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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., June 27, 2010 – Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif., easily won the men’s synchronized trampoline title at the 2010 U.S. Elite Challenge at the Virginia Beach (Va.) Convention Center. The finals for trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline are this evening at 7 p.m. ET.
Dooley, who trains at World Elite Gymnastics, and Gluckstein, who trains with Ultra Twisters, posted a 167.30 total for the synchro crown. Ultra Twisters’ Jeffery Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and Sean Kennedy were second with 156.70, followed by the duo of Michael Devine of Winnebago, Ill./J and J Tumbling and Trampoline, and Neil Gulati of Laguna Beach, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, in third.
Nani Vercruyssen of Honolulu/Hawaii Academy teamed up with Shanelle Landry of Ultra Twisters to win the women’s senior synchro title. The junior elite synchro champions were: women – Tristan VanNatta of Flipside and Erynn Stier of Great Lakes Griffins; and men – Dante Hebert and Louis Prejean of Trampoline and Tumbling Express.
The U.S. Elite Challenge is the second of two qualifying events for the 2010 Visa Championships, Aug. 10-14 in Hartford, Conn., for junior and senior elite gymnasts. Gymnasts may also earn points toward selection for the 2010 Junior and Senior National Teams. And, it is the first of two qualifying events for determining the athletes who will represent the United States at the 2010 World Championships and World Age Group Competition in November.
The U.S. Elite Challenge features senior and junior competition in four events: trampoline, synchronized trampoline, double mini-trampoline, and tumbling.