American Ninja Warrior Season 10 2018: Dallas Texas City Finals Season X Episode 8
The qualifying rounds give us great stories of people overcome amazing obstacles to live their dream of competing on the ninja course.
But now, we are on to the City Finals, where the top ninjas in the world will look to establish personal bests and punch their tickets to the Finals.
Here’s a breakdown of the format:
-Ninjas will run a similar course to the one they did in qualifiers with four additional obstacles added.
-The top 15 ninjas and top 2 women will advance to the National Finals in Las Vegas.
The Course: Archer Steps, Catch and Release (new obstacle), Bouncing Spider, Broken Bridge, Crank It Up, Warped Wall, Salmon Ladder, Nail Clipper, Fallout (Mission Impossible Inspired), Spider Trap
Josh Norton, 26 year old Janitor
Norton was a walk-on who waited two days in line for his shot at the course.
And the waiting paid off as Norton was Dallas’s 19th qualifier.
Norton was impressive working quickly through the first two obstacles.
Crank it Up was the obstacle that took Norton out in qualifying.
But he completed it here and took only 2 and-a-half minutes to complete the first half of the course.
After completing the Warped Wall on the first try, Norton flew his way up the Salmon Ladder before falling on Nail Clipper.
During the break…
Venn Johns came out wearing chaps. But he was taken out on Catch and Release.
Andrew Lowes fell on Broken Bridge.
Steven Tucker fell on Crank It Up.
Abel Gonzalez, 34 year old Gym Owner
Gonzalez has used his platform to teach kids in his hometown to eat healthy.
The five year veteran and number 8 qualifier moved quickly through the first half of the course.
After going up the Warped Wall, Gonzalez kept his strong run going all the way to the end of Nail Clipper.
But Gonzalez (whose run was interrupted by the stars of Mission Impossible: Fallout) couldn’t hold on in the middle of Fallout, ending his run.
Treymane Dortch, 32 year old Gym Owner
Joined in progress, Dortch and his unreal, make you feel like less of a man abs was moving through Crank It Up at a slow pace.
It took Dortch over 3 minutes to make it up the Warped Wall.
But it likely won’t matter at all because Dortch fell at the Salmon Ladder.
Kat Ratcliff, 30 year old Police Officer
Kat is running for her adopted mother Ellen, who is on hand tonight.
The dismount was tough, but handled by Kat, on Archer Steps.
Then, the army veteran moved quickly through Catch and Release.
But Ratcliff fell on Bouncing Spider (just like she did in qualifying).
During the break…
Tyler Humphrey fell at Salmon Ladder.
Karen Wiltin fell at the first obstacle.
Adam Ster fell at Crank It Up.
Jeremiah Morgan, 28 year old Music Minister
Morgan was nearly electrocuted almost year ago. And there were concerns he would never be able to breath on his own again.
But not only did the Music Minister from Mississippi recover, he completed the qualifying course and had the field’s sixth best time.
Morgan moved through the first three obstacles in 30 seconds.
Watching Morgan work this course makes is seem like his near death experience gave him super powers. He shows no effects at all has he made it up the Warped Wall after being on the course for only a minute and forty five seconds.
And the Nail Clipper, one of the toughest obstacles for ninjas last season, was no trouble at all.
Before Morgan, no one had completed the Mission Impossible inspired obstacle, Fallout.
That is, until Morgan made it through obstacle nine.
Morgan climbed up the Spider Trap and became the night’s first finisher.
Jeremiah Morgan completes the course in 5:16.53.
During the break…
Nate Burkhalter fell at Salmon Ladder.
Elliot Jolivette fell at Nail Clipper.
Brittany Hanks, 23 year old Lab Technician
Before her run, Hanks shared her experience growing up in poverty.
Hanks took a lot of time completing Catch and Release.
Hanks made it past the Bouncing Spider, the obstacle she injured her knee on last year.
But she fell while running on Broken Bridge.
During the break…
Louis Moore fell on Catch and Release.
Brian Burkhardt fell on Nail Clipper.
Mathis “Kid” Owhadi, 19 year old College Student
“The Kid” might be the best of the new crop of 19 year olds taking advantage of the lower age limit this season.
Owhadi maintained a fast pace through the first part of the course, taking just over a minute total to get past Crank It Up.
But how would the rookie handle his first attempt at the Salmon Ladder?
He would have few issues while completing Salmon Ladder and Nail Clipper.
Owhadi looked like he might get stuck on Fallout.
But he self-corrected and completed the obstacle, setting up a climb up the Spider Trap.
Owhadi kept his cool as he climbed up the final obstacle and hit the buzzer.
