Beach Blog: Celebrating Beach Wrestling pictures and four talented U.S. photographers

Friday, May 30, 2025…  On to the beauty of the Adriatic Coast for 2025’s second installment of United World Wrestling’s Beach World Series!  The town of Porec, located in Croatia’s northwestern province of Istria, is our host.

You’ve already seen Gary’s article.  As usual, he’s ‘On It’.  Gary has introduced you to America’s key contributors on the field of play.  He’s given you historical context and a glimpse of what’s at stake.

Competing in Eastern Europe offers a deeper roster of opponents for our American heroes.  Our Pan-American foes are talented and driven.  Many European beach wrestlers are seasoned veterans.  Beach wrestling strongholds such as Azerbaijan, France, Georgia, Greece and Romania will all field strong delegations.

My role is to add some spice… tempt your palate!  My constant goal is to offer some insider views to the history, technique, scoring, and the personalities that paint this fastest-growing developing style on UWW’s menu.

To preface this weekend’s Croatian event, let me implore you… pause reading this and simply google some images of Beach Wrestling.  As a loyalist to the Olympic Styles and American Folkstyle, you will instantly appreciate the technical value.

If you’re newer to wrestling, or just stumbled onto this, you’ll find yourself just as attracted to what you see.  It’s hard to click past two physically attractive young athletes doing honest combat in a arena on one of the world’s beautiful beaches.  Gotcha!

Beach Wrestling loves cameras.  Cameras love Beach Wrestling.  As you follow Gary and me through our coverage in Porec, I’d like to give some credit where it’s due.  Let me introduce you to four of America’s most dedicated wrestling photo-journalists.

Over the last decade, Beach Wrestling has come close to dominating wrestling’s overall photo presence online.  United World Wrestling and its Beach Wrestling World Series have dedicated significant resources to upgrading wrestling’s visibility.

Wrestling’s a hard sport to shoot, indoor or outdoor.  So much anticipation and plain old wrestling savvy go into getting that great shot.

There are a pretty good number of serious competitors, globally, in capturing stills of wrestling action.  My goal is not to slight anyone, but to highlight these four Americans who sacrifice much to capture those ‘Wow’ moments and publish them.

Tony Rotondo was with Team USA throughout the Pan-Ams last week.  Tony has recognized the photo-journalistic appeal of beach action for a while, now.  Tony stayed the extra three days to shoot beach action.  I dare say… looking at some of his shots… the stay was worth it!

California’s John Sachs is another photographer the beach has captured.  Over the last couple of years, Beach events in the Golden State have grown tremendously, both in number and quality.  I give lots of credit to John for that.  California’s huge population of athletes, coaches and referees make it a fertile feeding ground for our sport’s new outdoor growth.

Robbert Wijtman, another Californian, bought into Beach Wrestling early and it has served him well.  I know Robbert has shot beach action on at least three continents.  Like the others, he has a good eye and a good gut and captures great .

Larry Slater of Arizona is the fourth on my Mount Rushmore of American wrestling photo-journalists.  Like the other three, Larry’s been shooting wrestling for decades.  As he gains more opportunity on the beach, I think we can all look forward to some spectacular shots from Larry’s unique perspective.

Everyone loves a good wrestling pic.  They drive us to read more.  They allow us to revisit our ‘Wow’ moments.  They recruit.  They appreciate.  They applaud.

Along with others, Larry and Robbert and John and Tony are a vital component of every wrestling story.  We all love the photo, but rarely notice the person who captured it.  I thought it appropriate to say ‘Thanks’ from all of us, to these four and to all the many others who love wrestling through a lens.  THANKS!

CIAO