Henderson, NV
- Results: Junior | Senior
- Competition Video Gallery (videos from USA Gymnastics)
The 16th version of the Nastia Liukin Cup took place this past weekend just outside Vegas in Henderson, NV at the Lee’s Family Forum arena in conjunction with the American Cup mixed team competition. Region 5 qualified an impressive seven athletes to the Nastia Cup this year, with all but one making their first appearance at the prestigious event. Cincinnati Gymnastics and Queen City Gymnastics, both not new to the Nastia Cup, each qualified two athletes to this year.
Two of our Region 5 athletes finished in the top 5 of their respective age groups, Nastia has two age groups Junior (16- younger) and Senior (17-older). Quinn Harris from Cincinnati Gymnastics lead the way with her 4th place finish in the Junior age group with a 38.1. She was on a high literally from the first event with a huge Ray bail release combo on bars for a 9.625 which was 2nd amongst the juniors and top 10 for both age groups. She followed that up with a very solid beam routine and stuck 1 1/2 dismount on beam for another 2nd place 9.625. This has been a goal for Quinn for several years now and she made the most of her first Nastia Cup experience.
Queen City City’s Payton McClain finished 5th in the senior age group and 8th overall with a 38.425. Payton had a very consistent competition and almost stuck her always impressive tuck Kaz 1/2 for a 9.65. However it is her improvement on bars over the course of the last year that needs to be highlighted with her new Van Leeuwen (Maloney 1/2) and a 9.6 on the event.
There were 5 9.9+ scores (4 on vault, 1 on floor) given out in this year’s competition and Region 5 had two of them. Avery Schlingting from Energym won vault for the senior age group with her very nice stuck cold Yurchenko 1 1/2 and a 9.925. Cameron Tassone from IK Gymnastics, in her 2nd consecutive Nastia Cup, tied for 2nd on vault for seniors with a 9.9 on her Yurchenko 1 1/2 that stuck but had to do a bit of the back stroke to keep the feet planted. Avery and Cameron both struggled a bit on bars or they both would have been in the all around discussion.
Morgan Braun from Queen City finished less then a tenth out of the top 10 for senior all around. Bars was her highest placing event 9.675 for 7th which features her nice Ricna (Stalder Tkatchev) but it was her 9.75 stuck Yurchenko 1/1 that was the highlight of her competition.
Raegan McCarty from Flip Star had a fall on her last tumbling pass in the first rotation unfortunately but did do a nice front pike 1/2 on vault but like Payton her bars have really improved as well making her one to watch as championship season approaches.
Giselle Guenther from Cincinnati had her struggles on bars and beam but hit a nice Yurchenko 1 1/2 vault for a 9.8. However, it did not go unnoticed that she opened floor with a new double layout which hopefully she keeps in as we head into championship season.