Mathis Owhadi completes the course in 5:37.17.
Thomas Stillings, 24 year old Gym Owner
Stillings gets the “commercial plays during my run” treatment Nick Hanson got last week.
And they want to air lots of commercials. So it is usually a pretty good sign when your run is shown during a break.
Stillings did a backwards release while finishing Nail Clipper.
Then, he took a couple of spins and got stuck on Fallout, the obstacle where his run would end.
During the break…
Brent Steffensen almost fell on Broken Bridge. He survived, but then fell on Nail Clipper.
Jon Stewart also fell on the Nail Clipper.
Josh Salinas, 27 year old Ninja Trainer
Salinas has at least one student and his fiancee on hand cheering him on as he flies through the first part of the course.
Salinas was near perfect as he completed the Nail Clipper.
The spinning wheels on Fallout didn’t spin at all as Salinas controlled and completed the ninth obstacle.
Then, Salinas climbed up the Spider Trap and hit the buzzer with the night’s fastest time so far.
Josh Salinas completes the course in 4:38.39.
During the break…
Andrew Swinghamer fell at Nail Clipper.
Chris Cambre (the man who runs the course in his fishing boots)fell at Crank It Up.
Quest O’Neal, 26 year old Waitress
O’Neal shared the story of having her parents, who split when she was young and struggled with drug use, there to cheer her on in her qualifying run.
They were both on hand for her City Finals run as well as “The Golden Child” got stuck on Bouncing Spider.
She fought to hold it as long as she could, but O’Neal fell on the third obstacle.
Matthew Day, 19 year old College Student
Remember when I said “The Kid” was the best 19 year old competitor this season?
Well, he’s got some competition from Day, the number 2 qualifier in Dallas.
And he moved quickly through the first part of the course.
Day nearly stumbled on Nail Clipper. But he took a long leap and stuck the landing, completing the 8th obstacle.
And no one so far has made it through Fallout easier than Day did.
Day started slowing down on Spider Trap. But he still had enough to hit the buzzer with the night’s fastest time.
Matthew Day completed the course in 4:37.10.
Erik Brown, 39 year old Electric Utility Man
Brown shorted the landing on Catch and Release. But he held his feet on the mat and kept his run alive.
After the near miss on obstacle two, Brown moved easily through obstacles 3 and 4 before approaching Catch and Release, the obstacle he fell on in qualifying.
This time, Brown made it, setting up his first successful climb up the Warped Wall.
After successfully completing Salmon Ladder, Brown slipped and fell on Nail Clipper.
Barclay Stockett, 23 year old Gymnastics Coach
The “Sparkly Ninja” had a disappointing run in qualifying, falling on the fourth obstacle.
And Stockett seemed a little nervous, taking a couple of extra swings on Catch and Release.
But Bouncing Spider was no issue at all.
And the Broken Bridge was a welcome change, as it was Tuning Forks that cost her in qualifying.
With her spot in Vegas secured, Stockett aimed to become the 2nd woman ever to complete Crank It Up.
And she did it with ease before climbing up the Warped Wall in City Finals for the 2nd straight year.
No woman has ever made it past Nail Clipper.
And unfortunately, Stockett ran out of steam before she could complete the 8th obstacle.
During the break…
Mike Murray fell on Nail Clipper.
Karsten Williams fell on Nail Clipper.
Both guys qualified for National Finals.
Daniel Gil, 24 year old Worship Leader
Jon Stewart is sitting on the bubble as Gil takes the course.
You do not want to be 15th when Daniel Gil has yet to run.
And the “Kingdom Ninja” arrived at the Warped Wall in less than a minute.
Gil made it past Salmon Ladder, qualifying for Vegas for the fourth year in a row.
After making the Nail Clipper look easy, Gil had a full 90 seconds to complete the final two obstacles for the night’s best time.
Gil overcame a brief pause on Fallout to get through the ninth obstacle.
Then, Gil flew up Spider Trap and hit the buzzer with the night’s fastest time
Daniel Gil completes the course in 3:54.73.
Top 15 City Finalists advancing to Las Vegas Nevada National Finals Stage 1:
Men who completed the Dallas Texas City Finals Course
Failed at Fallout
Failed at Nail Clipper
- Brian Burkhardt
- Elliott Jolivette
- Karsten Williams
- Andrew Swinghamer
- Mike Murray
- Brent Steffensen
- Josh Norton
- Kevin Jordan
Top 2 Women Advancing to Las Vegas Nevada National Finals Stage 1:
Fell at Nail Clipper
Fell at Broken Bridge
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