Simone Biles Edges out Kyla Ross for 2013 U.S. National Title

Aug 17, 2013 by Jennifer Teitell

(c)Melissa Perenson

Simone Biles is the senior national champion by a margin of 0.2 following two days of competition at the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships in Hartford, Connecticut,

Peyton Ernst of Texas Dreams started the meet off on bars. Ernst, who was in fourth place after the first night of competition, performed a nice Jaeger and showed good execution on her skills, despite a small leg separation on a. She dismounted with a full twisting double back, for 13.85.

Up next, MyKalya Skinner of Desert Lights performed a solid beam routine featuring an extremely difficult handspring stepout to full twisting back tuck, which she stuck cold. She also showed a nice aerial, controlled full turn, and solid back pike. She dismounted with a double back with just a hop on the landing, scoring 14.25.

Next on floor was Maggie Nichols of Twin City Twisters. Nichols was in fifth place following night one of competition. She performed well on floor, with a powerful double layout, which she landed with a hop. Her second pass, a full twisting double pike, was clean with a hop as well. Nichols had solid landings on her next two passes, a one and a half twist through to a two and a half twist, and a double back tuck. She scored 14.3.

Next on bars was Kennedy Baker, who showed a nice stalder tkachev and toe-on tkachev. Baker had an extra swing, but stuck her double front dismount, for 13.65.

Next on beam was Brenna Dowell, who was in third place after night one. She performed a solid full twisting back handspring, a wolf turn, switch leap to scissone, switch leap half, side somi. Dowell dismounted with a handspring, handspring double pike with a large step, 13.85.

Elizabeth Price of Parkette's was the next competitor on bars. Price, who made her post-injury competitive debut during night one, improved tremendously on her night one showing, performing a clean Wieler, two huge releases, and a full twisting double layout dismount. She scored 14.8.

Simone Biles then took to the beam. Biles was the leader after night one. Biles looked confident on beam, performing her wolf turn, a watered-down back handspring layout series, punch front, and huge handspring, handspring full twisting double back dismount with just a hop on the landing. Biles earned a terrific score of 15, with a 9.1 execution score.

(c) Melissa Perenson

Olympian Kyla Ross, who sat in second place after night one, was next on floor. Ross showed off her beautiful artistry, flexiblity, and lines throughout the routine. She also performed tumbling, mounting with a double arabian to stag leap, and continued with a full twisting double back. Double pike third pass. She dismounted with a double tuck with a slightly short landing. She scored 14.5.

On bars, Ariana Guerra of Texas Dreams performed cleanly and dismounted with a full twisting double layout, scoring 14.1.

Over on beam, Madison Desch of GAGE fell on her flight series, but recovered to show her nice artistry and a good double tuck dismount.

McKayla Maroney took to the floor to deafening screams and applause. Maroney opened with her new double layout and continued to a nice second pass of a two and a half twist to front full. Maroney showed good execution, and continued to a clean double Arabian. She dismounted with a solid double pike, to more roaring crowd support. Maroney scored 15.25, to which the crowd also responded with enthusiastic applause.

Next on floor was Abby Milliet of Denton. Milliet opened with a high full in and continued to a one and a half through to a double tuck. Milliet dismounted with a tight double pike, for 14.1.

After the first rotation, the top six remained unchanged from day one of competition. Simone Biles continued to lead the field with a combined two-day total of 75.5, followed by Kyla Ross with 74.25, Brenna Dowell with 72.3, Peyton Ernst with 71.3, Maggie Nichols with 71.25, and Abby Milliet with 70.95.

In the second rotation, Kennedy Baker hit her triple wolf turn to immediate one and a half wolf turn. Baker was a little bit off on her handspring layout but saved it and remained on the beam. She followed with a nice front tuck combination, a side aerial, and a beautiful double arabian dismount, scoring 14.65.

Next on floor was Brenna Dowell. Dowell showed huge tumbling, like a high full twisting double layout, front double pike, and double front tuck. She had some trouble with her landings, including going out of bounds on her first pass. showing the nice artistry for which GAGE is known throughout her routine, Dowell scored 14.0.
Kyla Ross followed on vault, performing a beautiful, clean, nearly stuck double twisting Yurchenko. She scored 15.3, with a terrific 9.5 execution score.

