Season Premiere: Venice Qualifying 1 Continued on NBC

Season 5's premiere continues where it left off in Venice Beach - this time on NBC. Same obstacles as before including the new Frame Slider, Domino Hill, Floating Chains and Flying Nunchucks. 

Brent Steffensen: so sleepy

Akbar Gbaja-Biamila named his "Ninjas to Watch:"

• Jesse La Flair
• Kyle Cochran
• Brett Steffensen
• Kacy Cantanzaro (Steffensen's girlfriend)

Will ninja hopefuls continue to struggle on the new challenges? Here we go...

• Mike Mark - This former pro baseball prospect was competing for his ailing, aging father. After a strong start, he made an early error on the floating chains which resulted in his getting too tired to complete the obstacle. Splash.
• Natalie Duran - The first woman of the night is an overachieving 21 year old soon-to-be doctor, professional youtube blogger and avid rock climber. Her resume was more impressive than her run as the frame slider sent her into the water.
• Matthew Razore - This high school football coach underestimated the quintuple steps as his unbalanced leap to the platform sent him backflipping into the water. Impressive fail.
• Spencer Hurtt - This was Spencer's third attempt at the qualifying course, failing at the warped wall in each of his last two attempts. Motivated by his past failures, Hurtt spends his free time training on his homemade course. Unfortunately, a homemade course can't prepare you for new obstacles - and the flying nunchucks were too much for Hurtt.
• Desmond Odom - Best story to this point. Odom - once jobless, homeless and 304 lbs - was inspired by ANW to turn his life around. Over a hundred pounds later, Odom was ready to face the course. Motivated, Odom got off to a fast start before failing on domino hill.
• Mario Mendoza - After spending the night on the beach for a chance to compete, Mendoza had a good first showing on the course. After breezing through the first four obstacles, he successfully grabbed the first set of flying nunchucks before botching the transfer and ending up in the water.
• Alan Conneally - A Mt. Midoriyama veteran, Alan was surely disappointed to go down on the frame slider - though the pain of his dislocated shoulder was probably worse...
• Justin Walcker - The bearded national finals returnee who happens to battle Tourette's Syndrome lives for parkour and ninja warrior training. Training paid off as Walcker is the first to complete the flying nunchucks and easily climbed the warped wall.
• Kelvin Antoine aka Grandpa Ninja - A fan favorite (and physical specimen), Kelvin's technique was all wrong on the frame slider and the crowd was sad to see him slip into the water like an old man into a warm bath.
• Jesse La Flair - A youtube sensation with over a million followers, La Flair is an instant favorite to beat the course every time he steps up. Handling the course like a pro, Jesse turned in the fastest time to this point in qualifying.
• Jessica Graff - Despite the musical audition tape and chicken outfit, Jessie was all business. The closest any woman has ever been to beating the fifth obstacle, Graff fell on the SECOND set of flying nunchucks.
• Lance Pekus - Outfitted in a pair of jeans and a cowboy hat, Pekus dominated the first five obstacles before climbing the warped wall after initial hesitation. Finally, he conquers the wall that has been in his nightmares the last year!
• Yen Chen & Forest Chang-Turpen - both completed the course during commercial break
• Melanie Darnell - The wife of Paul, Melanie is a first time ninja encouraged by her ANW veteran husband. He might be embarrassed by her plunge into the water after the first of the quintuple steps.
• Paul Darnell - After his trip to Mt. Midoriyama last season, Paul married Melanie and they trained together for this attempt. After a strong start, Paul rushed on the flying nunchucks trying to transition too quickly. He will be thinking about that plunge for the next year.
• Aaron Cooke - A real feel good story, Aaron is a former ballet dancer who now spends his days taking car of his son/training partner. An impressive run comes to end where most do - the flying nunchucks.
• Dustin Rocho - The last time this returning veteran was on the qualifying course he ruptured his eardrum crashing into the water. Determined to retake his place atop the warped wall, Dustin battled through a rough time on the floating chains and continued on to a strong finish.
• Andrew Douglas - The first time competitor completed the course during a commercial break
• Noah Kaufman - Called into action once earlier tonight, Dr. Kaufman successfully popped Alan Conneally's shoulder into place. Onto the course, Noah's theory that a rock climber will be the first American Ninja Warrior might hold some water as he avoids all of it on his way to a perfect run through the course.
• Kacy Catanzaro - Brent Steffensen's girlfriend and training partner, Kacy is an experienced gymnast with the background to succeed. Though short in stature, Kacy is a bigtime competitor. A lengthy trip-up on the floating chains completely wiped her out and she just did not have it in her to grab onto the flying nunchucks.
• Kyle Cochran - A Mt. Midoriyama veteran, Kyle has battle diabetes his entire life - what a champ! Just as Kacy learned, too much time on the floating chains is draining as he cannot complete the next obstacle.
• And with that failure, JESSIE GRAFF IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO ADVANCE TO A REGION FINALS
• Brent Steffensen - A fan favorite and the most successful American at Mt. Midoriyama, Brent has a lot of expectations every time he steps on the course. Despite some struggles on the floating chains, he handles the pressure like a champ and completes the course!

What an exciting qualifying round! What did you think about the Venice Beach competitors? Is the first American Ninja Warrior in this bunch? Share your comments!