DALLAS, Texas, Aug. 15, 2009 – Sienna Martinez of Riverside, Calif., and Ryan Ward of Corona, Calif., won their first senior mixed-pair title in acrobatic gymnastics at the 2009 Visa Championships at the Dallas (Texas) Convention Center.
Martinez and Ward, who train at Realis Gymnastics Academy, scored a 28.133 on their combined routine to win their first U.S. senior mixed-pair all-around crown with an 82.723 total. 2009 World Games mixed-pair gold-medalists Kristin Allen and Michael Rodrigues of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center, despite earning the highest score combined score (29.029), finished second with the total score of 80.975. Nicole Faubert of Danville, Calif., and Brian Kincher of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center, placed third with an all-around total of 79.756.
A combined three-routine score determines the all-around acrobatic national champions.
In senior women’s group, Empire’s Kailey Maurer of Fontana, Calif., Holli Morris of Beaumont, Calif., and Crystal Johnston of Riverside, Calif., won the all-around with a combined total of 81.494. Savannah Shields of Grain Valley, Mo., Megan Muehlberger of Blue Springs, Mo., and Mallory Henthorn of Independence, Mo./Acro Explosion, came in second with 76.000, and Jillian Giblin of San Ramon, Calif., Hannah Busha of Danville, Calif., and Tayler Harris of Pleasanton, Calif./West Coast Training Center, finished third with 73.020.
Axl Osborne and Dylan Inserra of Richardson, Texas/WOGA finished atop senior men’s pair with an all-around total of 73.470.
The age group 12-19 women’s group title was awarded to Aerial Tumbling & AcroGymnastics’ Alexa Vitale, Kelly Phillips, and Jessica Picone of San Jose, Calif., with an all-around score of 82.800. Chelcea Riegel and MacKenzie Porter of Kearney, Mo., and Krissy Weidmaier, Holt, Mo./Rising Star Acrobatic Club, finished in second place with 79.550, and Tiana Terry, Alayna Davis and Elika Sudo of San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling & AcroGymnastics, were third with 78.650.
Eirian Smith and Jake Kanavel of San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling & AcroGymnastics, won the age group 12-19 mixed pair with an all-around total of 84.150. Second place went to Kiley Boynton of Riverside, Calif., and Ryan Smethers of Mira Loma, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy (79.650). Melissa Gong of Perris, Calif., and Dylan Maurer of Fontana, Calif./Empire, rounded out the top three (78.450).
Valerie Bryant and Hayley Lemmons of Boerne, Texas/Boerne Gymnastics Center, finished atop the 12-19 women’s pair with an all-around combined score of 73.250.