Next on floor was Simone Biles. Biles opened with a huge double double, which had so much power that she went out of bounds. She continued with a solid double layout, a tight two and a half to punch layout, and an easy-looking full twisting double back. She dismounted loud, supportive reception from the crowd, scoring 15.15, which was later changed to 14.95.

Over on vault, McKayla Maroney powered down the runway to perform her trademark, near-perfect Amanar. She landed with just a small hop to the side, for a huge score of 16.0, with a 9.7 execution score. For her second vault, Maroney performed a Mustafina, the vault she famously sat down in the 2012 Olympics. She landed with a large step to the side, scoring 15.4, with a 9.4 execution score.

Next on beam was Peyton Ernst, who showed her beautiful form and execution, hitting a gorgeous front pike to wolf jump, and dismounting with a double pike with a step back. Ernst scored 14.9.

Over on floor, Maddie Desch showed her gorgeous execution and flexibility in an engaging routine that featured a nice triple twist dismount, for 14.7.

Next on floor, all eyes were on McKayla Skinner, who stuck her double twisting double layout. Skinner is the only woman to perform the skill. Skinner did a nice double Arabian to stag leap for her second pass, and a tucked double twisting double back for her third pass. Skinner dismounted with a nice one and a half through to two and a half twist, to more roaring applause from the crowd. She earned 15.0.

Next on vault, Maggie Nichols performed a clean double twisting Yurchenko, for 14.8.

At the conclusion of the second rotation, the top six remained unchanged again: Simone Biles was in first place with 90.45; Kyla Ross followed 0.9 behind, with 89.55; and Brenna Dowell was in third with 86.7. Peyton Ernst remained in fourth with 86.2, followed by Maggie Nichols with 86.05, and Abby Milliet with 85.45.

Starting off the third rotation was Simone Biles, who performed a gorgeous, quick twisting Amanar with just a hop back after landing slightly short on the landing. She scored 15.8, with a 9.5 execution score. On her second place after night one of
competition, performed a beautifully executed bar routine showing intricate in-bar skills, nice handstands, and a nearly stuck double layout dismount. Ross, who has the highest start value of the event, at 6.4, earned 15.45.

Next on floor, Peyton Ernst once again showed off her clean execution, artistry, and excellent tumbling skills. She opened with a solid double layout, followed by an Arabian double front to stag leap. She stepped out on her third pass, a twisting pass, but came back strong for her last pass, a nearly stuck double back tuck. Ernst earned 14.05.

Teammate Kennedy Baker followed Ernst on floor, showing her trademark wolf turn and powerful tumbling, including a one and a half twist to double Arabian, open piked double Arabian. Baker earned 14.8.

Next on vault was MyKayla Skinner, who performed her difficult Cheng vault, a half on, one and a half twist off the horse, earning 14.9. For her second vault, Skinner performed a double twisting Yurchenko with a large hop backward, for 14.75.

On bars, Maggie Nichols performed a clean routine including a toe-on tkachev, pak salto, toe on shaposh half, and double layout dismount. Apart from some leg separations, she showed clean form and earned 14.15.

Next on vault, the powerful Brenna Dowell performed a nicely executed Amanar with a hop to the side. She earned 15.5, with a 9.2 execution score.

After three rotations, the top five remained the same: Biles in first with 106.25, Kyla Ross with 105.0 for second place, Brenna Dowell with 102.2 for third, Peyton Ernst with 100.25 for fourth, and Maggie Nichols with 100.2 for fifth. McKayla Skinner vaulted into sixth with 99.6.

Starting the fourth rotation, Peyton Ernst performed a clean double twisting Yurchenko, for 15.05.

On beam, Abby Milliet had a rough routine, falling twice, but showing nice execution and form, and finishing strong with a clean piked double back. Milliet scored 13.2.

Kennedy Baker next vaulted with a clean Yurchenko full with a large hop on the landing. Baker scored 13.95.

MyKayla Skinner next went to bars, where she hit her routine, performing skills like a toe-on shaposh half, tkachev, toe-on tkachev, and full twisting double back dismount. Skinne earned 13.55.

