Note: On Jan. 19, Supergirl was announced as the title sponsor of the Nastia Liukin Cup. The new name of the event is the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup.
 Stephani Canizaro – Gymstars Pauline Hanset – Premier Knox
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Results:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Jan. 18, 2010 – The first four gymnasts for the 2010 Nastia Liukin Cup were chosen over the weekend at the CGA Parents Club Coaches Spectacular in Covington, Ky., and the John Macready and John Roethlisberger’s Flip Fest Invitational, in Knoxville, Tenn. The four are: Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio, Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, Lexie Priessman of Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, Stephani Canizaro of Nesbit, Miss., Memphis GymStars and Pauline Hanset of Knoxville, Tenn., Premier Athletics Knoxville.
The balance of the field will be selected from the remaining 13 invitationals that comprise the Nastia Liukin Cup Series during the next six weeks. A total of 36 gymnasts will be chosen based on the results at the 15 invitationals in the Nastia Liukin Cup Series to compete in the inaugural Nastia Liukin Cup, scheduled for March 5, 2010, at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. The Nastia Liukin Cup and Series is a joint venture between USA Gymnastics and the 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, that provides a competitive opportunity for the country’s rising female gymnasts.
Each invitational will select a minimum of two athletes to compete in the Cup from their respective Level 10/open fields. The inaugural Nastia Liukin Cup will be held the evening prior to the prestigious Tyson American Cup, using the event’s podium. The events participating in the Nastia Liukin Cup Series are listed chronologically below.
- CGA Parents Club Coaches Spectacular, Covington, Ky., Jan. 15-17
- Flip Fest Invitational, Knoxville, Tenn., Jan. 15-18
- Cereal City Classic, Kalamazoo, Mich., Jan. 22-24
- Rock-n-Roll Classic, Broadview Heights, Ohio, Jan. 22-24
- Parkettes Invitational, Allentown, Pa., Jan. 29-31
- Wisconsin Dells Gymnastics Vacation Classic, Wisconsin Dells, Wis., Jan. 29-31
- The Fiesta Bowl Classic, Chandler, Ariz., Feb. 5-7
- IGI Chicago Style Meet, Chicago, Ill., Feb. 12-14
- WOGA Classic, Frisco, Texas, Feb. 13-14
- Buckeye Classic, Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 19-21
- Circle of Stars, Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 19-21
- Excalibur Cup, Virginia Beach, Va., Feb. 19-21
- Pikes Peak Cup, Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 19-21
- Presidential Classic, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Feb 19-21
- The Long Beach Open, Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 26-28.
Gymnasts who compete in the Nastia Liukin Cup will receive a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the Tyson American Cup and recognition during the event for the Cup’s medalists; and the opportunity to meet Nastia Liukin and participate in a team photo. Proceeds from the Nastia Liukin Cup will go into the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund within the National Gymnastics Foundation.
The 2008 Olympic all-around champion, Liukin won five medals at the Beijing Olympic Games to tie the U.S gymnastics record for the most medals won at a single Olympic Games set by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and matched by Shannon Miller (1992). Liukin is just the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around crown. In her career, Liukin has earned nine world medals; been named the USOC’s Co-Sportswoman of the Year, the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Individual Sportswoman of the Year and the United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year in 2008; and she is a two-time U.S. all-around and Tyson American Cup champion. Liukin, who trains at WOGA, was named one of MSN Lifestyle’s 11 most influential women in the USA for 2009.