INDIANAPOLIS, June 1, 2018 – Tickets go on sale today for the 2018 Hopes Classic and the American Classic, scheduled for Friday, July 6, and Saturday, July 7, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. The Huntsman Center is partnering with the Utah Sports Commission to play host to the two-day event.
Both competitions are competitive qualifiers for women’s gymnastics: the American Classic, for the 2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Boston in August, and the U.S. Classic in July in Columbus, Ohio; and the Hopes Classic, for the Hopes Championships, held in conjunction with the U.S. Classic.
“Our state is pleased to be hosting these aspiring athletes and future stars. The Huntsman Center is an iconic gymnastics venue surrounded by a community that loves the sport. We hope to make this a great experience for these young competitors who deserve a chance to compete, in addition to providing a new and compelling event for the public to enjoy,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission.
Each competition will have two sessions, and the schedule, which is subject to change, is below.
July 6 | Hopes Classic
3 p.m. – Ages 10-11
6:15 p.m. – Ages 12-13
July 7 | American Classic
11 a.m. – Juniors
4 p.m. – Seniors
Multi-day passes, which include every session of both the Hopes Classic and the American Classic, range in price from $15-25. Single-day tickets for either day range from $10-$20 and include both sessions for that day. Ticket prices vary according to seat locations. To purchase tickets, visit utahtickets.com or call 801-581-UTIX.
“We look forward to having the American and Hopes Classics at the Huntsman Center,” said Annie Heffernon, interim vice president for women’s gymnastics for USA Gymnastics. “These rising stars are looking to qualify for either the U.S. Classic, Hopes Championships or the U.S. Championships. We hope the gymnastics community and local gymnastics fans will come out to support these young women while they are pursuing their dreams.”
Women’s gymnastics has several ways athletes can qualify to the U.S. Championships, including by earning a minimum of 52.000 for seniors or a 51.000 for juniors in the all-around at either the American Classic or U.S. Classic. The U.S. Classic, scheduled for July 28 at the Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus, is the final opportunity to advance to the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Senior athletes can also qualify by earning a three-event score of 39.750 or a two-event score of 27.00 at either of these two events.
The Hopes classification is just below the elite level, and the top 18 athletes in both Hopes age groups (10-11 and 12-13-years old) who achieve the qualification score advance to the Hopes Championships. The Hopes Championships, previously known as the U.S. Challenge, is the culmination of the Hopes season.
Team members and alternates from the 2017 U.S. World Championships Team automatically qualified to the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. In addition to the U.S. and American Classics, national team members can earn a berth to the U.S. Championships by achieving the qualification score at a national team verification or international assignment.
Background information
- Jon M. Hunstman Center. The Jon M. Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus is one of Salt Lake City’s premier sports and entertainment venues. Home of the university’s Runnin’ Utes basketball team, as well as the Red Rocks women’s gymnastics team, the venue has hosted a number of different sporting events, concerts, commencement exercises and other special events. The venue hosted the 1979 NCAA Final Four Tournament and the 1989 Western Athletic Conference. It is the largest arena in the Pac-12 conference system.
- USA Gymnastics. 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 empowers and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has already taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. 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, log on to usagym.org.