The Maryland Twisters F5 won the gold medal at the 2011 Worlds Cheerleading Championships this spring in Orlando, Fla. The F5 team is comprised of 36 girls, including Loudoun residents Valerie Rubenstein and Brittany Burkhard.

The Twisters, coached by Tara Cain and True Hall, produced the best score among 14 squads in the first round of competition to earn one of seven spots in the finals. The Twisters then delivered a nearly flawless performance in the finals to claim the coveted championship.

Rubenstein is a rising senior at Stone Bridge High School. Burkhard is a recent Heritage High graduate and will continue her competitive cheer career at the University of Maryland.