Earlier this year, 11 of America’s fittest, skillful and most flexible female pole dancers gathered to compete in the first annual U.S. Pole Dancing Championship, at the Bleecker Street Theatre in New York. The eleven were chosen from more than 100 video submissions, and as you will see in the video below, the 11 finalists are truly hardcore professional pole dancers.

At the end of the perfect afternoon full of splits, twirls and buff ladies defying the laws of physics, there could be only one winner. Alethea Austin earned an honorable mention, and was proclaimed “Miss Sexy”, and Sarah Cretul was honored with the title of “Miss Trickster.” But the ultimate winner was Jenyne Butterfly, with her flexible joints seemingly full of putty and gravity-defying moves that wowed the judges. She’ll go on to compete in the International pole dance championship.

Check out the video highlights below.