© Team Photo

INDIANAPOLIS, March 7, 2019 – 2017 Pan Am champions Aubrey Rosilier and Emily Davis, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, in women’s pair and Braiden McDougall, Riverside, Calif., and Angel Felix, Moreno Valley, Calif., Realis Gymnastics Academy, headline the U.S. squad that is competing in acrobatic gymnastics’ 2019 World Cup at the Maia (Portugal) Municipal Gymnastics Complex, March 8-10. Several members of the U.S. junior and 11-16 age-group national teams are participating in the Maia International Acro Cup, held in conjunction with the World Cup from March 7-10.

The U.S. National Team members who are participating in Maia are listed below.

World Cup

  • Mixed pair – Aisley Boynton, Riverside, Calif., and Sean Obley, Mesa, Ariz., Aspire Kids Sports Center
  • Women’s pair – Emily Davis and Aubrey Rosilier, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
  • Men’s pair – Angel Felix, Moreno Valley, Calif., and Braiden McDougall, Riverside, Calif., Realis Gymnastics Academy

Maia International Acro Cup

  • 12-18 women’s group – Bella Aguayo, Queen Creek, Ariz., Riley Berg, Phoenix, and Kirsten Clark, Tempe, Ariz., Aspire Kids Sports Center
  • 12-18 women’s pair – Alexis Comnick, Yucaipa, Calif., and Tiffani Williams, Riverside, Calif., Realis Gymnastics Academy
  • 12-18 mixed pair – Anna Blough and Carson Breen, both of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy
  • 13-19 mixed pair – Jordan Gruendler and Timothy Massa, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio

The World Cup competition schedule is: March 8 – 8 p.m., women’s pair, mixed pair and men’s group balance routines and men’s pair and women’s group dynamic routines; March 9 – 8:30 p.m., women’s pair, mixed pair and men’s group dynamic routines and men’s pair and women’s group balance routines; and March 10 – 3:30 p.m., combined routines for women’s pair, mixed pair, men’s pair, women’s group and men’s group. The sessions for the Maia International Acro Cup are scheduled for 8 p.m. on March 7, and from 8 a.m. until the beginning of the World Cup sessions on March 8-10. All times are local to Portugal, which is five hours ahead of U.S. eastern time. For more information, go to the event’s website, maiaacrocup.com.

Three 11-16 age-group teams are traveling with the national team and competing in the International Acro Cup: women’s pair – Moraeah Arthur and Ariana Katsov, with Mid America Acro & Tumbling; women’s pair – Anabelle Lopez-Torres and Sidney Snyder, with 1st Class Gymnastics; and 11-16 women’s group – Audrey Alvarez, Maya Bajdarvanov, and Sydney Dorais, with Flip Force San Diego.

Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. The acrobatic gymnastics events are: men’s pair, mixed pair, women’s pair, men’s group and women’s group. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of three athletes – a base, middle and top partner – while a men’s group has four athletes, a base, two middle partners and one top partner.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. Former gymnast and business executive Li Li Leung begins her tenure as president and chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics on March 8. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, visit usagym.org.