06. February 2006  
MISSISSAUGA, Ont./Canada  
Artistic Gymnastics

Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs wins Canadian gymnastics trials

Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs (CAN)

Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs of Toronto won the Canadian Commonwealth Games trials in artistic gymnastics, becoming one of five athletes to clinch a spot for the March 15-25 event in Melbourne, Australia.

Hopfner-Hibbs placed first in the trials rankings with 71.050 points. Alyssa Brown of Mississauga, Ont., was second at 68.700 while Gael Mackie of Coquitlam, B.C., was third, Brittney Habbib of Oshawa, Ont., fourth and Jenna Kerbis of the Brandon, Man., fifth.
The top-five earned a nomination to the team.
'It feels great to make the team,' said Hopfner-Hibbs (16) in a press interview.....
The trials standings were based on a point system taking into account the rankings on each apparatus as well as the all around score. The gymnasts did each of the four apparatus on first and then again on second competition day last weekend.
'I've worked really hard especially with the new code of points,' said Hopfner-Hibbs. 'It's not so much the new code is challenging but we were interested to see how it would all play out.'

The men's trials, featuring the return of Olympic champion Kyle Shewfelt, are Feb. 8-10 at the University of Calgary (CAN).