Schedule for 2018 Nastia Liukin Cup Announced

USA Gymnastics announced the schedule for the 2018 Nastia Liukin Cup Series, which kicks off January 5, 2018. The invitational meets in the Series will determine the gymnasts who will compete in the Nastia Liukin Cup at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., on March 2, 2018. The 2018 event, started in 2010 by 2008 Olympic all-around gold-medalist Nastia Liukin, is the ninth annual edition.

Sears Centre Arena will host both the Nastia Liukin Cup and, on the following day, the 2018 American Cup, the USA’s most prestigious international invitational and part of the International Gymnastics Federation’s all-around World Cup series.

The 36 participants in the Nastia Liukin Cup are selected through the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, which features 18 of the country’s top gymnastics invitationals held throughout the United States. The Nastia Liukin Cup Series kicks off on Jan. 5, with two invitationals, and the final Nastia Liukin Cup qualifiers will be determined at two invitationals held just two weeks before the Nastia Liukin Cup. The invitationals participating in the Cup Series are listed below.

• Alamo Classic, San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 5-7

• Atlanta Crown Invitational, Duluth, Ga., Jan. 5-7

• Tampa Bay Turners Invitational, Bradenton, Fla., Jan. 12-14

• CGA Coaches’ Spectacular, Covington, Ky., Jan. 12-14

• California Grand Invitational, Anaheim, Calif., Jan. 12-14

• Kim Zmeskal’s Texas Prime Meet, Irving, Texas, Jan. 19-21

• Sand Dollar/Whitlow Invitational, Kissimmee, Fla., Jan. 19-21

• Atlanta Centennial Classic, Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 26-28

• Metroplex Challenge, Fort Worth, Texas, Jan. 26-28

• Classic Spectacular, Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 26-28

• Chris Waller's Heart of a Champion, Pasadena, Calif., Feb. 2-4

• Pikes Peak Cup, Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 2-4

• Salcianu and Brestyan’s Invitational, Las Vegas, Nev., Feb. 8-11

• Arizona Sunrays Classic Rock Invitational, Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 9-11

• Denver Winterfest Classic, Denver, Colo., Feb. 9-11

• Greensboro Gymnastics Invitational, Greensboro, N.C., Feb. 9-11

• Magical Classic, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 16-18

• WOGA Classic, Frisco, Texas, Feb. 16-18

A total of 18 junior and 18 senior gymnasts will advance to the Nastia Liukin Cup. Senior athletes must be 16 years of age or older, and junior athletes must be 15 or younger.

Gymnasts who compete in the Nastia Liukin Cup will receive a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the Nastia Liukin Cup; and the opportunity to meet Liukin and participate in a team photo.

Tickets for the Nastia Liukin Cup will go on sale this fall through gymnastics clubs participating in the American Cup discount ticket program, and will go on sale to the general public after the first of the year.

A portion of the proceeds from the Nastia Liukin Cup benefits the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund in partnership with the National Gymnastics Foundation (www.usagym.org/foundation).