tenths on the acro difficulty. I mean, she only has an I and an H in this routine, so….
| JOSCELYN ROBERSON FLOOR |
| Double layout double full I (0.9) Composition requirements = Salto w/ full turn 0.5 Double salto 0.5 |
| Double layout full H (0.8) |
| Leg-up full to Split leap 1.5 C (0.3), D (0.4) Composition requirement = Dance passage 0.5 |
| Wolf turn triple E (0.5) |
| Front full + Double tuck C (0.3) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirement = Fwd/bwd saltos 0.5 |
| Front layout + Double pike B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = IHDDC 2.8 Dance = EDC 1.2 |
| Connection bonus 0.2 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 6.4 |
The 6.4 D here also means she got credit for the split leap 1.5, which is always going to be a borderline case, so if this same routine comes up as 6.3, that’s probably what happened.
While it might seem like everyone got credit for everything, the judges then said, “No, Leanne.”
Wong was going for 5.6 here, but her beam got destroyed by the D judging (tribute to GAGE???) and got credit for only 5.2.
| LEANNE WONG BEAM |
| Side split sit mount A ( |
| Wolf jump full D (0.4) |
| Aerial cartwheel D (0.4) |
| Switch leap + Wolf jump C (0.3) + A ( Composition requirement = Dance combination 0.5 |
| Back handspring + Layout stepout B ( Composition requirements = Acrobatic series 0.5 Fwd/bwd acro 0.5 |
| L turn + Full turn C ( Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirement = Turn 0.5 |
| Switch ring leap E (0.5) |
| Side somi D (0.4) |
| Aerial walkover + Split jump + Straddle jump D (0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series |
| Round-off + Back layout 2.5 B ( Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = DDDDC 1.9 Dance = EDC 1.2 |
| Connection bonus 0.2 Series bonus 0.1 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| INTENDED D = 5.6 |
So we’re looking at some combination of losing the switch ring, or losing the turn/bonus, or losing the dismount (from this angle it looks around enough, so would be just for the E-Score to take care of, but….).
Wong also lost 0.1 from her intended floor, where I would imagine she didn’t get credit for the double L turn.
| LEANNE WONG FLOOR |
| Wolf turn double D (0.4) |
| Double tuck double full H (0.8) Composition requirements = Salto w/ full turn 0.5 Double salto 0.5 |
| Double layout F (0.6) |
| Leg-up full to Switch leap 1/2 C (0.3), C (0.3) Composition requirement = Dance passage 0.5 |
| L turn double + Full turn D->B ( |
| Back layout 1/2 + Front layout full B ( Composition requirement = Fwd/bwd saltos 0.5 |
| Double pike D (0.4) Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| Straddle jump full C (0.3) |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = HFDC 2.1 Dance = DCCC 1.3 |
| Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 5.6 |
She was intending 5.7 here, but the loss of the D value for the double L would have her counting her backup C element instead and losing one tenth.
It’s a bit more rare to see a loss of D on bars than on events where they’re denying connections or downgrading dance, but Jordan Chiles did lose 0.1 from her intended bars composition, getting a 5.7.
| JORDAN CHILES BARS |
| Jump to high bar mount A ( |
| Toe-on full + Giant + Tkatchev piked + Pak D (0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirements = Full turn 0.5 Same-bar release 0.5 High to low 0.5 |
| Maloney + Gienger D (0.4) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.2 connection |
| Blind change + Jaeger piked B ( Composition requirement = Grip change 0.5 |
| Bail handstand + Toe shoot D (0.4) + B ( |
| Giant + Double tuck full B ( Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements EDDDDDDD 3.3 |
| Connection bonus 0.3 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| INTENDED D = 5.8 |
So perhaps we’re looking at one DV lower on a handstand position here. Chiles will also be intending to remove that early giant and connect the toe-on full to the Tkatchev piked to bring her back to her 5.9 D from last year.
On beam, however, Chiles did get everything she intended for 5.6.
| JORDAN CHILES BEAM |
| Squat through mount A ( |
| Back handspring + Layout stepout + Layout stepout B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Acrobatic series 0.5 |
| Aerial walkover + Straddle jump D (0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirement = Fwd/bwd acrobatic 0.5 |
| Full turn A ( Composition requirement = Turn 0.5 |
| Side somi D (0.4) |
| Switch leap + Switch leap 1/2 C (0.3) + D (0.4) Bonus = 0.1 connection Composition requirement = Dance combination 0.5 |
| Aerial cartwheel D (0.4) |
| Sissone + Wolf jump A ( |
| Switch side C (0.3) |
| Round-off + Double pike B ( Bonus = 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = EDDDC 2.0 Dance = DCC 1.0 |
| Connection bonus 0.3 Series bonus 0.1 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| FINAL D = 5.6 |
Her 0.6 in bonus for this routine runs behind the 0.9 for Blakely, 1.0 for Lee, and the 1.1 for Biles and Roberson, which accounts for most of the difficulty difference here. As on bars, Chiles performs shorter combinations than most of her peers.
We had a victory in Jade Carey’s beam routine, where she ditched the full turn from last year, which is unnecessary to fulfill the turn requirement in the 2022-2024 code because of her forward roll mount. She did lose one tenth compared to her intended routine, getting 5.6 instead of 5.7.
| JADE CAREY BEAM |
| Forward roll mount B ( Composition requirement = Turn/Roll 0.5 |
| Aerial walkover + Split jump + Back handspring D (0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Fwd/bwd acrobatic 0.5 |
| Back handspring + Layout stepout B ( Composition requirement = Acrobatic series 0.5 |
| Straight jump full from side C (0.3) |
| Split jump 1/2 from side D (0.4) |
| Switch leap + Switch leap 1/2 + Straddle jump C (0.3) + D(0.4) + B ( Bonus = 0.1 connection, 0.1 series Composition requirement = Dance combination 0.5 |
| Aerial cartwheel D (0.4) |
| Back handspring + Back handspring + Double pike B ( Bonus = 0.1 series, 0.2 dismount |
| TOTALS |
| Composition requirements 2.0 |
| Top 8 elements Acro = EDDC 1.6 Dance = DDCC 1.4 |
| Connection bonus 0.2 Series bonus 0.3 Dismount bonus 0.2 |
| INTENDED D = 5.7 |
Thankfully, Carey’s is one of the few US beam routines that doesn’t have a superfluous backup dance combination that is performed regardless of circumstance.
It’s good to have a backup dance combination in mind, but if you perform it every time even if you got (or are yet to try) your main combination, it’s not a backup, it’s just a Tribute to Deductions with no benefit in terms of skill value, connection, or requirements.