This Week at the Karolyi Ranch: Camp, Elite Qualifier & American Classic

This Week at the Karolyi Ranch: Camp, Elite Qualifier & American Classic

Jul 2, 2013 by Anne Phillips
This Week at the Karolyi Ranch: Camp, Elite Qualifier & American Classic

The hallway into the main gym at the Karolyi Ranch, USA Gymnastics' National Team Training Center

The top elite gymnasts in the country will visit the Karolyi Ranch in Texas this week for the USA National Team Training Camp, the National Elite Qualifier Meet, and finally the American Classic meet. 

First up is the U.S. women's national team camp which began Sunday. Headlining the camp once again is 2012 Olympic Gold and Silver medalist McKayla Maroney who returns for her second training camp since the Olympic Games. 

Maroney shared this photo on her instagram:


L to R: Simone Biles, Amelia Hundley, Maroney, Lexie Priessman, and Kyla Ross.


This is the final training camp before the USA summer elite season gets serious on July 27th with the 2013 Secret U.S. Classic in Chicago.

Following the conclusion of training camp on July 4th, U.S. women's national team coordinator Martha Karolyi and her staff will turn their attention to the future elites of Team USA with two elite competitions taking place at the Ranch this weekend. 

The first competition is the National Elite Qualifier, scheduled for July 4-5. This serves as the final opportunity for gymnasts to earn international elite or Hopes (pre-elite) status and advance to the Classic meets. This competition will include both compulsory and optional routines. International Elite athletes that have competed at a Classic are not required to attain a compulsory score. You can find a full breakdown of qualifying scores below. 


Grace McLaughlin at the 2012 Secret Classic. Photo by Scott Hults.
 
Next up will be the American Classic meet. The event, which serves as one of two qualifiers for the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships, will be held Saturday July 6. 

Top athletes expected to compete in the American Classic are Grace McLaughlin, Madison Kocian, and Alyssa Baumann of WOGA, Laurie Hernandez of MG Elite, and Ashley Foss of North Stars. Click here for a full lineup. 
 
How do athletes qualify for the 2013 summer elite competitions? Below is our breakdown of the 2013 USA Gymnastics Elite Qualification Scores:

Compulsory Testing:
Junior and Senior Elite: 
35.00 at Regional or National Qualifiers (for “new” International Elites. International Elite athletes that have competed at a Classic are not required to attain a compulsory score.)
Senior athletes qualifying optionals with 2 or 3 event score must earn an 8.75 compulsory score on the same 2 or 3 events

Hopes (12-13)
33.00 All Around at Qualifiers

Hopes (10-11)
32.00 All Around at Qualifiers


Optional Elite Qualifying Scores:
Senior Elite (Age 16 and Up)
Ways for Senior Elites to Qualify to Classics:
- 53.00 AA, 3 Event=40.5, 2 Event =27.5 at 2013 National Qualifiers or 2012/2013 Team Training Camps (full routines on competition surfaces)
- 53.00 at 2012 Championships 

Ways for Senior Elites to Qualify to Championships: 
- Automatic: 2012 Olympic Team and designated Alternates 
- 54.00 AA, 3 Event=41.25, 2 Event =28.00 at 2013 Classic meet 
- National Team members at Team Training Camp (full routines on competition surfaces) or International Assignment

Junior Elite (Age 11-15)
Ways for Junior Elites to Qualify to Classics:
- 51.00 at 2012 Championships 
- 50.00 at 2013 National Qualifiers or 2012/2013 Team Training Camps (full routines on competition surfaces)

Ways for Junior Elites to Qualify to Championships:
- 51.50 at 2013 Classic meet or National Team members at Team Training Camp (full routines on competition surfaces) or International Assignment


Hopes Qualification
The "Hopes" division is a pre-elite level. Hopes athletes can only qualify to compete at the 2013 U.S. Challenge, held in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Classic in Chicago. 

Hopes (age 12-13)
47.50 at National Qualifiers or Team Training Camps (full routines on competition surfaces)

Hopes (age 10-11)
46.00 at National Qualifiers or Team Training Camps (full routines on competition surfaces)


USA Women's Summer Elite Competition Schedule:
July 6: American Classic at the Karolyi Ranch
July 27: Secret U.S. Classic in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
July 25-27: U.S. Challenge in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
August 15-18 P&G Gymnastics Championships in Hartford, CT.  
September 25-Oct 6 World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium

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