Michael Peters, Kristal and Diana Betanzo to compete in Zagreb Beach World Series Final this weekend
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Michael Peters of the United States competing at the 2018 Beach World Championships in Turkey. Photo by Robbert Wijtman
Three U.S. Senior wrestlers will compete in the final event of the United World Wrestling Beach World Series, the Zagreb Beach World Series Final, set for September 7-8 in Zagreb, Croatia.
This is the fourth stop in the UWW Beach World Series, and is serving as the World Championships event for the Senior level. Points scored in the four Beach World Series events will determine the final Beach World Series Rankings, and the No. 1 athlete in each weight class from these rankings will be called the Beach Wrestling World Champion.
Competing in the Beach World Championships for the third straight year is Michael Peters of Quincy, Ill. at 70 kg. Peters placed fifth in the 2017 Beach World Championships, and also competed in the 2018 Beach World Championships. He is a two-time U.S. Beach Nationals champion (2017 and 2019) and won a silver medal at the 2018 U.S. Beach Nationals. Peters competes for NCAA Div. II power Maryville University.
The mother-daughter combination of Diana Betanzo and Kristal Betanzo of Hillsborough, Calif. will compete in the women’s division.
Kristal Betanzo, the daughter, will be wrestling at 50 kg. She won the U.S. Women’s Beach World Games Trials in Las Vegas in April, and will compete at the 2019 Beach World Games in Qatar in October. Diana Betanzo also won a Junior Beach World Championships bronze medal in August in Ukraine.
Diana Betanzo, the mother, will be competing at 70 kg. She placed second in the U.S. Women’s Beach World Games Trials, and will be a member of the 2019 U.S. Grappling World Team. Diana Betanzo competed in the third stop of the Beach World Series in Odessa, Ukraine in August. She is a past U.S. Senior World Team member in women’s freestyle wrestling.
Prize money is at stake during the Beach World Series, with 1,000 Swiss francs awarded to each champion, 500 Swiss Francs to each runner-up and 250 Swiss Francs to each bronze medalist. An additional 1,000 Swiss Francs is given at each Beach World Series event for the “Big Move from the Beach,” as voted upon by the fans in attendance.
The USA has had two medalists during the Beach World Series so far this year. Tim Box of Oceanside, Calif. won a silver medal at 70 kg at the third Beach World Series event in Odessa, Ukraine. Reese Humphrey of Dayton, N.J. won a bronze medal at 70 kg at the second Beach World Series event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Zagreb is six hours ahead of the U.S. Eastern time zone.
All of the action from the Zagreb Beach World Series Final will be broadcast live on FloWrestling.
ZAGREB BEACH WORLD SERIES FINAL
At Zagreb, Croatia
U.S. Senior Men
70 kg – Michael Peters, Quincy, Ill.
U.S. Senior Women
50 kg - Kristal Betanzo, Hillsborough, Calif.
70 kg - Diana Betanzo, Hillsborough, Calif.
Personal Coach - Donnie Peters, Quincy, Ill.
Personal Coach – John Wesendunk, Hillsborough, Calif.
Referee - Rusty Davidson, Grants, N.M.
Event Schedule
(six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)
Saturday, September 7
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Group Rounds
Sunday, September 8
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Elimination rounds and finals
Three U.S. Senior wrestlers will compete in the final event of the United World Wrestling Beach World Series, the Zagreb Beach World Series Final, set for September 7-8 in Zagreb, Croatia.
This is the fourth stop in the UWW Beach World Series, and is serving as the World Championships event for the Senior level. Points scored in the four Beach World Series events will determine the final Beach World Series Rankings, and the No. 1 athlete in each weight class from these rankings will be called the Beach Wrestling World Champion.
Competing in the Beach World Championships for the third straight year is Michael Peters of Quincy, Ill. at 70 kg. Peters placed fifth in the 2017 Beach World Championships, and also competed in the 2018 Beach World Championships. He is a two-time U.S. Beach Nationals champion (2017 and 2019) and won a silver medal at the 2018 U.S. Beach Nationals. Peters competes for NCAA Div. II power Maryville University.
The mother-daughter combination of Diana Betanzo and Kristal Betanzo of Hillsborough, Calif. will compete in the women’s division.
Kristal Betanzo, the daughter, will be wrestling at 50 kg. She won the U.S. Women’s Beach World Games Trials in Las Vegas in April, and will compete at the 2019 Beach World Games in Qatar in October. Diana Betanzo also won a Junior Beach World Championships bronze medal in August in Ukraine.
Diana Betanzo, the mother, will be competing at 70 kg. She placed second in the U.S. Women’s Beach World Games Trials, and will be a member of the 2019 U.S. Grappling World Team. Diana Betanzo competed in the third stop of the Beach World Series in Odessa, Ukraine in August. She is a past U.S. Senior World Team member in women’s freestyle wrestling.
Prize money is at stake during the Beach World Series, with 1,000 Swiss francs awarded to each champion, 500 Swiss Francs to each runner-up and 250 Swiss Francs to each bronze medalist. An additional 1,000 Swiss Francs is given at each Beach World Series event for the “Big Move from the Beach,” as voted upon by the fans in attendance.
The USA has had two medalists during the Beach World Series so far this year. Tim Box of Oceanside, Calif. won a silver medal at 70 kg at the third Beach World Series event in Odessa, Ukraine. Reese Humphrey of Dayton, N.J. won a bronze medal at 70 kg at the second Beach World Series event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Zagreb is six hours ahead of the U.S. Eastern time zone.
All of the action from the Zagreb Beach World Series Final will be broadcast live on FloWrestling.
ZAGREB BEACH WORLD SERIES FINAL
At Zagreb, Croatia
U.S. Senior Men
70 kg – Michael Peters, Quincy, Ill.
U.S. Senior Women
50 kg - Kristal Betanzo, Hillsborough, Calif.
70 kg - Diana Betanzo, Hillsborough, Calif.
Personal Coach - Donnie Peters, Quincy, Ill.
Personal Coach – John Wesendunk, Hillsborough, Calif.
Referee - Rusty Davidson, Grants, N.M.
Event Schedule
(six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)
Saturday, September 7
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Group Rounds
Sunday, September 8
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Elimination rounds and finals
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