Nearly 600 of the nation's best baton twirlers will compete in the 2024 U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships, July 9-14, at the Nutter Center at Wright State University in Fairborn. The competition, which is sponsored by the United States Twirling Association (USTA), runs from 8 a.m. to approximately 7 p.m. each day and is free and open to the public.
“Baton twirling is an exciting sport that combines athleticism with artistry,” said Anna Dolan, director of Communications for USTA. “Sport baton twirlers display incredible speed, strength, and dexterity, twirling one, two, three, and even four metal batons, combined with beautiful dance and acrobatic skills. I know Fairborn sports fans will enjoy seeing our nation's top twirlers in action!”
Male and female twirlers from across the country who range in age from five to adult will demonstrate their skills in the National Championships, which is a competition for advanced and elite athletes, as well as the Festival of the Future, a competition for novice, beginner, and intermediate athletes. In both competitions, athletes will compete in individual and group events, including:
- Solo - an exciting event using one baton which is rolled, flipped and tossed around the body and through the air at great speed
- 2-Baton and 3-Baton - highly difficult events using two or three batons which must be kept moving at all times
- Strut and Artistic Twirl - beautiful but demanding events combining twirling with dance and gymnastics
- Groups - the crowd will be on its feet as groups of twirlers perform synchronized twirling and challenging exchanges
Highlights of the National Championships include the National Collegiate Finals, featuring many of the nation's top collegiate twirlers, which will begin at approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. The Collegiate Finals will be followed by the Grand National Finals, beginning at approximately 4:30 p.m. also on Saturday July 13. The exciting Team Finals will be held at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 14. All finals will be held in the Nutter Center and are free and open to the public.
The national competitors include members of Team USA, which will represent the United States in the World Freestyle and Rhythmic Twirl Championship, Aug.4-11 in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Twirling experts say the sport of baton twirling promotes physical fitness and flexibility and helps fight childhood obesity. It also helps young people develop positive self-esteem and valuable life skills, such as goal setting, self-discipline, time management, and teamwork.
The 2024 U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships mark the fifth time the National Championships have been held at the Nutter Center.
“We are excited to be back at the Nutter Center, which hosted our National Championships in 1997, 2000, 2012, and 2019,” Dolan said. “Fairborn is a beautiful, welcoming city that offers our athletes and their families a quality competition venue surrounded by family-friendly attractions and amenities.”