The real History of Mono Wheel ( Cyr Wheel )

Adalbert von Rekowski
- the founder of the Mono Wheel in action

Two years ago the German gymnast and 13-times world champion of wheel gymnastics, Rober MAASER astonished the audience at the TV show “Supertalent” – it's the German equivalent of "America’s Got Talent" with his Mono Wheel skills. Last week during a season show he earned a lot of respect and applause from the young audience for his performance with the Mono Wheel – which will have its premiere at an official discipline at the 10thWheel Gymnastics World Championship, July 8th-14th in Chicago USA.
The former German champion, Dr. Joerg Winkler, rediscovered the history of the mono wheel, which was created in the early Fiftyth of the last century already in the former GDR. The Mono Wheel sometimes named Cyr Wheel, due to the Canadian Daniel Cyr, who created a lot of new elements in the end of the last century, was founded by Otto Feick, who happened to also be the creator of the "Rhoenrad".
Early pictures prove this fact.

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The Canadian Hugo Noël demonstrated the mono wheel at the opening ceremony of the 9th Worlds 2011.

The History of MONO WHEEL ("Einreifen")
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- from Dr. Jerg Winkler (Magdeburg/Germany)

This upcoming summer the discipline of Mono Wheel is going to be for the first time on official World Championship contest during the 10th Wheel Gymnastics World Championship in Chicago USA.

This form of wheel gymnastics has existed for more than 60 years, but until recently it was forgotten in time.
Only for show reasons the mono wheel was in action pictures of proof are from the ones from Adalbert von Rekowski a citizen and coach in Magdeburg and other performers in earlier years from the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

(c) Rhönrad archiv Winkler

It has been mistakenly common
to assume that the Mono Wheel is a relatively new discovery, being given the new name of “Cyr Wheel” after the Canadian Daniel Cyr. Cyr’s influence on the development of Mono Wheel has been proven incorrect with the pictures of Adalbert von Rekowski and the cover of the "Illustrated supplement of the newspaper "Berliner Zeitung" on March 18th 1951 (< picture, left)
The design has changed a bit over time.
The performer of the Mono Wheel these days doesn’t use the standing platform and holding ring any more. Out of this Daniel Cyr revived the sport and created a several more elements.
Some elements like a “free fly” turn without holding on with the hands are not possible anymore (* picture, below): Helga Tempel, Magdeburg performing a free fly in1950.

(c) Rhönrad archiv Winkler

Nevertheless more artistic shows and acts are performed with upbeat music in costumes and free improvisation in the center of the wheel. Even street performances like the one from Sam Tribble, Corona del Mar 2011 prove the comeback of the Mono Wheel as sport discipline:
* Youtube (4.360)

The manytimes former German champion of the Fifties / Sixties, Juergen Lassig while training under primitive conditions
(c) Rhoenrad archiv/ Winkler

The German developer of the Mono Wheel ("Einreifen"), Adalbert von Rekowski worked as a coach in Magdeburg (German capital of Saxonia-Anhalt) after World War II, and laid the foundation with his commitment to the wheel gymnastics in this town to this day. A few weeks ago, former Magdeburg wheel gymnasts met and appeared on numerous visual historical documents that illustrate impressively the training and deployment of the "Einreifen" in the former Magdeburg club, "BSG Motor Mitte Magdeburg", and illustrate with photo impressions in this report.

At the 2012 German Championships in the Mono Wheel discipline took part only four participants (three men and one woman only) ...!
When per member country of the International Wheel Gymnastics Federation can start in maximum with five competitors at the upcoming Worlds, it would be hopefully ...

... that at the international premiere 2013 in Chicago enough German and Cyr numerous artists from different countries will enrich this part of the Worlds 2013.
(C) GYMmedia-Exklusiv
Dr. Joerg Winkler

The 13-timews worldat at Dezember, 22 2012 at 6. Zeitzer Turngala (Germany)

... and here another Mono Wheel Show of the "Cirque du Soleil", part of the program "CORTEO":

* Youtube

.. for Wheels & Mono Wheels:
>> V I D E O

** N E W :

CURRENT NOTE:
World's best manufacturer of Wheels, tne German company >> Rhoenradbau Zimmermann - Partners of German Wheel Gymnastics Support Association - offers:
- Luminous coating hose for Rhoenrad & Cyr wheels (mono wheels), and:
* As of now, there are fluorescent yellow PVC hose in the program.
This glows in the dark, you get the best effect by the manufacturer with UV light (such as black light).
(The luminosity depends on the previous illumination of the hose, the hose will cost 400, -. EURO extra per wheel, + transport costs)