CLOSE

Moldauer wins senior all-around title at 2019 Winter Cup Challenge

LAS VEGAS, Nev., Feb. 15, 2019 – Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, won the senior all-around title at the 2019 Winter Cup Challenge at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. Isaiah Drake of Los Angeles, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica, leads the junior all-around rankings after the first of two sessions. Competition wraps up on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 7:15 p.m. PT with senior individual event finals and junior all-around and event finals. Fans can watch the action and scoring live via wintercup.com.

The final session will feature the top 28 senior athletes and the top 14 juniors. Junior athletes will advance to the finals according to the all-around ranking from the first day of competition. The senior athletes will advance to the second day according to the Men’s Program Committee’s points-ranking system.

Moldauer nabbed the all-around title with his 84.500 score, edging out Sam Mikulak of Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, by just a 0.050 margin (84.450). Moldauer’s teammate Allan Bower of Chandler, Arizona/University of Oklahoma, was third at 82.350. Fourth (82.300) and fifth (81.800) went to Genki Suzuki of North Wales, Pa./University of Oklahoma, and Robert Neff of Brookfield, Wis./Stanford University, respectively. Sean Melton of Orlando, Fla./Ohio State University, was sixth at 81.750. All six automatically qualified for the men’s senior national team through the 2019 U.S. Championships in Kansas City, Mo., in August.

Moldauer’s event scores were: 13.550, floor exercise; 14.100, pommel horse; 14.500, still rings; 14.450, vault and parallel bars (best event score); and 13.450, horizontal bar. Mikulak’s individual event scores were: 15.000, floor exercise (highest event score); 13.700, pommel horse; 14.050, rings; 13.750, vault; 12.850, parallel bars; and 15.100, high bar (top event score). Bower’s event scores were: 14.450, floor; 13.400, pommel horse; 13.450, still rings; 14.050, vault; 13.400, parallel bars; 13.600, horizonal bar.

In the junior division, Drake sits atop the junior all-around standings with his 78.250 total. Colt Walker of Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics, edged out Taylor Burkhart of Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, for second, 77.800 to 77.750. Drake’s event scores were: 12.450, floor exercise; 12.250, pommel horse; 13.500, still rings (the top score for the event); 14.200, vault; 13.000, horizontal bar.

For the senior division, all-around rankings were determined on the first day of competition and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For the junior division, all-around ranking and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For information on the points ranking system used for advancement to the final round, as well as the one for determining the national team, click here (Attachment B).

Tickets are $25/general public, $20/Black Jack Invitational coaches, and $15/Black Jack Invitational athletes for Sunday’s finals. Tickets may be purchased on site. USA Gymnastics will be live-streaming the final session via its YouTube channel.

Performances at the 2018 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 12 men who will comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Kansas City, Mo. Following the first-day of competition, the top six ranked all-around athletes automatically qualified for the 2019 senior national team. Using scores from both days of competition, the Men’s Program Committee will select six more gymnasts from the participants at the Winter Cup Challenge using the 10 Points Program or from petitions to the team.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has already taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, log on to usagym.org.