Natalie Lacuesta from Rhythmic Gems in Evanston, Ill., won the 1997 Rhythmic National Championships in Houston, Texas, May 2-4, at Rice University, Autry Court.

Lacuesta said, “One of the biggest moments of today’s meet was being announced as the Senior National Champion. As a junior, I held this title for two years, and so I was hoping to attain it as a senior. Now that I have attained it, it’s a big ‘wow’ to me right now.”
Lacuesta was followed by teammate Lauri Illy, who jumped from fifth after preliminaries to second.
The Junior Title was won by Kate Jeffress, from Rhythmflex Gymnastics in Rockville, Md. Jeffress won the title by nearly seven points, considered a huge margin of victory in the sport of rhythmic gymnastics.
The top eight seniors and the top eight juniors made the USA Rhythmic National Team and will compete both nationally and internationally for the U.S. in 1997-98.
Four groups competed in the junior group competition and two groups competed in the senior division. Rhythmflex won the junior group competition and Oregon Gymnastics Academy won the seniors.

Senior All-Around
Name / Club | Rope | Hoop | Clubs | Ribbon | AA | Total

1 Lacuesta, Natalie 18.425 | 17.650 | 18.125 | 17.750 | 71.950 | 43.170 |
Rhythmic Gems 18.350 | 18.475 | 18.200 | 18.300 | 73.325 | 102.655 | 145.825 |

2 Illy, Lauri 16.700 | 17.525 | 18.425 | 17.725 | 70.375 | 42.225 |
Rhythmic Gems 17.575 | 18.525 | 18.050 | 18.175 | 72.325 | 101.255 | 143.480 |

3 Takahashi, Ellie 17.675 | 17.475 | 17.425 | 17.825 | 70.400 | 42.240 |
California Academy 17.750 | 18.000 | 17.800 | 18.050 | 71.600 | 100.240 | 142.480 |

4 Higa, Liriel 17.950 | 17.725 | 17.750 | 16.775 | 70.200 | 42.120 |
California Academy 17.850 | 17.950 | 18.200 | 17.625 | 71.625 | 100.275 | 142.395 |

5 | Albe, Alicia 18.050 | 16.900 | 18.425 | 17.150 | 70.525 | 42.315 |
Rhythmflex Gymnastics 17.675 | 18.125 | 17.800 | 17.800 | 71.400 | 99.960 | 142.275 |

6 Chernenko, Alexandra 17.600 | 17.400 | 17.825 | 17.450 | 70.275 | 42.165 |
California Academy 17.650 | 18.025 | 17.700 | 18.050 | 71.425 | 99.995 | 142.160 |

7 Muller, Meaghan 17.725 | 18.050 | 17.950 | 17.225 | 70.950 | 42.570 |
Altanta Intnl Rhy. Gymn Center 18.350 | 16.950 | 17.950 | 17.850 | 71.100 | 99.540 | 142.110 |

8 McCargo, Tara 17.050 | 17.325 | 17.325 | 17.100 | 68.800 | 41.280 |
United Gymnastics 17.350 | 17.650 | 16.575 | 17.075 | 68.650 | 96.110 | 137.390 |

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9 Kemper, Kelsi 16.425 | 16.350 | 17.350 | 17.350 | 67.475 | 40.485 |
Anelia’s Rhythmic Academy 16.825 | 17.350 | 17.425 | 17.500 | 69.100 | 96.740 | 137.225 |

10 | Numedahl, Lindsay 16.500 | 16.375 | 16.750 | 17.225 | 66.850 | 40.110 |
Red River Gymnastics 16.950 | 16.850 | 17.450 | 17.500 | 68.750 | 96.250 | 136.360 |

11 Scharringhausen, Kassy 17.575 | 17.125 | 15.550 | 16.800 | 67.050 | 40.230 |
Altanta Intnl Rhy. Gymn Center 17.300 | 17.450 | 16.425 | 17.125 | 68.300 | 95.620 | 135.850 |

12 Shoemaker, Johanna 16.250 | 17.100 | 16.600 | 16.275 | 66.225 | 39.735 |
Rhythmflex Gymnastics 16.450 | 16.700 | 16.850 | 16.475 | 66.475 | 93.065 | 132.800

Junior All-Around
Name / Club | Rope | Hoop | Clubs | Ribbon | AA | Total
1 Jeffress, Kate 17.700 | 17.100 | 17.500 | 16.950 | 69.250 | 41.550 |
Rhythmflex Gymnastics 17.400 | 17.625 | 17.400 | 17.650 | 70.075 | 98.105 | 139.655 |

2 Isaacs, Heilie 16.900 | 16.250 | 16.800 | 15.200 | 65.150 | 39.090 |
Rhythmic Gems 16.600 | 16.725 | 16.600 | 16.975 | 66.900 | 93.660 | 132.750 |

