U.S. seeks team title at Grappling World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland, Dec. 20-21
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The United States will send a talented team of men and women Grapplers to compete at the FILA World Grappling Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland, Dec. 20-21.
Grappling, also known as submission wrestling, was recognized as an international style of wrestling in 2006. FILA held its first major international event in Grappling in 2007 at World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey. The United States swept all nine World titles in Antalya, with gold medals in the five men's weight classes and four women's weight classes.
The U.S. brings an experienced and talented team to the Grappling World Championships this year, led by five of the World Champions from 2007:
- Ricky Lundell (Ames, Iowa/Grappler's Edge) at 70 kg/154 lbs.
- Jeff Monson (Olympia, Wash./American Top Team) at 125 kg/275 lbs.
- Lisa Ward (Olympia, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.
- Felicia Oh (Valencia, Calif./Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Fitness Center) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
- Tara LaRosa (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
LaRosa won her World title at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. last year and has dropped down in weight this season.
Monson was a Div. I wrestling star at the Univ. of Illinois and Oregon State, and Lundell is a walk-on member of the Iowa State wrestling team this year.
The Grappling World Championships is expected to have a large and talented field this year, with over 200 athletes from 35 nations among those who have registered to compete.
"We have an improved field to compete against this year," said USA Wrestling Manager of Developing Styles Jason Townsend, who served as a World Team coach last year. "The men and women we are taking to Lucerne are battle-tested. We have the type of athletes that can perform under such grueling conditions. I believe we can do very well against the competition."
Along with Lundell and Monson, winners of the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Rocklin, Calif. on the men's team were Matt Sanchez (Sacramento, Calif./Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs., Jacob Volkmann (White Bear Lake, Minn./Minnesota Martial Arts Academy) at 80 kg/176 lbs. and Raphael Davis (Lomita, Calif./Team Caique) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. Sanchez was second at the Grappling World Championships last year.
All three were also Div. I wrestling stars in college, with Sanchez and Davis at Cal-State Bakersfield and Volkmann at the Univ. of Minnesota.
In addition to Ward and Oh, the women champions from the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials were Molly Helsel (San Diego, Calif./North County Fight Club) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Miesha Tate (Olympia, Wash./Victory Athletics) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
This year, FILA will hold both a No-Gi and a Gi competition at the Grappling World Championships. The U.S. team qualified in No-Gi Grappling, and all of the team members will compete in the No-Gi tournament on Saturday, December 20. Most of the team is also expected to enter the Gi tournament on Sunday, December 21.
For more information on the FILA Grappling World Championships, visit the official website at:
http://www.d4-world.com/
Download the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Media Guide at:
http://www.themat.com/forms/08GrapplingGuide.pdf
2008 USA GRAPPLING WORLD TEAM
Men
62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Matt Sanchez, Sacramento, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness)
62 kg/136.5 lbs. -Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Training Center)
70 kg/154 lbs. - Ricky Lundell, Ames, Iowa (Grappler's Edge)
70 kg/154 lbs. - Tom LeCuyer, Plano, Ill. (Atlas Xtreme Team, Torres Martial Arts)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Jacob Volkmann, White Bear Lake, Minn. (Minnesota Martial Arts Academy)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling)
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Raphael Davis, Lomita, Calif. (Team Caique)
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ian Murphy, Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Jeff Monson, Olympia, Wash. (American Top Team)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Brandon Ruiz,West Jordan, Utah (Grappler's Edge)
Women
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Fight Team)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Felicia Oh, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Fitness Center)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Molly Helsel, San Diego, Calif. (North County Fight Club)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Miesha Tate, Olympia, Wash. (Victory Athletics)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Angela Poe, Craig, Colo. (Grappler's Edge) Delegation - Rich Bender, Jason Townsend, Sheldon Marr, Anthony Califano, Jeff Levitetz, Ricardo Liborio
FILA GRAPPLING WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE at Lucerne, Switzerland, Dec. 19-21
Friday, December 19 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Medical examination (No-Gi & Gi) 5:30 p.m. - 6.30 p.m. - Weigh-in (No-Gi & Gi)
Saturday, December 20 9.00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Elimination rounds for No-Gi men and women all categories 6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Opening ceremony 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Repechage, finals and award ceremonies for No-Gi men and women all categories
Sunday, December 21 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Elimination rounds for Gi men and women all categories 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - Repechage, finals and award ceremonies for Gi men and women all categories
Grappling, also known as submission wrestling, was recognized as an international style of wrestling in 2006. FILA held its first major international event in Grappling in 2007 at World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey. The United States swept all nine World titles in Antalya, with gold medals in the five men's weight classes and four women's weight classes.
