SOFIA, Bulgaria, Nov. 9, 2013 – The U.S. women’s and men’s double mini-trampoline teams claimed the gold medals today at 2013 World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. This is the U.S. women’s first gold medal in the event since 1996, while the men’s is their first since 1999. Competition concludes tomorrow with semifinals and finals for women’s trampoline (1:30 p.m. Sofia/6:30 a.m. ET, and 6:30 p.m. Sofia/11:30 a.m. ET), and finals for men’s and women’s double-mini and tumbling, and men’s synchronized trampoline (3:30 p.m. Sofia/8:30 a.m. ET). Fans in the United States can watch all of the action live on the USA Gymnastics YouTube channel.

The U.S. women’s double-mini team posted a score of 104.400, edging out Canada (102.200) and Russia (101.600). Erin Jauch of Crystal Lake, Ill./Fox Valley Tumbling and Trampoline, got the USA off to a strong start, scoring 36.000 after sticking her piked barani out to full-full. Tristan Van Natta of Pendleton, Ind./Geist Sports Academy, added a 32.900. Kristle Lowell of Three Rivers, Mich./Branch Gymnastics, executed a tucked one-and-a-half twisting double front to layout full-full. Lowell’s 35.500 cemented the USA’s victory. Shelby Gill of Ladera Ranch, Calif./Air Sports Unlimited, was also a member of the team.

In the men’s double-mini final, Alex Renkert of Indianapolis, Ind./Geist Sports Academy, earned a 36.500 for his pass, which ended with a stuck triple back pike. Ryan Roberts of Ramona, Calif./So Cal TTC, stuck his full-full dismount but landed outside the area for a .300 deduction. His score, 36.800, put the U.S. in second after two passes. 2011 World double-mini silver medalist Austin White of Newport Coast, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, was the event’s final competitor and needed better than a 34.500 to take the gold away from Canada. His triple front barani out to triple back earned a 36.900 for a team total of 110.200 and the team gold. Canada was second with 107.800, followed by Great Britain at 106.500. Austin Nacey of Braidwood, Ill./TwistStars Tumbling and Trampoline LTD, was also on the squad.

Garret Waterstradt of Paxton, Ill./Irish’s Gymnastics, was first up for the U.S. in the tumbling team final and performed a layout full-full through to a tucked double twisting, double back for a 32.600. Renkert followed with two double layouts through to a tucked full-full and scored 35.300. Nacey was the anchor for Team USA, scoring a 34.400, which gave the USA a combined score of 102.300 and fifth place.

In the women’s synchronized trampoline final, Charlotte Drury of Laguna Niguel, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, and Shaylee Dunavin of Amarillo, Texas/All-American, finished in seventh place.

Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, the first U.S. man to advance to a World trampoline final in more than a decade, began his routine with three triple flips. He closed his routine with a barani out to a Miller and scored 55.860 to finish seventh.

USA Gymnastics will have coverage, photos and videos from Sofia on usagym.org, Facebook and YouTube. Additional information is available on the International Gymnastics Federation’s microsite, sofia2013.fig-gymnastics.com.

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. 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.