Best in 60 Gymnastics Highlights from the 2017 JPAC Midwest Showdown. Region 5 has some big gymnastics on the competition floor this season. This meet featured some of our best teams in Region 5 and was a good preview of what’s to come in the Regional Championships.
The Wolverine Classic, hosted by Gym America, is one of those great Michigan Meets that has been around for as long as I can remember! As a young gymnast I remember going to by very first Wolverine Classic, which was hosted at Cliff Keen Arena, in 1995. This was always one of my favorite meets because it was on the campus of the University of Michigan. In recent years the meet site may have changed, but the the quality of the meet has endured. Gym America always has a fun theme, great atmosphere and incredible gymnastics on display. This year we saw high flying vaults, swing bars and creative floor routines from everyone on the competition floor. I would like to give the staff of Gym America a round of applause, because the coaches literally had to be in two places at once that weekend which is incredible! So thank you Claudia & Gym America for once again hosting a terrific meet.
The 2017 Nastia Cup was another very competitive, excitement filled, down to the final routine type of competition. The level of gymnastics at the cup continues to grow each and every year. As an example, vaulting from the Nastia Cup was actually more of an elite level, then the American Cup (women’s competition) held in the same arena the next day. This competition provided a good look at gymnasts who could be members of the 2017 Region 5 Dream Team at JO Nationals this year.
Region 5 qualified a record 10 gymnasts to the cup this year and they didn’t disappoint. Twistars Kai Rivers, who hung around the top 4 throughout the competition, tumbled her way to the 2017 cup title with a huge 9.825 floor routine. The 2016 junior Nastia Cup all around champion Andrea Li of Legacy Elite, was in the hunt for another cup after winning two events but took third this time out. IGI’s Anastasia webb, competing on podium for first time since the 2014 Secret Classic, had a consistent day taking 9th all around and competed her new yurchenko 1/2 on pike front off. 2016 JO National all around champion, Gabryel Wilson was amongst the leaders going into the last rotation but struggled on bars to finish 13th. She continues to push the JO difficulty envelope finishing with a full twisting double back for a 9.7 on floor.
In the junior competition, Region 5 was represented by all first time Nastia qualifiers. Lilly Lippeatt from Cincinnati, a 2016 Hopes Championship qualifier, was the top region 5 gymnast finishing 7th in the all around and posting the highest beam score of the entire competition with her 9.75. Emma Pritchard of Gym Xtreme, 2016 JO National Team Member, finished 9th all around.
2017 Region 5 Nastia Cup Qualifiers
Makarri Doggette (Buckeye Gymnastics) 4 time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2015 JO National AA Runner Up, Scored Perfect 10 on Vault, Future Alabama Crimson Tide.
Elizabeth Gantner (JPAC) 1st time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2017 Hopes Classic qualifier, Level 8 gymnast in 2016.
Andrea Li (Legacy Elite) 2 time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2016 Junior Nastia Cup Champion, 2017 Nastia Cup 3rd All Around (senior), 2016 JO National AA runner-up, Future Cal Berkeley Bear.
Lillian Lippeatt ( Cincinnati Gymnastics) 1st time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2016 JO National qualifier, 2016 Hopes Championships qualifier.
Emma Pritchard (Gym Xtreme) 1st time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2016 JO National Team Member, 4th AA at JO Nationals.
Kai Rivers (Twistars Gymnastics) 2 time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2017 Nastia Cup AA Champion, 2015 JO National AA Champion, 2016 JO National Uneven Bar Champion, Future LSU Tiger.
Gillan Rutz (Perfection Gymnastics) 1st time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2016 JO Nationals 2nd place on bars, Future Arkansas Razorback.
Jayce Vore (JPAC) 1st Nastia Cup qualifier, competing in 1st year of level 10 (due to injury in 2016), 2015 Level 9 Easterns 3rd AA.
Anastasia Webb (IGI) 1st time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2016 JO National AA runner-up and Floor National Champion, 2014 Secret Classic competitor, Future Oklahoma Sooner.
Gabryel Wilson (Michigan Academy) 2 time Nastia Cup qualifier, 2016 JO National All Around, Vault, Beam and Floor Champion, Future Michigan Wolverine.
Picture Gallery
[wonderplugin_carousel id=”17″]
Meet Videos (from USA Gymnastics)
«
Prev
1
/
2
Next
»
Andrea Li - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Kai Rivers - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Anastasia Webb - Floor Exercise - 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Emma Pritchard - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Elizabeth Gantner - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Gabryel Wilson - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Gillian Rutz - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Jacey Vore - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Lillian Lippeatt - Floor Exercise – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Jacey Vore - Uneven Bars – 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Andrea Li - Balance Beam - 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Anastasia Webb - Balance Beam - 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup
Region 5 has 10 outstanding gymnasts represented at the 2017 Nastia Liukin Cup. This is a record for our region and shows the growth and strength of our region. We have four returnees and six experiencing the cup for the first time. Meet our 2017 Nastia Gymnastics Cup Qualifiers.
JPAC Midwest Showdown featured some of our region’s best teams in the invitationals inaugural year. The competition had 3 level 10 sessions which was highlighted by a six man team challenge final session. Natalie Kemp of Twistars topped the AA (37.525) over the first two sessions and swung her way to the highest individual score with her 9.725 bars. The scores quickly escalated and the competition became intense with a close battle for the showdown team challenge champions banner.
It took over a 38.00 to finish in the top three for all four age groups in the final session. Andrea Li (Legacy Elite) scored her second 39+ score in as many meets to claim the top spot among all age groups. Li also put up the highest bars score with a 9.85 (check out livestream at 30:38) which features a blind immediate endo to jaeger. Topping the vaulting competition was Kai Rivers of Twistars with her double twisting yurchenko and a 9.9. Legacy Elites Ella Cesario was well balanced on beam with the top score of a 9.8. On the floor, the top score of 9.8 (livestream at 1:12:09) was achieved by Mickayla Stuckey of Cincinnati. The top three teams were separated by .35 with Legacy Elite taking top honors with a 116.15