American Ninja Warrior Premiere RECAP 5/26/14: Season 6 “Venice Beach Qualifying”

American Ninja Warrior Premiere RECAP 5/26/14: Season 6 “Venice Beach Qualifying”

American Ninja Warrior NBC’s obstacle course competition airs tonight with its sixth season premiere. On tonight’s show season 6 opens with a qualifying round in Venice Beach, Cal., and features obstacles such as the Slack Ladder, the Jumping Bars Into Cargo, and the Cannonball Alley. Contestants include Olympians Susan Francia and Kate Hansen..

The heart-racing obstacle course competition series “American Ninja Warrior” returns to NBC this summer with all new episodes. The action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle the world’s most difficult obstacle courses in qualifying and finals rounds across the country. Those that successfully complete the course in each city will move onto the national finals round in Las Vegas where they face a stunning four-stage course modeled after the famed Mt. Midoriyama – based on the Japanese television series “Sasuke.”  Competitors vie for a chance to win a cash prize of $500,000 and the title “American Ninja Warrior.” Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja Biamila return as hosts as Jenn Brown also returns as co-host.

On tonight’s episode in the first round of qualifying from Venice Beach, California, competitors must tackle ten obstacles in the qualifying round including three brand new obstacles; the Slack Ladder, the Jumping Bars Into Cargo and the Cannonball Alley. Olympian rower Susan Francia and luger Kate Hanson tackle the course along with Ninja veteran David Campbell.

Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior,  “Venice Beach Qualifying” at 9:00 PM EST!  While you wait for our recap hit the comments and let us know how excited you are about the new season.

Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates

Tonight’s episode of American Ninja Warrior begins with an introduction of three new obstacle courses that have never been seen before. The first obstacle in Venice includes quintuple steps, a spinning wheel they must hold on to as it rolls down a track, and jumping bars and monkey peg-where they have to work pegs into holes while suspended in the air and then run up the warped wall.

The first contestant to attempt to compete the obstacle course is NBC’s fitness guru Kim Lyons. Kim falls within the first three seconds and is out of the race.

The next contestant to give it a whirl in Venice is Jeff Foley, a financial representative who competed for American Ninja Warrior last year in Detroit. Foley makes it past the quintuple steps, but falls off the spinning wheel- he is out of the competition.

Up next is single mother Selena Laniel, she competed in Season 4 of American Ninja Warrior, however she had to turn down Season 5 to work as a fire fighter. She has been training hard and she is ready to give the course another go. The buzzer sounds and Selena begins, she makes it past the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, and the slack ladder, but she falls while she is trying to master the jumping bars.

So far no contestant has made it through the obstacle course yet. The next competitor is Phil Arrington III, a video librarian. Unfortunately he also can’t get past the infamous spinning wheel. The next competitor is a walk-on, a rock-climber named Robert, he makes it past the quintuple steps, spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, the pegs, and the warped wall. Robert is the first competitor to complete the obstacle course so far.

Up next is army veteran Danny Golier. He starts off strong and completes the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, and unfortunately falls during the monkey pegs.

The next competitor to try to master the obstacle course is Olympian Kate Hansen. She completes the quintuple steps, and spinning wheel, but unfortunately falls off the slack ladder.

Keita Kashiwagi, a 39 year old teacher hailing from California is up next. He starts off strong and masters the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, and the peg board. He gets to the warped wall and takes his shoes off, however he can’t get enough leverage and doesn’t make it up the wall.

Fan favorite and a former Vegas finalist Kyle Cochran gives the obstacle course a whirl next. He makes it through the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, the peg board, and the warped wall with ease and hits the buzzer. So far Kyle Cochran is in the lead with the fastest time yet on the course.

Kevin Bull, a 29 year old stock investor from California is a first timer on American Ninja Warrior. He cruises through the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, the peg board, and the warped wall with impressive speed, and he lands the fastest time of the night.

David Money, an American Ninja Warrior veteran has brought his twin brother Paul Money to compete this year. David Money goes first, he breezes through the quintuple steps, spinning wheel, and the jumping bars, however he falls on the peg board. His brother Paul Money goes next, he makes it through the quintuple steps, spinning wheel, jumping bars, however he falls on the peg board just like his twin brother did.

American Ninja Warrior veteran and American Gladiator champ Evan Dollard is up next. He moves through the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, the peg board, and the warped wall and hits the buzzer.

Thaddeus Robeck, a 30 year old race car driver is the next contestant to take a shot at the obstacle course. He makes it through the quintuple steps, spinning wheel, the slack ladder, the jumping bars, the peg board, and the warped wall and hits the buzzer.

James “The Beast” Mcgrath, an American Ninja Warrior alum is up next. He starts off strong and cruises through the quintuple steps, the spinning wheel, the jumping bars, the peg board, and the warped wall. He finishes the course in record time in under two minutes.

Ben Melick is an acrobat who played the part of Tarzan in a recent show, so he has worn his loin cloth to the obstacle course. He moves through the quintuple steps, spinning wheel, jumping bars, peg board, and warped wall with ease.

The final competitor to compete on the course tonight is “The Godfather” David Campbell. He breezes through the course and lands the fastest time of the night, 1:57.

A total of 18 competitors completed the obstacle course and will be competing in the Venice finals next week, along with a hand full of people who didn’t complete the course but still made it the farthest with the fastest times.