3 Powell, Lindsay 15.875 | 15.800 | 16.275 | 15.825 | 63.775 | 38.265 |
Intnl Rhythmic Gymn 16.350 | 16.950 | 16.350 | 16.800 | 66.450 | 93.030 | 131.295 |

4 Lord, Danielle 16.900 | 15.875 | 16.675 | 15.825 | 65.275 | 39.165 |
Oregon Gymnastics Academy 16.125 | 16.700 | 16.175 | 16.500 | 65.500 | 91.700 | 130.865 |

5 | Howard, Jessica 16.175 | 16.750 | 17.050 | 15.875 | 65.850 | 39.510 |
Intnl Rhythmic Gymn 16.550 | 15.900 | 16.850 | 15.725 | 65.025 | 91.035 | 130.545 |

6 Jeffress, Erin 16.350 | 15.425 | 16.550 | 15.850 | 64.175 | 38.505 |
Rhythmflex Gymnastics 16.075 | 16.275 | 16.200 | 15.875 | 64.425 | 90.195 | 128.700 |

7 Ng, Amy 15.675 | 15.450 | 16.600 | 15.075 | 62.800 | 37.680 |
Rhythmflex Gymnastics 15.500 | 16.225 | 15.700 | 16.325 | 63.750 | 89.250 | 126.930 |

8 Branton, Camille 15.575 | 15.500 | 15.650 | 15.725 | 62.450 | 37.470 |
Altanta Intnl Rhy. Gymn Center 15.950 | 16.350 | 16.050 | 15.350 | 63.700 | 89.180 | 126.650 |

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9 Yano, Jacqueline 15.175 | 15.225 | 15.225 | 15.175 | 60.800 | 36.480 |
Le Club 16.275 | 16.500 | 15.450 | 15.500 | 63.725 | 89.215 | 125.695 |

10 | Croyle, Stefanie 15.600 | 15.650 | 16.050 | 14.375 | 61.675 | 37.005 |
Rhythmflex Gymnastics 15.025 | 14.525 | 15.550 | 15.625 | 60.725 | 85.015 | 122.020 |

11 Krakovskaya, Masha 15.625 | 14.825 | 15.575 | 15.800 | 61.825 | 37.095 |
LA Lights 15.175 | 15.025 | 14.475 | 15.475 | 60.150 | 84.210 | 121.305 |

12 Powell, Jenna 15.750 | 15.875 | 14.975 | 15.500 | 62.100 | 37.260 |
Colorado Sch. Of Rhy Gymn. 14.150 | 16.350 | 15.200 | 13.900 | 59.600 | 83.440 | 120.700

Note: The top 12 Juniors and Seniors from preliminaries advanced to the all-around finals. The top 8 Juniors and Seniors made the U.S. Rhythmic National Team.

Senior Event Finals

   Rope                                 Hoop
1 Lacuesta, Natalie       18.425     1 Muller, Meaghan         18.050
2 Albe, Alicia            18.050     2 Higa, Lirel             17.725
3 Higa, Lirel             17.950     3 Lacuesta, Natalie       17.650
4 Muller, Meaghan         17.725     4 Illy, Lauri             17.525
5 Takahashi, Ellie        17.675     5 Takahashi, Ellie        17.475
6 Chernenko, Alexandra    17.600     6 Chernenko, Alexandra    17.400
7 Scharringhausen, Kassy  17.575     7 McCargo, Tara           17.325
8 Pearson, Suzanne        17.475     8 Scharringhausen, Kassy  17.125
Clubs                                Ribbon
1 Albe, Alicia            18.425     1 Takahashi, Ellie        17.825
1 Illy, Lauri             18.425     2 Lacuesta, Natalie       17.750
3 Lacuesta, Natalie       18.125     3 Illy, Lauri             17.725
4 Muller, Meaghan         17.950     4 Chernenko, Alexandra    17.450
5 Chernenko, Alexandra    17.825     5 Kemper, Kelsi           17.350
6 Higa, Lirel             17.750     6 Muller, Meaghan         17.225
7 Takahashi, Ellie        17.425     6 Numedahl, Lindsay       17.225
8 Kemper, Kelsi           17.350     8 Albe, Alicia            17.150

Junior Event Finals

   Rope                           Hoop
1 Jeffress, Kate    17.700     1 Jeffress, Kate      17.100
2 Isaacs, Heilie    16.900     2 Howard, Jessica     16.750
2 Lord, Danielle    16.900     3 Isaacs, Heilie      16.250
4 Jeffress, Erin    16.350     4 Lord, Danielle      15.875
5 Howard, Jessica   16.175     4 Powell, Jenna       15.875
6 Powell, Lindsay   15.875     6 Powell, Lindsay     15.800
7 Powell, Jenna     15.750     7 Croyle, Stefanie    15.650
8 Ng, Amy           15.675     8 Bra