Haley Butcher and Steven Gluckstein
© Todd Bissonette and Max Morse

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Nov. 11, 2009 – For the first time in U.S. history, both the men’s and women’s U.S. Trampoline Teams qualified for finals at the 2009 World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships at the St. Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex in Russia. Team finals are at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12. Qualifying rounds for tumbling and double mini-trampoline are also scheduled for Nov.12.

The U.S. Men’s Team finished fifth in the qualifying round, with a three-man combined score of 208.200. This is the first time in history the men’s team has advanced to finals at a World Championships. 2009 World Cup gold-medalist Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., was the highest U.S. finisher at 13th place with a score of 69.800, putting him in position as the second reserve for finals. Michael Devine of Winnebago, Ill., finished in 20th (69.300); Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif., finished 21st (69.100); and Neil Gulati of Laguna Beach, Calif., finished 33rd (66.600). China qualified in the top spot with a 221.300.

The U.S. Women’s Team also finished fifth in the final qualifying round, scoring a 193.100. Hayley Butcher of St. John, Ind., was the top U.S. women’s finisher at 15 (65.700). Nani Vercruyssen of Honolulu, Hawaii, finished 16th (65.200), and Alaina Williams of Amarillo, Texas, finished 31st (62.200). China earned the top spot, scoring a 209.300.

Tumbling and double mini-trampoline qualifications begin tomorrow. 2009 World Cup tumbling gold-medalist and 2007 world double-mini team silver-medalist Kalon Ludvigson of Pocatello, Idaho, and his 2007 world teammate Stephen Raymond of Orlando, Fla., look for their chance to qualify for finals. Also competing on double mini are Tony Doles of Lubbock, Texas, and Austin White of Newport Coast, Calif. Competing in tumbling with Ludvigson is Jeffrey Brown of Huntsville, Ala.

Also competing tomorrow are several members of the 2005 and 2007 U.S. World Teams that won medals, including 2007 women’s tumbling team gold-medalists Leanne Seitzinger of Stafford, Va., and Kaitlin Tortorich of Haymarket, Va.; 2005 women’s tumbling team silver-medalist Amy McDonald of McKinney, Texas; and 2007 women’s team double-mini bronze-medalist Aubree Balkan of Carlsbad, Calif. Also competing on double mini are Sarah Gandy of Reno, Texas, and Sarah Prosen of Apple Valley, Minn.

The U.S. gymnasts are in the following qualification round groups: men’s tumbling, 3 (of 4); women’s tumbling, 3 (of 3); men’s double mini-trampoline, 3 (of 4); women’s double mini, 2 (of 3); men’s synchronized trampoline, 1 and 3 (of 3); and women’s synchro, 1 (of 2).

The U.S. gymnasts are in the following qualification round groups: men’s tumbling, 3 (of 4); women’s tumbling, 3 (of 3); men’s double mini-trampoline, 3 (of 4); women’s double mini, 2 (of 3); men’s synchronized trampoline, 1 and 3 (of 3); and women’s synchro, 1 and 2 (of 2).

2008 World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships
Nov. 11-14, 2009
St. Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex (SKK)
St. Petersburg, Russia

Team Qualifying Results

Men’s Teams
1. China, 221.300
2 Japan, 215.600
3 Russia, 211.500
4 Belarus, 208.500
5 United States, 208.200

Women’s Teams
1. China, 209.300
2. Canada, 200.200
3. Russia, 200.000
4. Belarus, 196.700
5. United States, 193.100

Competition schedule
(Times are local St. Petersburg time)
Note: St. Petersburg is 8 hours ahead of the Eastern time zone; when it is midnight in NYC, it is 8 a.m. in St. Petersburg

Nov. 12
11 a.m. – Qualifications: Men’s double mini-trampoline, women’s tumbling
2 p.m. – Qualifications: Men’s tumbling and women’s double mini-trampoline
7 p.m. – Finals: Women’s and men’s trampoline team finals

Nov. 13
11 a.m. – Qualifications: Men’s and women’s synchronized trampoline
6 p.m. – Finals: Women’s and men’s double mini-tramp team; women’s and men’s tumbling team; women’s synchronized trampoline; men’s trampoline

Nov. 14
2 p.m. – Finals: Men’s and women’s double mini-tramp; men’s tumbling 4 p.m. – Finals: Men’s synchronized trampoline; women’s tumbling; women’s trampoline