American Ninja Warrior USA vs the World 2019

From Las Vegas…

It’s time for year five of “USA vs the World.”

Last year, Team Europe knocked Team USA off the perch they had held for the previous two years. Will Team USA get the title back? Or will an international team keep Team USA from the top spot for the 2^nd consecutive year?

And in the history of the USA vs the World competition, both Team USA and Team Europe have two victories. So can someone break the tie this evening?

Here’s how the competition works:

All three teams will compete and earn points in the first three stages of the Vegas National Finals course.

Each nation will send one athlete per heat. The winner of each heat gets 2 points and second place gets 1 point.

The two highest scoring teams advance to Stage 4 (Mount Maduro) for a climb off to determine the champion.

Here are the teams:

Team USA: Barclay Stockett, Drew Dreschel, Jesse LaBreck, Mathis Owhadi, Najee Richardson

Team Europe: Georgia Munroe, Iris Matamoros, Javier Cano, Katie McDonnell, Oliver Edelmann

Team Australia: Ashlin Herbert, Ben Polson, Bryson Klein, Jack Wilson, Olivia Vivian

For the first time, all teams are mixed with male and female competitors.

Also for the first time, Team Australia will field a team in USA vs the World.

And Team Europe will look to defend their title with an entirely new roster from last year’s team.

Stage One:

Here’s the course: Archer Alley, Propeller Bar, Double Dipper, Jumping Spider, Jeep Run, Warped Wall, Razor Beams, and Twist and Fly.

Heat 1:

Team USA: Barclay Stockett

Stockett moved quickly through the first two obstacles and had a near flawless run through the Propeller Bar.

Obstacles three and four were no issue either.

The “Sparkly Ninja” made it all the way to, the obstacle that took her out in the National Finals. But this time, Stockett made it past the fifth obstacle and up the Warped Wall.

In fact, Stockett made it all the way through the Stage One course hitting her first buzzer ever and getting Team USA off to a fantastic start.

Barclay Stockett hits the buzzer in 3:02.57.

Team Europe: Georgia Munroe

Georgia is a professional parkour athlete in London who competed in England’s Ninja Warrior competition for the first time this year.

Munroe moved quickly through the first two obstacles.

But her fingers slipped off the bar on Double Dipper, and she fell short of the mat.

Georgia Munroe completes two obstacles.

Team Australia: Jack Wilson

Wilson made it through the first three obstacles, guaranteeing a point for the Aussies.

Wilson started showing fatigue on Jumping Spider.

And that fatigue nearly cost him on Jeep Run, as Wilson took a hard fall on the final tire. But the fall didn’t throw him in the water. He saved it and made it to the Warped Wall.

Wilson had time to spare as he attached himself to the net on Twist and Fly. He climbed up the net and hit the buzzer, giving Team Australia two points.

Jack Wilson completes the course in 2:30.61

So the standings after the first heat are:

Australia 2

USA 1

Europe 0

Heat 2

Team Europe: Oliver Edelmann

Edelmann is the first competitor from Germany to compete in USA vs the World.

Edelmann had no issues with the first two obstacles.

Edelmann nearly fell on Double Dipper, but he just attached himself to the end of the mat and held on.

Edelmann showed caution on the Jumping Spider, but he moved much quicker through the Jeep Run.

After the Warped Wall, Edelmann nearly fell again on Razor Beams. But once, again he held on.

Edelmann caught the net on Twist and Fly, hitting the buzzer and putting pressure on the other competitors in his heat.

Edelmann completes the course in 2:49.36.

Team Australia: Ashlin Herbert

Herbert was ahead of Edelmann’s pace through the first three obstacles.

The Jumping Spider slowed him down just a bit, but he still completed the obstacle on his feet.

No one up to this point has made as quick a work of the Jeep Run as Herbert did.

Herbert made it up the Warped Wall a minute and a half ahead of Edelmann’s time.

And after Twist and Fly, Herbert had recorded the best time of the night so far.

Ashlin Herbert completed the course in 2:09.80.

Team USA: Mathis ‘Kid’ Ohwadi

Ohwadi recorded the third fastest time on Stage 1 this season.

And his time of 1:44.71 from then would be more than enough to take first in this heat.

The ‘Kid’ moved quickly through the course, as usual.

He was through five obstacles in 45 seconds and up the Wall in 50 seconds.

Ohwadi nearly fell grabbing the net on the final obstacle, but Mathis held on and grabbed the two points for Team USA.

Mathis ‘Kid’ Ohwadi completes the course in 1:27.18.

Updated Standings:

Team Australia: 3

Team USA: 3

Team Europe: 0

Stage Two

Here’s the course: Epic Catch and Release, Criss Cross Salmon Ladder, Déjà vu, Swing Surfer, Wingnut Alley, Water Walls (The first ever underwater obstacle).

Heat One

Team USA: Najee Richardson

An asthma attack during Water Walls kept “the Phoenix” from completing Stage 2 during the season.

