As artistic athletes battle it out in Louisville, rhythmic gymnasts will compete in upstate New York and trampoline athletes head to Azerbaijan for World Cup competition.
The 2025 Rhythmic Challenge and Invitational kicks off the rhythmic gymnastics season February 20-22 in Lake Placid, N.Y. Athletes and groups will compete for all-around and event titles, and performances will help determine upcoming international assignments.
The reigning U.S. senior all-around, hoop and clubs champion, Rin Keys (Porter Ranch, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) will be in Lake Placid, where she will face a field that includes two-time Olympian Evita Griskenas (Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) and 2024 Rhythmic Challenge all-around silver medalist Megan Chu (San Diego, Calif./Pacific Stars Rhythmic Academy). 2024 Rhythmic Challenge junior all-around champion, Isabella Chong (Mission Viejo, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) also will join senior competition.
With Chong moving up, the Rhythmic Challenge junior crown is open to the likes of reigning U.S. junior all-around, hoop, ball and clubs champion Natalia de la Rosa (Woodland Hills, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) and 2024 Rhythmic Challenge silver medalist Ruby Freshwater (Northridge, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics).
Complete information about the competition, including the full schedule, is available on the event website. Live scoring is expected to be available on ksis.eu.
Sixteen American trampoline & tumbling athletes will be in Baku, Azerbaijan February 22-23 for the 2025 FIG Baku World Cup in the first competition of the U.S. T&T season.
Competing in women’s trampoline are 2024 U.S synchro silver medalist Maia Amano, 2024 Pan American Championships team champions Logan McCoy and Trinity Van Natta, and 2024 U.S junior trampoline gold medalist Alexandra Mytnik. Competing for the men are 2022 World double mini team bronze medalist Changa Anderson, 2024 U.S. synchro silver medalist Paul Bretscher, 2023 U.S. double mini silver medalist Trevor Harder, and 2024 U.S. trampoline bronze medalist Elijah Vogel.
The World Cup also will see tumbling action and the U.S will send eight athletes, including 2024 U.S. tumbling champion Emma Cox; 2024 U.S. intermediate tumbling bronze medalist Lyric Gordon; newly minted senior Annie Hansen; 2023 World tumbling team bronze medalist Nastia Katchalova; 2024 U.S. tumbling silver medalist Xavier Harper; 2023 World Championships team member BJ Mensah; 2022 Elite Challenge tumbling bronze medalist Alec Pelezo; and 2023 Junior World Championships team member Amare Walker.
Competition begins Saturday, February 22 with trampoline qualifications starting at 12 a.m. ET and tumbling qualifications at 6:20 a.m. ET. Round 2 of trampoline qualifications will kick off Sunday’s slate at 3 a.m. ET followed by all finals at 5 a.m. ET.
Information on the 2025 Baku World Cup can be found on the event website, including results. The competition is expected to stream live on figtv.sport.
Participating athletes are listed alphabetically by division below.
Trampoline
Women
Maia Amano — Honolulu, Hawaii/Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy
Logan McCoy — Highlands, N.J./North Valley Gymnastics
Alexandra Mytnik — Manalapan, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy
Trinity Van Natta — Huntsville, Ala./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy
Men
Changa Anderson — Washington, D.C./Fairland Gymnastics
Paul Bretscher — Knoxville, Tenn./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy
Trevor Harder — Archdale, N.C./Carolina Elite Trampoline Academy
Elijah Vogel — Longmont, Colo./Xtreme Altitude Gymnastics
Tumbling
Women
Emma Cox — Webb City, Mo./Oklahoma Extreme Tumbling & Trampoline
Lyric Gordon — East Moline, Ill./Elite Athletics QC
Annie Hansen — Hooper, Utah/Northern Star Bounders
Nastia Katchalova — Lakeland, Fla./Elite World Gymnastics
Men
Xavier Harper — Oak Ridge, Tenn./Premier Athletics Knoxville
BJ Mensah — New York, N.Y./CAVU Trampoline and Tumbling
Alec Pelezo — Magnolia, Texas/World Champions Centre
Amare Walker — Rockaway, N.J./CAVU Trampoline and Tumbling