Trampoline and tumbling opens 2008 season with Winter Classic in Tulsa, Okla.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 23, 2008—2007 U.S. trampoline champions Chris Estrada of Lafayette, La., and Brittany Dircks of Orland Park, Ill., are among the USA’s top trampoline and tumbling athletes who open the 2008 season at the Winter Classic, Feb. 22-23, at the Tulsa Convention Center in Tulsa, Okla. The Winter Classic is the first of two required qualifying competitions to the Visa Championships for junior and senior elite athletes, and those athletes also may receive points in the national team ranking system.

In addition to Estrada and Dircks, the other 2007 U.S. senior elite champions competing in the Winter Classic are: women — Alaina Williams of Amarillo, Texas, synchronized trampoline; and men—Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif., and Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., synchronized trampoline; and Kalon Ludvigson of Hooper, Utah, double mini and tumbling.

Seven senior elite champions from the 2007 Winter Classic are competing: women — Erin Blanchard of Lafayette, La., trampoline and synchronized trampoline; Susannah Johnson of Roanoke, Va., tumbling; and Dircks, synchronized trampoline; and men — Phil Meyer of Mequon, Wis., and Dooley, synchronized trampoline; Estrada, trampoline; and Ludvigson, double mini and tumbling.

The Winter Classic features competition in four events: trampoline, synchronized trampoline, double mini-trampoline and tumbling. The competition opens on Friday, Feb. 22 at 12 p.m. with prelims and finals for synchronized trampoline (all levels), and prelims for Level 10 women’s double mini, followed at 3 p.m. with prelims for junior and senior elite trampoline, double mini (all levels), and Level 10 girls’ and junior elite tumbling. The final day of the Winter Classic on Saturday, Feb. 23, has competition beginning at 10 a.m. with prelims for Level 10 trampoline, and senior elite and Level 10 tumbling. There is one session of finals on Feb. 23 beginning at 2 p.m. for all levels of trampoline, double mini and tumbling.

The full competition schedule and start list is available by clicking here. Admission for the Winter Classic is free.