Finals

This year, we will be running a combined team finals and event finals in a single FINALS session.  (see schedule)

The women's team finals will consist of the top scoring team from each of the 5 sessions, together with the next three highest scoring teams from among all sessions.  This gives a total of 8 women's teams in team finals.  Each team will choose exactly 4 gymnasts on each event to compete for their team score, and all four will count toward the team score.  Team awards will be given to the top 5 teams in the FINALS session.

The men's team finals will consist of the top 2 scoring teams from each of the 2 sessions, together with the next 2 highest scoring teams from among both sessions.  This gives a total of 6 men's teams in team finals.  Each team will choose exactly 3 gymnasts on each event to compete for their team score, and all three will count toward the team score. Team awards will be given to the top 5 teams in the FINALS session.

The women's individual event finals will consist of the top 3 scoring gymnasts on each event in each of the 5 sessions, together with the next 5 highest scoring individuals on each event from among all sessions.  This gives a total of 20 women per event qualifying for the event finals.  Those women who would compete the same event for both team and individual event finals will do only one routine in the FINALS session.  Individual awards will be given to the top 10 scoring gymnasts in each event in the FINALS session.

The men's individual event finals will consist of the top 5 scoring gymnasts on each event in each of the 2 sessions, together with the next 5 highest scoring individuals on each event from among all sessions.  This gives a total of 15 men per event qualifying for the event finals.  Those men who would compete the same event for both team and individual event finals will do only one routine in the FINALS session.  Individual awards will be given to the top 10 scoring gymnasts in each event in the FINALS session.

The mercy rule applies to all teams that do not qualify for team finals, and also do not have any team member qualify for individual event finals on any event.  The mercy rule states that any such team may choose one gymnast of their choice to compete on any event of their choice in the FINALS session.

All-around awards will be given to the top 10 scores across all preliminary sessions, both for men and women.  There will be no all-around finals.

Benjamin's Comments:  It is impossible for judges to be consistent among several sessions, and thus it is not truly competitive to compare the scores of teams or individuals competing in different sessions.  For this reason, we have incorporated a team finals into the finals session.  In the past, there has never been a team finals, or an all-around finals at NAIGC Nationals.  There has only  been an event finals.  Team awards and all-around awards were determined based on performance across several preliminary sessions.    In the future, we should consider adding an all-around finals, as well.  Doing so this year would have necessitated having a much longer finals session, or more likely two finals sessions, an idea opposed by several teams.