Richardson made quick work of most of the course, which shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Really, the whole run was all about the tension before Richardson dealt with the Water Walls.

That did lead to Richardson taking his time before starting Wingnut Alley.

And a more nervous than usual Richardson put on his goggles to take on that final obstacle.

“The Phoenix” looked ready for it this time, completing Water Walls with no issues and setting the standard for the other competitors in the heat.

Najee Richardson completes the course in 3:50.86.

Team Europe: Javier Cano

During the break, the Spanish Rock Climber failed on Catch and Release, guaranteeing a point for Team USA.

Team Australia: Bryson Klein

Klein credits his dad for getting him into rock climbing.

Klein overcame one awkward bar placement to get past Criss Cross Salmon Ladder.

Klein was methodical as he worked his way through the first four obstacles.

After making it through Wingnut Alley, Klein had 45 seconds to get through the Water Walls.

He jumped in with no issue.

As he pulled up the last Wall, he had 10 seconds.

And Klein did it, hitting the buzzer for the top time of the heat.

Bryson Klein completes the course in 3:42.83.

Updated Standings

Team Australia 5

Team USA 4

Team Europe 0

Heat 2

Team Australia: Olivia Vivian

Vivian is a former gymnast who was the first Australian female to hit a buzzer in Australian Ninja Warrior.

Vivian moved slowly and struggled through the first obstacle.

The struggles were so much that she fell short on her dismount.

Olivia Vivian completes no obstacles.

Team Europe: Iris Matamoros

The Spanish rock climber has a chance to get Team Europe on the board.

Matamoros needed three swings to get the first bar to catch.

But he did complete the obstacle, guaranteeing a point for Team Europe.

Matamoros took his time and did a nice job completing the next two obstacles.

The 37 year old took a breath before completing the Swing Surfer.

But he slipped and fell on Wingnut Alley.

Iris Matamoros completes four obstacles.

Team USA: Jesse Labreck

Labreck completed the first obstacle, guaranteeing Team USA a point.

“Flex” showed her strength as she marched easily through Criss Cross Salmon Ladder.

Labreck nearly got stuck on Catch and Release. But she took her time and built momentum to complete it.

After completing Swing Surfer, Labreck’s time was behind Matamoros.

The only way to earn two points for Labreck was to complete Wingnut Alley.

She did it, securing 2 points for Team USA.

But Labreck didn’t stop there.

Labreck made quick work of Water Walls, becoming the 2^nd female ever to complete Stage 2.

Jesse Labreck completes Stage 2.

Updated Standings:

Team USA: 6

Team Australia: 5

Team Europe: 1

Stage 3

Here’s the course: Floating Boards, En Garde, Crazy Clocks, Ultimate Cliffhanger, Curved Body Prop, Peg Cloud, Cane Lane, Flying Bar

Heat One

Team USA: Drew Drechsel

“The Real Life Ninja” made it to the exact spot he made it to in the regular season: the Ultimate Cliffhanger.

But this time, the fourth obstacle was no issue for Drechsel.

Drechsel held himself up with one hand to rest on Curved Body Prop before completing the fifth obstacle.

Peg Cloud was no issue as Drechsel prepared for the always difficult Cane Lane.

Drechsel fell on the last bar of the 7^th obstacle, setting a tough standard for the rest of the heat.

Drechsel completes 6 obstacles.

Team Australia: Ben Polson

Polson is the competition’s largest competitor, boyfriend to Olivia Vivian, and a DJ in his spare time.

Polson also likes to get the crowd involved as he moved through the first two obstacles.

On Ultimate Cliffhanger, Polson fell in the middle of the obstacle, guaranteeing Team USA a point.

Team Europe: Katie McDonnell

The pressure is on the Stuntwoman from London. She has to beat Drechsel’s time to keep Team Europe alive.

McDonnell labored through the first obstacle, but she completed it.

And the first obstacle took much of her strength as McDonnell fell on En Garde, setting up the final matchup.

McDonnell completes one obstacle.

Updated Standings:

Team USA: 8

Team Australia: 6

Team Europe: 1 (eliminated)

Stage Four

It’s Team USA vs Team Australia for the championship. And who will the two teams choose to climb Mount Maduro?

Drew Drechsel vs Ashlin Herbert

In a head to head showdown, the first to climb up the 80 foot rope will claim the title for his team.

Drecshel took the early lead.

That lead grew at 50 feet.

The lead stayed steady as Herbert slowed down.

And in 33 seconds, “The Real Life Ninja” hit the buzzer and claimed the title for Team USA.

Drechsel completes Stage 4 first, getting Team USA the championship.

After Herbert finished his climb, he shared a beer with Drechsel.

So the USA now has 3 of the 5 championships in USA vs the World.

Will the USA defend their title next year? How will Australia follow up a great debut? And can Team Europe bounce back after a rough year this season? We’ll see in 2020.