Next on beam was Maggie Nichols, who showed clean form and a nice handspring, handspring, layout to two feet, a side somi, and a good double pike dismount with a hop on the landing. Nichols scored 14.5.

Over on vault, Elizabeth Price performed on her second of two events, vault. She executed a nice double twisting Yurchenko, which she piked down slightly, for a score of 15.15.

Brenna Dowell ended her evening on bars, where, as on the first day of competition, she missed the connection on her unique Tweddle to straddle back. Dowell covered nicely, however, and flew high on her releases. She dismounted with a strong full twisting double layout, earning 14.25.

Simone Biles then took to her last event of the evening, bars. Biles performed a strong Wieler, toe-on shaposh, and two high-flying tkachevs. Although she missed a toe-on handstand, she remained on the bar. Biles dismounted with a solid tucked full-out dismount, for 14.2.

Kyla Ross, the last competitor, took to the beam, approximately one point behind Biles. Ross showed off her beautiful execution o her leaps and tumbling, effortlessly sticking her handspring layout and remaining solid, until a large balance check on her side somi.   She dismounted with a strong double back with a hop, earning 15.25, just 0.2 shy of catching Biles for the title.

At the end of the night, the standings for the top five remained unchanged from night one. Simone Biles won her first senior national title, with a score of 120.45. Kyla Ross was second, just 0.2 behind with 120.25.   Brenna Dowell was third, with 116.450, followed by Peyton Ernst in fourth with 115.3, and Maggie Nichols in fifth with 114.7. Rounding out the top six was MyKayla Skinner, with 113.15.

Simone Biles, Brenna Dowell, Kyla Ross, Maggie Nichols, McKayla Maroney, Kennedy Baker, Peyton Ernst, Madison Kocian, Elizabeth Price , Lexie Priessman and Mykayla Skinner were named to the Senior National Team.

All-around

1. Simone Biles, Spring, Texas, 120.450

2. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 120.250

3. Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo., 116.550

4. Peyton Ernst, Coppell, Texas, 115.300

5. Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn., 114.700

6. Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz., 113.150

7. Kennedy Baker, Flower Mound, Texas, 112.900

8. Abigail Milliet, Denton, Texas, 110.900

9. Madison Desch, Lenexa, Kan., 109.900

10. Erin Macadaeg, Redwood City, Calif., 109.700

Vault

1. McKayla Maroney, Long Beach, Calif., 31.200

2. Simone Biles, Spring, Texas, 30.875

3. Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz., 29.600

Uneven bars

1. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 30.950

2. Simone Biles, Spring, Texas, 28.950

3. Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo., 28.850

4. Peyton Ernst, Coppell, Texas, 28.450

5. Ariana Guerra, League City, Texas, 28.350

6. Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn., 28.250

7. Kennedy Baker, Flower Mound, Texas, 27.300

8. Elizabeth Price, Coopersburg, Pa., 27.050

9. Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz., 27.000

10. Erin Macadaeg, Redwood City, Calif., 26.000

11. Abigail Milliet, Denton, Texas, 25.500

12. Madison Desch, Lenexa, Kan., 24.350

Balance beam

1. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 29.950

2. Simone Biles, Spring, Texas, 29.900

3. Kennedy Baker, Flower Mound, Texas, 28.950

4. Peyton Ernst, Coppell, Texas, 28.600

5. Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn., 28.500

6. Ariana Guerra, League City, Texas, 28.450

7. Erin Macadaeg, Redwood City, Calif., 28.300

8. Abigail Milliet, Denton, Texas, 27.800

9. Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo., 27.600

10. Madison Desch, Lenexa, Kan., 27.050

11. Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz., 26.400

Floor exercise

1. McKayla Maroney, Long Beach, Calif., 30.100

2. Simone Biles, Spring, Texas, 30.000

3. Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz., 29.750

4. Madison Desch, Lenexa, Kan., 29.300

5. Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo., 29.000

6. Kennedy Baker, Flower Mound, Texas, 28.850

7. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 28.750

8. Abigail Milliet, Denton, Texas, 28.500

9. Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn., 28.400

10. Peyton Ernst, Coppell, Texas, 28.250

11. Erin Macadaeg, Redwood City, Calif., 27.150

12. Ariana Guerra, League City, Texas, 14.150