The U.S. brings an experienced and talented team to the Grappling World Championships this year, led by five of the World Champions from 2007:
- Ricky Lundell (Ames, Iowa/Grappler's Edge) at 70 kg/154 lbs.
- Jeff Monson (Olympia, Wash./American Top Team) at 125 kg/275 lbs.
- Lisa Ward (Olympia, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.
- Felicia Oh (Valencia, Calif./Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Fitness Center) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
- Tara LaRosa (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
LaRosa won her World title at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. last year and has dropped down in weight this season.
Monson was a Div. I wrestling star at the Univ. of Illinois and Oregon State, and Lundell is a walk-on member of the Iowa State wrestling team this year.
The Grappling World Championships is expected to have a large and talented field this year, with over 200 athletes from 35 nations among those who have registered to compete.
"We have an improved field to compete against this year," said USA Wrestling Manager of Developing Styles Jason Townsend, who served as a World Team coach last year. "The men and women we are taking to Lucerne are battle-tested. We have the type of athletes that can perform under such grueling conditions. I believe we can do very well against the competition."
Along with Lundell and Monson, winners of the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Rocklin, Calif. on the men's team were Matt Sanchez (Sacramento, Calif./Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs., Jacob Volkmann (White Bear Lake, Minn./Minnesota Martial Arts Academy) at 80 kg/176 lbs. and Raphael Davis (Lomita, Calif./Team Caique) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. Sanchez was second at the Grappling World Championships last year.
All three were also Div. I wrestling stars in college, with Sanchez and Davis at Cal-State Bakersfield and Volkmann at the Univ. of Minnesota.
In addition to Ward and Oh, the women champions from the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials were Molly Helsel (San Diego, Calif./North County Fight Club) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Miesha Tate (Olympia, Wash./Victory Athletics) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
This year, FILA will hold both a No-Gi and a Gi competition at the Grappling World Championships. The U.S. team qualified in No-Gi Grappling, and all of the team members will compete in the No-Gi tournament on Saturday, December 20. Most of the team is also expected to enter the Gi tournament on Sunday, December 21.
For more information on the FILA Grappling World Championships, visit the official website at:
http://www.d4-world.com/
Download the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Media Guide at:
http://www.themat.com/forms/08GrapplingGuide.pdf
2008 USA GRAPPLING WORLD TEAM
Men
62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Matt Sanchez, Sacramento, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness)
62 kg/136.5 lbs. -Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Training Center)
70 kg/154 lbs. - Ricky Lundell, Ames, Iowa (Grappler's Edge)
70 kg/154 lbs. - Tom LeCuyer, Plano, Ill. (Atlas Xtreme Team, Torres Martial Arts)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Jacob Volkmann, White Bear Lake, Minn. (Minnesota Martial Arts Academy)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling)
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Raphael Davis, Lomita, Calif. (Team Caique)
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ian Murphy, Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Jeff Monson, Olympia, Wash. (American Top Team)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Brandon Ruiz,West Jordan, Utah (Grappler's Edge)
Women
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Fight Team)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Felicia Oh, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Fitness Center)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Molly Helsel, San Diego, Calif. (North County Fight Club)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Miesha Tate, Olympia, Wash. (Victory Athletics)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Angela Poe, Craig, Colo. (Grappler's Edge) Delegation - Rich Bender, Jason Townsend, Sheldon Marr, Anthony Califano, Jeff Levitetz, Ricardo Liborio
FILA GRAPPLING WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE at Lucerne, Switzerland, Dec. 19-21
Friday, December 19 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Medical examination (No-Gi & Gi) 5:30 p.m. - 6.30 p.m. - Weigh-in (No-Gi & Gi)
Saturday, December 20 9.00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Elimination rounds for No-Gi men and women all categories 6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Opening ceremony 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Repechage, finals and award ceremonies for No-Gi men and women all categories
Sunday, December 21 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Elimination rounds for Gi men and women all categories 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - Repechage, finals and award ceremonies for Gi men and women all categories
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