LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The University of Illinois was well represented on Thursday at the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup in Las Vegas' Sports Center Arena. Seniors Ted Brown and Adam Pummer and sophomore Tyler Yamauchi all advanced to the finals while freshman Chris Lung did not. The 2006 Winter Cup Challenge is the first U.S. men's event to use the new scoring system adopted by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) last year. The top-42 gymnasts qualify for the finals according to the Men's Program Committee (MPC) approved points system. The finals begin Saturday at 8:30 p.m. (CST).

Selection to the 2006 Men's Senior National Team is based on individual performances and each gymnasts combined scores from day one and day two. Fourteen athletes will be named to the Senior National Team. The top-six All-Arounders and top-six with the highest point totals will be selected. The MPC will select the remaining two gymnasts.

For qualifying into the finals, points are awarded to the top 30 rank order athletes on each event in descending order (example, 1st place earns 30 points, 30th place earns 1 point). The 42 athletes with the highest point totals from the six events qualify for the finals.

A separate point system is administered for the National Team selection. The top 8 athletes on each event will receive points based on the combined two day totals from the Preliminary and Final sessions. In the finals, first place receives 10 points and the following positions receive points in descending order (example, eighth place = 2 points).

Under the new system, a gymnast's total score includes values for both the routine's content and his execution. The new scoring procedure adds the A Score (difficulty and content), which includes difficulty, connection value and element requirements, to the B Score, which encompasses execution, artistry, composition and technique, to determine a gymnast's total score. The B score begins at 10 and deductions are made for errors and faults. Scores no longer have a maximum value of 10.

Brown turned in the top pommel horse routine of the day with a score of 14.800 resulting in a tie for first place with David Durante, the current All-Around leader and member of Team Chevron.

Yamauchi advances on all three of his events - pommel horse (12.150), rings (14.500) and parallel bars (13.550). Pummer, the reigning Winter Cup floor exercise gold medalist, also advanced to the finals on each of his events turning in solid performances on floor exercise (14.350), pommel horse (13.650), vault (15.900), parallel bars (14.850) and high bar (14.250).

A complete explanation of the Men's Program Committee Approved Points System and the FIG Code of Points can be found at www.usa-gymnastics.org.

Thursday's Winter Cup Results
Ted Brown
Pommel Horse - A: 5.600/B: 9.200=14.800, t-1st

Chris Lung
Pommel Horse - A: 5.000/B: 8.450=13.450, 25th
Parallel Bars - A: 5.100/B: 8.100=13.200, 37th
High Bar - A: 5.100/B: 9.250=14.350, 14th

Adam Pummer
Floor Exercise - A: 5.500/B: 8.850=14.350, t-5th
Pommel Horse - A: 5.100/B: 8.550=13.650, 21st
Parallel Bars - A: 5.700/B: 9.150=14.850, 7th
High Bar - A: 5.400/B: 8.850=14.250, 8th

Tyler Yamauchi
Pommel Horse - A: 4.400/B: 7.750=12.150, 53rd
Rings - A: 5.600/B: 8.900=14.500, 11th
Parallel Bars - A: 5.500/B: 8.050=13.550, 23rd