Everett Readies for Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships This Weekend

At the start of today. Photo credit Bettie Espinosa Kibala

After a day's hard work it looks good in here! photo credit Bettie Espinosa Kibala

It was a day to turn the main ice surface at Comcast Arena at Everett into a world-class gymnastics facility. Volunteers worked side by side with staff members today to transform the floor and set up the balance beams, rings, bars and mats needed for this weekend’s event. Around 15,000 people are expected to see the events over this weekend and leave behind between 2 – 3 million dollars with local hotels, restaurants, merchants and commercial businesses. In addition to the impact on the local economy, the city of Everett is expected to get a boost as NBC TV plans to televise part of the event on Saturday afternoon. Here’s some information about which athletes are  coming and what countries they’re from and a basic schedule. For more information, click here for the official website.

The 2012 Pacific Rim Championships will showcase athletes from Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Philippines, Russia, and the United States. Considered one of gymnastics’ premier international events, competition at the Kellogg’s Pacific Rim Championships includes artistic (men’s and women’s) gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and trampoline. The competition features both junior and senior athletes.

The country breakdown by discipline is as follows.
•Artistic gymnastics: Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama (women), Philippines, Russia, USA
•Rhythmic gymnastics: Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, USA
•Trampoline: Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, USA

Single-session tickets range from $15 to $65, and all-session tickets range from $110 to $250 (including facility fees). Tickets may be purchased at the Comcast Arena at Everett Box Office; by phone at 866-332-8499; or online through Comcastarenaeverett.com. In recognition of Visa’s long-time support of USA Gymnastics, Visa is the preferred method of payment.

The competition schedule is as follows:
Friday, March 16
10 a.m. – Rhythmic Team & All-Around (Sub Div. 1)
1:30 p.m. – Women’s Team & All-Around (Sub Div. 1)
3 p.m. – Rhythmic Team & All-Around (Sub Div. 2)
7 p.m. – Women’s Team & All-Around (Sub Div. 2)
Saturday, March 17
1:30 p.m. – Men’s Team & All-Around (Sub Div. 1)
3 p.m. – Rhythmic Individual Event Finals
7 p.m. – Men’s Team & All-Around (Sub Div. 2)

Sunday, March 18
9 a.m. – Trampoline, Junior Prelims, Finals and Synchronized Competition
12 p.m. – Men’s & Women’s Gymnastics, Junior Individual Event Finals
2 p.m. – Trampoline, Senior Prelims, Finals and Synchronized Competition
6 p.m. – Men’s & Women’s Gymnastics, Senior Individual Event Finals
7 p.m. – Synchronized Trampoline Competition

Held every two years, the Pacific Rim Championships were held in Honolulu in 2004 and 2006; San Jose in 2008; and Melbourne, Australia, in 2010. In 2010, the USA won both the men’s and women’s team titles and three of the all-around titles – John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./U.S. Olympic Training Center, junior men; Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts’ Twistars USA, women’s junior title; and Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas/WOGA, senior women. Past all-around champions include the USA’s Paul Hamm, Carly Patterson, and Nastia Liukin.