USA’s Rodrigues, Allen lead mixed pair competition at 2009 Freedom Cup going into final round

• Results
  • World Cup Session B
  • Session C – 11-16 (1 Routine)
  • Session D – AGC 12-19 & Senior (1 Routine)
• Photo Galleries

SAINT PAUL, Minn., July 11, 2009 – After two days of competition, world silver-medalists Michael Rodrigues and Kristin Allen of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center, lead the tight World Cup mixed pair all-around standings in the 2009 Freedom Cup at The Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Saint Paul, Minn. Despite a third-place finish for their dynamic routine, Rodrigues and Allen remain just ahead of Russia’s Anastasia Gorbatyuk and Alexandr Barleben and Belgium’s Julie Van Gelder and Menno Vanderghote going into the final round. Competition concludes Sunday, July 12.

To follow the last day of 2009 Freedom Cup action, watch the live webcast for each event session, beginning at 3 p.m. CT. Scores of the current performance will appear during the video stream, and complete results will be posted at the conclusion of each session.

In the women’s group, Belgium’s Eloise Vanstaen, Maaike Croquet and Corinne Van Hombeeck lead the all-around with a total score of 56.141. The top two balance routines in women’s group were France’s Magalie Van Echelpoel, Laura Purdy and Marlene Hameroy with 27.674, and Vanstaen, Croquet and Van Hombeeck with a score of 27.668.

In women’s pairs, Florence Henrist and Tatsiana Devos of Belgium led the field with a dynamic score of 28.275 to maintain first place in the all-around. Janina Hiller and Sophia Muller of Germany finished second with a 27.267 dynamic score and are currently third in the all-around, only 0.228 in the all-around behind Russian pair Natalia Fedorova and Tatiana Alexseeva, who earned a dynamic score of 27.206.

The United States still holds the top three positions women’s group division Age Group 11-16 going into the final day of competition. Kendall Meyer and Mackenzie Meyer of Silver Spring, Md., and their teammate Erica Prestipino of Rockville, Md./Xtreme Acro and Cheer lead in the preliminary all-around with a 55.601 total. In second after the prelims are Jesse Kelly and Brooke Rhoades of San Jose, Calif., and Alyssa Liardon of Morgan Hill, Calif./Aerial Tumbling and Acro Gymnastics with 55.301. McKenzie Bloom, Allison Tokunaga and Whitney Clement of San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling and Acro Gymnastics, are third with a prelim all-around score of 55.133. The USA’s Mariah Cockshell of Lees Summit, Mo., and Kennedy Swanson of Blue Springs, Mo./Acro Explosion, stay in first in women’s pair after earning a preliminary all-around score of 55.532. Helena Hall of Monrovia, Md., and Alana Floyd of Mt. Airy, Md./Skyview Gymnastics /USA, sit in second with a 54.333 total, and Ashlyn Jarvis and Allie DeGuire of St. Louis, Mo./Power Club Express, move into third all-around with 54.166. The top two mixed pairs all-around standing after two routines are Kiley Boynton of Riverside, Calif., and Ryan Smethers of Mira Loma, Calif./Realis/USA, with a total score of 54.634, and Kendall Meyer of Silver Spring, Md., and Christopher Ball of Rockville, Md./ Xtreme Acro and Cheer /USA, with 52.599.

In the Age Group 12-19 division women’s group, Sofia Costa, Vera Costa and Sofia Roiao of Portugal have the highest all-around score at 56.800, followed by Alexa Vitale, Kelly Phillips and Jessica Picone of San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling & AcroGymnastics /USA, with 55.900 and Tiana Terry, Alayna Davis and Elika Sudo of San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling & AcroGymnastics /USA, with 54.066. The Portuguese women’s pair of Ana Marujo and Leonor Oliveira/Ginasio Clube Portugues has the all-around lead with 55.600. Holding second in the all-around rankings are Valerie Bryant and Hayley Lemmons of Boerne, Texas/ Boerne Gymnastics Center /USA, at 53.200. Australia’s Shelby Lacey and Molly Hanrahan/Oak Flats Gymnastics & Acrobatic Club are third with 52.034. In the mixed pair, the USA’s Eirian Smith and Jake Kanavel of San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling & AcroGymnastics/USA, took the lead in the all-around at 55.700, followed by Iris Mendes and Joao Costa of Portugal at 55.366 points.

The senior women’s group of Kailey Maurer of Fontana, Calif., Holli Morris of Beaumont, Calif., and Crystal Johnston of Riverside, Calif./Empire/USA led the all-around scores with a 55.320. Savannah Shields of Grain Valley, Mo., Megan Muehlberger of Blue Springs, Mo., and Mallory Henthorn of Independence., Mo./Acro Explosion /USA, are second with 52.917, and Judith De Vegt, Marion Dijkstra and Henrieke Koopman/Adonis Sportcrobatiek- Netherlands, round out the top three with their score of 52.726. Mixed pair leaders Sienna Martinez of Riverside, Calif., and Ryan Ward of Corona, Calif./Realis/USA, hold the all-around lead, while Sarah Radcliffe of Ellicott City, Md., and Kevin Grear of Columbia, Md./ Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics Club /USA, rank second. Nicole Faubert of Danville, Calif., and Brian Kincher of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center moved to third.