COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 25, 2015 – Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy, and Charlotte Drury of Laguna Niguel, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, won the men’s and women’s trampoline titles, respectively, at the 2015 U.S. Elite Challenge at U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Both also earned berths to represent the United States at the 2015 Pan American Games in trampoline, pending approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee, along with Clare Johnson of Huntsville, Ala./The Matrix, and Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics. The three-day event wraps up on Sunday.
The other senior champions determined tonight are: tumbling – Brandon Krzynefski of Centreville, Va./Capital Gymnastics, and Breanne Millard of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./World Elite; and double mini-trampoline – Austin Nacey of Braidwood, Ill./Twiststars, and Amanda Spitzer of Vista, Calif./SoCal TTC.
In men’s trampoline, Gluckstein posted a two-routine total of 159.510 to slip by Dooley, the first round leader who earned a 158.935. Aliyev Pirmammad of Lafayette, La./T&T Express, was third at 157.835.
Drury easily won the women’s trampoline title with a 152.405. Johnson was second at 146.455, followed by Shaylee Dunavin of Amarillo, Texas/Air Extreme, with 146.045.
Krzynefski edged out Alexander Renkert of Indianapolis/Geist Sports Academy, 143.200 to 142.200, to win the men’s tumbling title. Nacey rounded out the top three at 139.100. Millard topped the women’s tumbling ranking with her 125.100. Yuliya Stankevich Brown of Idaho Falls, Idaho/Idaho Elite Gymnastics, earned a 120.300, and Kaylah Whaley of Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics, scored a 119.500 to take second and third, respectively.
For double-mini, Spitzer’s 137.100 gave her the gold. Kristle Lowell of Orland Park, Ill./5 Star Tumbling & Trampoline, captured the silver (135.800) and Tristan Van Natta of Pendleton, Ind./Geist Sports Academy, garnered the bronze (134.700). On the men’s side, Nacey claimed the title with his 150.400. Renkert’s 147.700 landed him in second, and Garret Waterstradt of Savoy, Ill./Sun Elite Gymnastics Academy, was third with 143.100.
In addition to the junior and senior elite levels, the U.S. Elite Challenge also includes athletes competing in Level 10 and Elite Youth and Open Junior levels. The junior and senior elite competition schedule is highlighted below, but the competition sessions for all levels runs from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. on April 26. The junior women’s double-mini final is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. All times listed are Mountain Time. The complete competition schedule is available at usagym.org/pages/tt/events/2015/elitechallenge.html.
To be considered for the Pan Am Games Team, eligible senior trampoline athletes had to earn minimum scores (46.000 for compulsory and a 54.000 for optional routines, men; 44.000 for compulsory and 50.000 for optional routines, women) at one of three events prior to the Elite Challenge or earn at least the minimum score noted above for the compulsory routine and the optional routines in the preliminary and final rounds at the U.S. Elite Challenge. The Pan Am Games team was determined either by performances at the Elite Challenge and/or through the Selection Committee. For the complete, official selection procedures, click here.
Trampoline events involve athletes using trampolines that can propel them up to 30 feet in the air, during which they can perform double and triple twisting somersaults. Tumbling utilizes elevated rod-floor runways that enable athletes to jump at heights more than 10 feet and execute a variety of acrobatic maneuvers. For the double-mini competition, the athlete makes a short run, leaps onto a small two-level trampoline, performs an aerial maneuver and dismounts onto a landing mat. Synchronized trampoline demands the same athletic skill as individual trampoline, while adding the element of precision timing. Using two trampolines, two athletes perform identical 10-skill routines at the same time. Trampoline was added to the Olympic Games in 2000, and at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the USA had its first athlete in history advance to the finals.