12 women on the U.S. Senior National Team have accepted invitations to participate in the first of two selection camps for the U.S. Women's Team for the 2010 World Championships, Oct. 17-24, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. 

Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics
Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics
Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md./Hill's Gymnastics
Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics
Mattie Larson, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia
Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics
Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics
Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia
Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp's Gymnastics Academy
Morgan Smith, Clermont, Fla./Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics
Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics 



Six gymnasts and one alternate will be named to the U.S. Women's Team for the 2010 World Championships, the first qualifying step for the 2012 London Olympic Games, following the second selection camp. The World Championships will feature team, all-around and individual event competition. The First Selection Camp is Sept. 13-18, and based on performances at the first selection camp, a minimum of eight gymnasts will be invited to the second and final selection camp Oct. 3-6. Both camps will be held at the U.S. Women's National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas. 

Amanda Jetter successfully petitioned into the selection after withdrawing from the Visa Championships with an achilles strain suffered in podium training. Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA was invited to the selection camp but declined. 

In a UCLA press conference, Bruin Head Coach Valorie Kondos Field explained the situation and the plan for Vanessa, "We went into this elite season hoping to stay healthy, hoping to compete well and hoping to represent not just UCLA but all of collegiate gymnastics well, and we felt she did that very well. We've discussed with Marta that she is not in a position gymnasticly to go to the world training camp and to make a run for that team because we need to work on her start values and while she competed her new vault (the Cheng) beautifully for the first time, the second night she competed it she did put a hand down. So it isn't as consistent obviously as Marta would want it to be to take her to Worlds, and Marta was very upfront and clear with us about that which Chris (Waller) and I greatly appreciate. There was no grey area. Marta says she needs a good 6 months training that vault and doing it in pressure situations to be able to compete it any time she needs to, and we feel exactly the same way." She did say that they plan to go to a skills training camp with Vanessa in November. 

Click here to view the full press conference with Miss Val. 
Click here for the press release on USA Gymnastics.

We'll keep you updated on the selection process, and coming up soon on gymnastike we'll feature workout videos with a couple of the gymnasts above.