29. Dezember 2012  
Magdeburg, Germany  
Wheel Gymnastics

The real History of Mono Wheel ( Cyr Wheel )

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.


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

... 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:
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